Am I Blue!

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Am I Blue!

AM I BLUE!


STARFLOWER	MILADY

STARFLOWER pitchers in marigold and blue are very difficult to garner! No need to be concerned about matching tumblers, however. For whatever the reason, none have ever surfaced. Watersets from Fenton Glass are many in number and varied in shape. Starflower is smaller than some, standing tall as it can at 8 ½”; a true work of art in design! White examples are reported. Apparently Bill Heacock had no access to this pitcher during his research for Fenton Glass-The First Twenty Five Years. Photos and dates of manufacture for many pitchers and tumblers are included in this book. Other than the concentration directed toward Fenton products in this particular book, very little has been correlated in written form on the subject. Authors tend to shy away from the vastness of Fenton manufacture. A complete book on that subject would be HUGE! There were no marketing ads found in any of the 42 original Butler Bros. wholesale catalogs I gleaned through to create the 1994 Butler Bros. Reprint Books. This pattern appears on no other shape! Current prices: $1800-$3800, depending upon the quality of iridescence. Some blue examples tend to be on the silvery side, rather than multi-color. Observe the molded handle used here.

MILADY has an applied handle. Such a detailed, intricate pattern must have appealed to many buyers of the period around 1910 when this set was marketed in blue and marigold. Difficult to locate, some of the better examples will bring more than $1,000. A unique design to this waterset, we have yet another delightful specimen from Fenton Glass. Definitely in the tankard classification, this one stands 11” tall. This set was purchased from a Seeck auction in St. Louis when Carlton Tarkington sold off some of the collection he and Rebecca shared in the mid `90's.


BLUEBERRY	ORANGE TREE ORCHARD	APPLE TREE

BLUEBERRY sets are found in marigold and white. None are easily found, and will command much attention when a room full of bidders are present. Electric blue, such as the example shown, sets off pandemonium. Three major bidders, including the Betker's and the Phillips' will take the final bid to $4600 for one such amply endowed pitcher/tumbler. You see………VERY few of the blue pitchers are of the electric variety! IRIDESCENCE IS THE ESSENCE! Said to hold a half gallon, this pitcher stands 10 ½” tall. Pattern collectors tend to “get involved” with interesting sights such as these, for one must own an example to gain the pattern! (See attached Butler Bros. 1912 ad.)

ORANGE TREE ORCHARD Having much the same ruffled top opening as on Blueberry pitchers, certainly the overall shape differs. Available colors are marigold and white, in addition to the blue. Possibly because the Orange Tree pattern prevails on a number of other shapes, this set does not command the higher prices known for some other watersets. 9 ½” in height, the scrolled design around the base of the “jug” rather sets it apart from other patterns using Orange Tree for a theme. With likenesses of “fence” and complete tree trunks signifying an orchard, we believe the pattern name is justified. (Notice the connotation, “stuck” handles, when reading the 1912 Butler Bros. ad.) Whether this connotes a Fenton “trade term” for applied handles or might be a term “coined” by the writer of the ad is anyone's guess.

APPLE TREE Ah-HA! We have a personal interest story to relate in connection with this lovely set! In 1912 when the pattern was conceived and executed by its clever mold maker (otherwise known as: “artiste' with chisel in hand!”) MANY, many farms owned at least ONE PLUM TREE. It was simply a matter of utility. Whole plums were canned for winter months, along with jelly-making for practicality. Those were the days BEFORE super-stores. Anyway: During a private conversation with Frank M. Fenton some time ago, he confided that when Marion Hartung wrote her series of pattern identification books in the 1960's, she did not inquire of Fenton Glass about a “proper” name for this pattern before deciding to name it Apple Tree. You've already guessed it! Those are ACTUALLY plums! Frank said that after it was in print, he and Bill decided not to contest the name. NOW you have the REST of the story!! The tightly crimped edge on this 9 ½” plum pitcher creates a handsome effect.


1912 is in Frank M. Fenton's handwriting. These three sets were marketed as the Persian Assortment in the Butler Bros. wholesale catalog.


FANTAIL is sometimes called COMET. If you like Peacock patterns, you should be happy to own one of these bowls in blue or marigold. There are seven “whirling, peacock-like-tails” for your enjoyment! They are none too plentiful in either the ruffled or berry shape, with these centerpiece bowls, flared into the ice cream shape, even more difficult to locate. They are overlooked by many and do not bring large sums of money; something like $300 -$500 for this blue example. There are two known marigold chop plates, one of which sold for $5500 at a Jim Seeck sale in 1994. Two blue chop plates are known. This interior pattern is accompanied by the famous Butterfly and Berry exterior, with three feet. Fenton has reissued these bowls in red, blue, and perhaps other colors, but the iridescence will not appear as it does on the older versions.

OCTAGON BOWL This ten inch Imperial bowl in blue was included in the auction glass sold by Seeck Auctions during the March 2004 San Diego/Southern Calif. Combined Clubs Convention held in Ontario, CA. Jim Seeck commented on the sale brochure that he had never seen this bowl, and there are none on record. This prize piece brought $600. Once in awhile, some OLD unusual piece still presents itself for the first time, to the buying crowd. Amazing!


MILLERSBURG PEACOCK	MILLERSBURG HANGING CHERRIES

PEACOCK having no bee and no beading on the urn indicates Millersburg as the maker. Six inch sauces, such as this are part of a berry set; the larger bowl being 9-10” in size. Either size can be ice cream shape, ruffled, or flared. Customary colors are amethyst, green and marigold. Rarely does a small blue one surface. They are thought to be fewer than six in number, and will sell for somewhere around $2600, give or take a little. Millersburg blue can be of varying degrees. Some pieces are quite light, with others having nearer to cobalt coloration.

HANGING CHERRIES always creates a sensation among collectors. The shapes offered include two types of water pitcher, a compote, table set, a large 10" bowl having hobnail exterior, a berry set with 10" and 5-6" bowls, along with a 7" bowl. A VERY scarce powder jar is known in this pattern, as well. Plates are rare in this pattern. Only three chop plates are known in 11" size. One in marigold, another in amethyst, with the green one having sold Nov. 22nd. 2003, for $3700. It had been part of the Adams collection for many years. There is a lovely green 8" plate, and about six of the 6" size in marigold having radium finish. One of these small plates was included in the Nov. 22nd '03 sale. It brought $3400. Three and one edge treatment is usually found on these blue sauces. They are popular pieces, but not plentiful. At least one 10" bowl in blue, having hobnail exterior exists. Please note: Millersburg blue tends to be on the lighter side, except in the thicker glass areas such as the collar of the marie.


OPEN ROSE	IMPERIAL GRAPE

OPEN ROSE is very well known and widely praised for its marvelous depiction of this favorite among flowers. These 5”-6” small berry bowls accompany the larger size 9” bowls to comprise a berry set. Marigold, purple, helios (a recognized and accurate name for Imperial green), amber, smoke, aqua, and this very scarce cobalt blue are the known colors for these collar base bowls in both sizes. A light lavender shade is known in the larger bowl.

Old Imperial Factory Catalogs list these pieces and those, earlier thought to be Lustre Rose, under Imperial's #489 pattern, thus offering 18 different shapes: a footed fernery, footed centerpiece bowl, footed whimsey plate, butter dish, covered sugar, creamer, standard water pitcher and tumbler, a variant water pitcher and tumbler, 9” plate, rose bowl, large footed fruit bowl 11”-12”, a whimsey vase, a footed 8”-9” bowl, and another large collar based bowl. Additional colors to look for in these various shapes: clambroth (an intended color from Imperial, which appears as ginger ale color), vaseline, olive green, lime green, white, light blue w/ marigold overlay and teal. It would require some effort, but a large collection could be assembled around this single pattern.

Please note: This pattern was reproduced in the `60's and `70's in a wide variety of colors and shapes, including an 11” chop plate, which was never produced in the old glass. Reproduced colors to be alert for: marigold, smoke, helios, purple, amber, meadow green, white, red, and pink. The items were trademarked from the factory with either IG, LIG, or ALIG logos. HOWEVER: Scammers have been clever in grinding off those logos, in some instances. Be watchful of a peculiar stippling effect which somewhat covers their nasty work!

IMPERIAL GRAPE 6” plates exhibit wide variety of known colors. Easily found in marigold, scarce in helios, amber, and purple, very scarce in lime green and very rare in emerald, olive, and especially teal. Probably as few as six extremely rare cobalt blue examples exist, such as the one pictured. Note: Imperial blue-violet base glass has an intensity like no other blue in carnival glass, with striking iridescence.

Extensive production of this pattern by Imperial Glass Co., in Bellaire, Ohio to compete with the popular Grape and Cable pattern developed across the Ohio River in Wheeling, WV by Northwood, many apparently prolific sellers were developed. The shapes include: 10”-12” collar base ruffled bowls, 4”-5” collar base ruffled bowls, 8”-9 ½ ” master berry bowl, 4'-5” round deep berry bowl, 8”-9” ruffled collar base bowl, low ruffled bowl, 8”-9”, collar-base nut bowl, 4 ½”-5” deep, Rose bowl, collar base, 9” plate, cup and saucer, stemmed compote, 10” handled basket, punch bowl/base, punch cup, water pitcher/tumbler, wine decanter w/stopper, stemmed wine, stemmed goblet, water carafe,(listed as a vase in Imperial catalogs), a whimsey spittoon, handled nappy, and an electric light shade~~another entire collection within a single pattern, should you be so inspired. Smoke is an additional color available in some of the shapes

mentioned, along with vaseline and lavender.

Several Imperial Grape molds are now owned by other such glass manufacturers as Wetzel Glass and Summit Art Glass Co. Reproductions are on the market. Colors include electric blue, vaseline, red, and an iridized opaque custard. Perhaps there are others? Identifying trademarks to watch for are shown at this link:

Dean & Diane Fry….3/04

Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck,

Write them on the tablet of your heart. ~~Proverbs 3:3