NetworK ezine Issue 7. December 2015
by Glen and Stephen Thistlewood
For "Adults Only"!
A Grand 1909 Christmas Opening at the Panton & White department store in Duluth, Minnesota was something to look forward to, but this one was special. 5000 pieces of "Beautiful Art Glassware" were to be given away FREE and 5000 Ladies were to be the lucky recipients.
A Grand 1909 Christmas Opening at the Panton & White department store in Duluth, Minnesota was something to look forward to, but this one was special. 5000 pieces of "Beautiful Art Glassware" were to be given away FREE and 5000 Ladies were to be the lucky recipients.
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The ad described the free glassware as "Pompeian, Venetian, Oriental, Iridescent and Imitation Tiffany" which was what Carnival Glass was called back in 1909. Here’s what they were giving away: “In the assortment there are Footed Violet Bowls, Compotes, Footed salad and Nut Bowls, Fruit Dishes, Flower Vases, Bon Bon and Sweetmeat Dishes in beautiful emerald green, wine and ruby shades – jeweled polka dot and prism patterns, and iridescent, radiant, rainbow hues. The dishes are from 5½ to 12 inches in size, not cheap trashy things that will look nice for a day, but real Art Glassware with the decorations baked or burned in, and guaranteed not to wear off. These gifts are too expensive for us to give out promiscuously to children, and our supply of them is limited.” |
Panton & White department store ad, Duluth, Minnesota, 1909
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The ad went on to state the times when the free Carnival Glass would be handed out "To Adults Only"! Eight in the morning until ten, then again in the afternoon from one till three o'clock.
So, what were some of the Carnival pieces that were being handed out as Free Presents? The ad showed six items - we have arranged them in the composite graphic shown on the right. We believe that the items were, left to right: Top row: Fenton Long Thumbprint vase, Northwood Diamond Points vase, Northwood Wild Flower compote and Daisy & Plume (both exterior patterns with plain interiors). Bottom row, Northwood Blossom & Palm bowl (exterior pattern) and Fenton Stippled Rays bowl. Below: Ladies - what would you have chosen for your Free Present from Panton & White? A Fenton Stippled Rays bowl (photo courtesy Seeck Auctions), or a Long Thumbprint vase (photo courtesy Joan Doty), or maybe a Northwood Wild Flower comport? 
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Free Carnival Glass on offer at Panton & White's store
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You can see the entire, full page 1909 ad, plus all the Carnival Glass items they were giving away, and more besides in "The Glass Block Store - The Story Behind the Glass". Don't miss it.
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Carnival for Christmas Here’s another Christmas Carnival Glass FREE offering exactly sixty five years after the ones featured in the Duluth Herald! This ad was in the 1974 Leader Herald in Gloversville, New York state and it offered two Carnival dishes made by the Indiana Glass Co., (Dunkirk, Indiana). Made in the 1970s, they are familiar items, with a distinctive vibrant amber iridescence. In the foreground of the ad is the “Loganberry” dish and behind it, a “Lily Pons” dish (also known as “Sunflower”). The freebies were being given as part of a Christmas Club scheme operated by Albany Savings Bank in New York state. 
Loganberry dish, amber, Indiana Glass, 1970s
Indiana first made these dishes circa 1920s-1930s in green and pink glass.
They were listed as No. 606 “Loganberry” bon bon and No. 605 7in Nappy in the “Lily Pons” range. The iridescent items were produced in the 1970s - the colour was called “Gold” or “Goldentone”. |
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An Inexpensive Gift for your Friends at Christmas
“Heavy bases. These won’t blow over with the first gust of wind.”
In late November 1925, the Barry & Roberts department store in Brisbane, Australia, had this special sale of glassware aimed at Christmas gift purchases. Featured in this newspaper clip from the Brisbane Telegraph are a Banded Diamonds bowl and water pitcher plus a pair of Gum Tips vases – all by Crown Crystal and all were offered in iridescent glass.
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The Banded Diamonds items were in “the popular de lustre, or lightly coloured and iridescent or darkly coloured glass” (which would have been marigold and purple/black amethyst) while the Gum Tips vases were only offered in “dark iridescent shades” (purple/black amethyst). An especially wonderful selling point of the Gum Tips vases is the description: “Heavy bases. These won’t blow over with the first gust of wind.”
Above: a Banded Diamonds bowl and a Gum Tips vase with a twist (courtesy Seeck Auctions). Both pieces are in Crown Crystal's dark (purple/black amethyst) Carnival.
Read more about Gum Tips and Lily vases in Collectors Facts. |
Barry & Roberts department store in Brisbane, Australia, 1925
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BREAKING NEWS ... BREAKING NEWS ...
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Stop the press! News from Carnival researcher, John Hodgson who has found a most unusual item ... and it might be appearing in a garden centre or retail outlet near you.
Here’s John to tell us the whole story … during a recent visit to a large garden centre, I spotted a display of iridised glass. Usually, things like this turn out to be thin, hand-blown vases or glass coloured with lacquers that trick the eye into thinking that they are iridised. On this occasion, however, I was pleasantly surprised to find a heavy, pressed glass, footed tazza. Proper Carnival Glass, no less, and brand spanking new. The pattern is very modern – borrowing influences from the 50s and 60s, and is part of the “Pernilla” range, which consists of a tazza and a plate, and both are available in three different sizes. |
Pernilla tazza
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This new glass doesn’t have the rich, vibrant colours that you would associate with Classic or most Contemporary Carnival Glass and is only available in marigold or clear glass, but it is a good example of what can be achieved using modern techniques, and it’s good to see manufacturers using new designs and moulds – rather than copying or borrowing old ones.
However, watch out for these items being sold elsewhere as ‘old’ Carnival Glass. The glass is being marketed in the UK by Wikholmform, which is a Swedish company who sourced this product from a Chinese manufacturer. I have not yet determined who actually made the glass. Wikholmform have kindly agreed to let me share with you illustrations from their latest catalogue (shown right) Thanks to John for all the above excellent information. Read and see more from John Hodgson about Pernilla in our Collectors Facts. |
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Back to our Carnival Christmas theme, here are a couple of stories elsewhere on our website.
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Would you collect a series of plates that you knew was going to take 12 years to complete? Imperial thought collectors would, when they started their "Twelve Days of Christmas" plates.
One was to be made each year in a different colour, from 1970. Read the story of the idea, design, production and advertising. 
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Mysteries have always been a fascinating aspect of certain Carnival Glass pieces, such as the famous Christmas Comport.
For a long time, it was thought to be by Millersburg or by Northwood ... but without proof. That is until 1981. Read the amazing story of this iconic comport and it's reissue by Fenton. 
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Feedback
We received this wonderful response from Diane Fry to the Green Stamp article (see NetworK #6) and the 95 cents Wide Panel Epergnes:
“As I write this .......... with a huge smile on my face, we paid several hundred dollars for our marigold and green Wide Panel Epergnes ....... and neither one came with green stamps! LOL!..........Nice article! Thank you both! Diane”.
We hope you have enjoyed this issue of our ezine. Meanwhile, we would love to hear from you, and maybe you would like to "chat" with us on our Carnival Glass facebook pages.
We received this wonderful response from Diane Fry to the Green Stamp article (see NetworK #6) and the 95 cents Wide Panel Epergnes:
“As I write this .......... with a huge smile on my face, we paid several hundred dollars for our marigold and green Wide Panel Epergnes ....... and neither one came with green stamps! LOL!..........Nice article! Thank you both! Diane”.
We hope you have enjoyed this issue of our ezine. Meanwhile, we would love to hear from you, and maybe you would like to "chat" with us on our Carnival Glass facebook pages.
