Glen & Stephen Thistlewood
Carnival Glass Worldwide
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Revival / Contemporary Carnival Glass

From the 1950s, Classic Carnival Glass began to acquire its own identity, thanks to several early pioneers and Carnival Glass collectors / writers / researchers like May Plummer, Gertrude Conboy, Marion Hartung, Rose Presznick, Don Moore and Sherman Hand. In fact, it was Gertrude Conboy who first used the term “Carnival Glass” in 1952, in an authoritative article about Carnival Glass appeared in the “Spinning Wheel” magazine. ​The title of the article was “The Glass of Many Names Now Known as Carnival”, and it firmly established the name "Carnival Glass" as the definitive term used by collectors worldwide.

At around the same time, several glass manufacturers realised there was a niche in the market for new, contemporary versions of the old, Classic Carnival. The Imperial Glass Company in Ohio and Joe St. Clair in Ellwood, Indiana were two of the first manufacturers to introduce new Carnival Glass, as a collectible, to their line in the 1960s. Other glass manufacturers soon joined in. Boyd, Indiana Glass, Mosser, L.E. Smith, Summit, Westmoreland, Viking, and more.
A club devoted entirely to new contemporary Carnival Glass was established in 1975 - Carnival Glass Encore, the inspiration of Dorothy Taylor. It grew and thrived, inspiring a generation of collectors to seek out and acquire the new Carnival Glass. More recently, in 1998, the Northwood name was revived by the (short-lived) Northwood Art Glass Company. 

Although the glass companies revived old moulds (many of which had not been used to make Classic Carnival), over time, the majority of new Carnival has been comprised of new moulds, fresh patterns, inventive shapes and designs, wonderful and exotic colours. Many of the new items have been made in limited quantities, affordable at the time of release but rapidly increasing in value as time goes by, and today, they can be found all over the world.

​Such new Carnival has generally been referred to a "Contemporary Carnival" which, although perfectly valid when it was originally used, no longer seems appropriate for much of this more recent production - "contemporary” describes something that is current and in the present; it refers to the “here and now". In reality, it’s now many decades since the first Carnival Glass reissues appeared in the 1960s - indeed, a lot of today’s collectors weren’t even born then!  

So, we are using the term “Revival Carnival” instead of “Contemporary Carnival”. However, we are not abandoning the term “Contemporary Carnival” as it is used in many existing books, resources, articles and so on. An entire section of our book "A Century of Carnival Glass" is devoted to new Carnival Glass. For now, we are using the two terms together, where it feels appropriate or for context.

We define Revival Carnival as the era from the 1960s to date. It recognises the new presentation of, and interest in, something from the past – the “Revival” of Carnival Glass production.
Imperial plate
Christmas plate, Imperial, 1971.
Fenton Glass
Jefferson Comport, Fenton. 1976
Isle of Wight Glass
Isle of Wight Glass (England)

There is a phenomenal range of Revival/ Contemporary Carnival Glass available: many older moulds are still in production, and new colours and shapes are still being made today. As factories such as Imperial, Westmoreland and (most recently) Fenton, have closed, moulds have changed hands, often several times! New patterns, new colours and new shapes have continued to emerge. 

Confusingly, some old trademarks remain on some examples of Carnival Glass that is still being made today. Fortunately most manufacturers took pride in their glass production, and although quite a number of Classic Carnival patterns have been re-issued, they are most often trademarked/signed (Fenton and Imperial virtually always is) and are usually in different colours or shapes to the original Classic examples. 

There are exceptions, of course, and collectors are also urged to read as much as possible about fakes, re-issues and reproductions. We have major features on each of these vital areas of interest to all collectors of Carnival Glass.

​Don't be mislead - click on the images below to find out more. Information is power!

Reissues and Reproductions
reissues and reproductions
Fakes
Fake Carnival Glass

Read and see more about Revival / Contemporary Carnival Glass - click on any image.
Index
A to Z Index
A A Importing
A A Importing 1986
Akam
Akcam Glass from Turkey
Aztec Rose
Aztec Rose
Butterfly and Berry
The Butterfly and Berry Story
Butterfly and Tulip
Butterfly and Tulip reissues
Christmas Comport
Christmas Comport
Encore
Encore mini baskets
Federal Glass
Federal's Carnival Glass 1970s
Fenton Revival 1970
Fenton's Carnival Revival 1970
Fenton 1972
Fenton Contemporary Carnival, 1972
2005 Collection
Fenton 2005 Collection
Amethyst Carnival
Fenton Contemporary Amethyst Carnival
Fenton Centenary
Fenton Centenary Supplement, 2007
Fenton Catalog Exclusives
Fenton Catalog Exclusives
Fenton catalogue
Fenton Cobalt Marigold - amazing!
Light Amethyst
Fenton Contemporary Light Amethyst. 1991
Orange Carnival
Fenton Contemporary Marigold Carnival
Fenton
Fenton Old and New
Contemporary Red
Fenton Red in catalogues 1976-2010
Shell Pink
Fenton Shell Pink Carnival
Spruce Green
Fenton Spruce Green Carnival
Sunset Stretch
Fenton Sunset Stretch 2002
Teal Marigold
Fenton Teal Marigold Carnival
Flowers of the World
Flowers of the World
Four Leaf
Four Leaf, ALIG
Four Seventy Four
Four Seventy Four
God and Home
God and Home
Grape Delight reproductions
Grape Delight Reproductions
Heavy Grape
Heavy Grape / Grape Cluster
Howard Seufer
Howard Seufer presents ... making a commemorative plate
Revival 1960s
Imperial's 1960s Revival
Brockway
Imperial Carnival for "Free"!
Aurora Jewels
Imperial's Aurora Jewels - the jewel in their crown
Beauty Rose
Imperial's Beauty Rose pattern
Imperial Horizon Blue
Imperial Horizon Blue, 1980 (LIG)
Imperial Pink
Imperial Pink 1978 - 1982 (LIG and ALIG)
Sunburst Yellow
Imperial Sunburst Yellow (ALIG)
Sunset Ruby
Imperial Sunset Ruby
Indiana Glass
Indiana Contemporary Carnival
Indiana Florist Selection
Indiana Florist Selection
Indiana "Goldentone"
Indiana "Goldentone"
Indiana Harvest Blue and Gold
Indiana Harvest - Blue and Gold
Indiana Harvest
Indiana Harvest - Stop the Press!
Indiana Iridescent Amethyst
Indiana Heirloom - Amethyst
Indiana Heirloom Red
Indiana Heirloom - Sunset Red
Indiana Lime
Indiana Iridescent Lime
Hostess
Indiana Hostess pattern
Souvenir Harvest tumbler
Harvest Souvenir: the Bob Smith Museum
Hobby Bill
The "Hobby Lobby"
Jeannette Glass
The Story of Jeannette Glass
John Cook
John Cook Studios
Kamei Peacock Tail
Kamei Peacock Tail, Made in Japan
Kaunas Glass
Kaunas Glass made in Lithuania
Koala Summerland
Koala, made for Summerland
L E Smith
L.E. Smith Glass Co.
Smith 1988 catalogue
L. E. Smith 1988 catalogue
L E Smith
L.E. Smith Ruby Carnival
LiGlass
LiGlass - vacuum iridised glass
Lily of the Valley
Lily of the Valley, Fenton
Lions Foot
Lions Foot (aka 3-Toed)
Indonesia
Made in Indonesia
Mary Dugan
Mary Ann & Mary Dugan vase
Mayflower
Mayflower, Imperial
Moon and Star
Moon and Star, L.E.Smith
New Northwood
New Northwood
Octagon
Octagon, Heirloom, and Lace Variant
Olde Virginia Glass
Olde Virginia Glass, by Fenton
Owls from India
Owls - What a Hoot!
Pagoda
Pagoda cologne and atomiser. Taiwan
Persian Medallion
Persian Medallion, a Fenton Masterpiece
Pilgrim
Pilgrim Glass
Pioneer Glass
Pioneer Glass Co.
Pony by Westmoreland
Pony by Westmoreland
Pony by Mosser
Pony by Mosser
Presznick
Presznick Souvenirs
Red Carnival
Red Carnival Glass
Samovars
Samovars
Singing Birds
Singing Birds Reproductions
Stag and Holly
Stag and Holly Fakes
St Clair
St Clair - 1960s Revival
Sklo Union
Stunning vases from Sklo Union
Swans
Swans!
Westmoreland
Westmoreland and their Carnival Revival
Network #87
Wheatoncraft 1977 Catalog
Wine and Roses
Wine and Roses for Encore!
Christmas plates
12 Days of Christmas plates
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