Fenton Vases - Part 2

The personal contributions of photos and text from three major carnival glass collectors are included in this segment. We wish to thank them for their willingness and interest in sharing with the entire community of collectors! Jardiniere's have always been coveted elements for serious collectors.

Bette Chapman, Jackie Poucher and Dick and Sherry Betker are to be congratulated for having attained such prized possessions!

RUSTIC (hobnail) JARDINIERE in BLUE: We have Jackie Poucher to thank for this photo of what is believed to be the only example in blue. At least she says she has never heard of another. She and Randy always enjoyed attending the Hagerstown, MD Convention. Going there offered a nice road trip through the mountains in the Fall of the year. Oct. 2001, Tom Burns told them he had owned this jardinière for quite awhile, but knowing how Randy enjoyed vases, he was willing to sell it to him. Jackie believes the pinched sides lend distinct character to the piece.

RUSTIC (hobnail) JARDINIERE in WHITE: Bette Chapman very graciously forwarded this photo of the jardiniere which was found in an Ohio flea market, mixed in with un-iridized glass in a box-lot. She believes it to be the third one known in white. “Finds” such as this is the impetus which drives our searches! Fenton white frostiness and color galore combine to make a lovely example.

RUSTIC VT. FUNERAL VASE: Notice the smooth riser section at the base coming out of the collar. This is the determination for the VT. You will note that neither of the RUSTIC Jardiniere's have that feature, although the diameter of the base on each vase is virtually the same. Rustic Vt. funeral vases are known in amethyst, green, blue and marigold.

The greatest thing I love to do during our winter months, is to travel from my home in southern Wisconsin, to north eastern Upper Michigan. Their 180” annual snowfall is much appreciated by snowmobile enthusiast's like myself. I enjoy going during the week when the trails are virtually void of any other sled traffic and you can sometimes go all day without seeing another rider.

It was Thursday, February 5th and I was about 40 miles into a 150 mile run that I had planned for that day. The trail ran along a highway for awhile and I was alertly watching for the trail markers to show me where the trail would once again enter the woods, but that never happened.

After about 10 miles of sledding along the highway, I finally got frustrated and took a right on a side road. This road ended at a T intersection a few miles down and there I decided to turn left. After 5 or so more miles, I turned right at a crossroad and while traveling down this road, not lost, but totally confused, I passed a farm house on the left and there in the entrance to the drive was a sign that read “Antiques”!

I just had to turn around and check this place out. I pulled into the driveway just as the farmer was coming out the door. It was 12 degrees below zero and as I later found out, he came out to start and warm up his truck because he had to travel to western Michigan to pick up his wife, and he would be gone for 3 days.

I mentioned the sign and he stated they were closed for the season and would open again in May. He must have felt my disappointment because he almost immediately stated that I could come in and look around while his vehicle warmed up.

There were items everywhere in the house. I asked about carnival glass and he pointed to a little table in the corner where the only 3 pieces they had were sitting. There was an Imperial Grape marigold tumbler, listed as “Carnival Water Glass” for $50. , a very weak amethyst Pansy bowl listed as “Carnival Bowl” for $200. The last piece listed as “Carnival Bowl/Vase” for $350. This carnival bowl/vase was extremely filthy but there was no mistaking what it was: a Marigold, Fenton, Diamond & Rib Jardiniere!

And of course, my immediate response was, “this is a nice piece. Can you do any better on the price?” He said that he could do 10% off, which meant, $315. I frantically went through my wallet and could only come up with $307-every cent I had at the time. To my delight, he agreed.

So here I was, 40 miles from my hotel room, 12 below zero and I'm holding our first jardinière. I had him wrap it in several layers of newspapers, and put it in double paper bags. I put the package on the seat between my legs and started the slow tedious ride back to my room.

It took me about 4 hours, but I made it and so did the vase. The vase is just awesome! It has dark marigold iridescence with outstanding green, blue and pink blush from top to bottom and all the way around…..”And Yes, it is Mint!”


DIAMOND & RIB Jardiniere in Green-$2250-Burns Auction 2005 ACGA Convention	DIAMOND & RIB Jardiniere sold during the Seeck Auction for HOACGA Convention - 2005

DIAMOND & RIB JARDINIERE in any color are extremely rare. Sometimes several years pass with none of these surfacing. The green example sold at the June 2005 ACGA Convention auction. The ruffled marigold example sold during the April 2005 HOACGA Convention auction. These usually have a 5 ¼” base. The green example shown retains its mold shape,(the shape as it emerged from the mold before “swinging took place). The slightly ruffled marigold example takes on a “different character trait”.

DIAMOND & RIB JARDINIERE in amethyst is one written about by Eddie Radcliff, hometown boy of Williamstown, West Virginia. With that in mind, along with the fact that Williamstown is also home to Fenton Art Glass Company, he enjoyed writing an article for the ACGA Newsletter in Aug. 1999, about his lovely jardinière.

Eddie and Lorrie operate an antique mall in Williamstown, and on a slow day at the shop, Eddie did some research into what might possibly have been the original intended purpose for this piece.

He discovered it pictured in a book advertised as a “shaving paper vase.” The vase was a container used to hold the used tissue paper which the barber used to wipe the whiskers and shaving soap from the razor. The jardinière was advertised in two barber supply catalogs. One catalog was the Koken Barber Supply Company of St. Louis, Missouri, (1910), while the other one was the L. Holzhauer and Sons Barber Supplies catalog, 2324 Fifth Ave., Troy, New York, (circa 1915). The price in each of the catalogs was an incredible ninety cents each!

DIAMOND & RIB Funeral Vase: These have a 5 ¼” base and are found in amethyst, blue, green and marigold, but very rarely. The “swinging” process stretches the rib design into an elongated position. This pattern is seen in 1910 Butler Brothers Wholesale Ads.


JESTER CAP vase - 5.5 in. tall - Edges of the Fenton version are smooth, rather than scalloped, as the Northwood version.		JESTER CAP Vase in blue - 5.5 in tall x 5.5 in across top. Note the raised ring at the base of the stem, adjoining the foot.		JESTER CAP vase - 5-6 in. tall - flared and ruffled, rather than JIP edge.

JESTER CAP: The Fenton versions differ from those made by Northwood, but are easily distinguished by remembering to look for the bulging ring around the stem where it joins the pedestal foot. The Northwood vases have a stem which flows smoothly into the pedestal foot. Another difference: Fenton Jester Cap vases have a smooth top edge, while Northwood vases offer a scalloped edge.

JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT Vase: Two of these are shown on page 86 of: Fenton Glass-The First Twenty-Five Years by Wm. Heacock. They are listed as Fenton #400, circa 1921 and pictured in Florentine Green-square shaped top, and in Persian Pearl-ruffled top.