A Basket Case

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A Basket Case

A BASKET CASE

This specialty area of carnival glass collecting poses limitations, in that while four of the major producers created entries for this category, the selection is minimal, so far as variation in shape is concerned.

The Two and Three row Open Edge Baskets from Fenton can be found in ice cream, ruffled, jack-in-the-pulpit and two sides up shapes in a myriad of colors; quite enough in fact, to construct a fairly large accumulation! These are all collar-based pieces. The basketweave outer design on these is our only clue to the name given. Thoughts of “basket” instantly conjure up “handles”, which we do not find on these pieces!........Oh, well!

Fenton 2-Row Open Edge Basket

	Northwood produced a sufficient color range in their handled Bushel Basket(s) with the Basketweave exterior and four little feet to make a basket lover stand up and take notice. Here again, is a paradise for accumulation in quantity and colors.
Northwood round Bushel Basket in Sapphire		Northwood eight sided Bushel Basket in ice blue

	Diamond Point Basket(s) by Northwood, are an entirely different story. Marigold, blue and purple are known colors, but very few become available during a five year period. Some years none surface.
Northwood Diamond Point Basket in blue


Handle variations-B.Basket
NORTHWOOD BUSHEL BASKET VARIANT The following was written by Virgil Lemos, for the Sept. '97 San Diego Newsletter. It is reprinted here for further assessment of the situation. Now! Once you have read this article, I want you to go to your display cabinets; pull out your treasured little Bushel Baskets and take a closer look at them. But, don't keep this information to yourself. Write me a short note and let me know if you have any of these variant Baskets and in what color. What am I talking about? Maybe nothing very significant or maybe something scarce or even rare! A short time ago, I was moving some pieces around in a display cabinet when I noticed that two Bushel Baskets did not look exactly the same. I proceeded to take out these two Baskets for closer examination. I focused my attention on the handles since these were what caught my attention in the first place. Both Baskets are in aqua and both are signed. It wasn't long before I noticed one difference. The rope threads on the handles of the suspect Basket are closer together than on any other Basket. Counting these rope threads, I find that the suspect Basket has 44 rope threads, (from end to end), on one handle and 50 on the other handle. On the standard Baskets I counted only 38 and 39 threads from end to end. Also, the threaded lines on the lower part of the handles, (joining the Basket), lean to the opposite side as compared to the standard Baskets…….That's not all! On the suspect Basket, the 4 vertical stippled joints are narrower than on the standard Basket and reach the base of each foot turning slightly underneath, while on the standard Basket, these stippled joints fall short of reaching the end of each foot. Conclusion: This Basket was made from a completely new mold; thus a third variant.

Imperial expressed more influence in complete arched handles for their Waffle Block and Waffle and Hobstar, which stands an impressive 13” in height! The Imperial Basket is a very scarce handled basket having a wide basketweave design. Colors known are marigold, smoke, and marigold on milk glass. It stands 10” tall. The Imperial Grape handled basket also stands 10” tall. Rather scarce in any of the known colors: marigold, clambroth, or smoke. Daisy baskets are 91/2”-101/2” tall, and are fairly available. They were not seen in the wholesale catalogs until the spring of 1929. Colors are marigold, clambroth and smoke. Reproductions made during the `60's and `70's are plentiful as well. They were made in marigold, smoke and green, with the IG superimposed on the bottom. (Please be aware that examples have been seen with that identifying mark apparently having been ground off, smoothed, and left with a “stippled” effect in place of the IG). Last, but not least is another handled basket from Imperial which Mrs. Hartung long ago named Plain Jane. It has no patterning, and actually appears more as a stretch piece. Marigold, smoke and white are known colors.

Imperial Waffle Block handled basket

Diamond Glass Beaded Basket

Beaded Basket is taller than the Northwood baskets, but having the two handles and somewhat larger basketweave design, they are quite desirable indeed. The white and blue are somewhat difficult, but marigold examples are abundant and can be located without too much difficulty. Since this design did not appear in the wholesale catalogs until 1915, chances are that this is of Diamond Glass Co. origin. Amethyst Beaded Baskets are not easily found. Carl O. Burns notes in his Dugan & Diamond Book that iridized lime green and pink versions are thought to be from Diamond's After Glow line, dating from 1928-1929. Nearly all the carnival patterns made at Indiana, PA, found in those two colors are considered to be from Diamond production. Tree of Life (Soda Gold) is another design from the Diamond Co. Entering the carnival field during the 1920's, this small basket having molded handle is usually found with weak marigold or amethyst coloring.

Dugan entries into this arena include the following: Two sizes in Big Basketweave handled baskets are known. The large one has a clear glass applied handle, and can be found in marigold and amethyst, while the smaller one has a molded handle. Marigold is the only known color. Caroline is a highly treasured item indeed. The pattern is on the exterior. It has a separately applied clear glass handle attached to a two-sides up standard 8”-9” bowl in that pattern. They are rarely found in peach opal. A confirmed example of lavender opalescent is known. A few Daisy Web baskets with clear glass applied handles are known only in marigold and amethyst. Ski Star and Stippled Petals baskets have clear glass applied handles are each found in peach opalescent. Ski Star is found in two sizes. Stork In The Rushes sports a clear glass applied handle mounted on a whimsied marigold tumbler, (meaning the top edge of the tumbler was “flared” with two sides up.)

Dugan Big Basketweave Basket

Photos of many of the above mentioned baskets can be seen in the Carl O. Burns book mentioned earlier. You will find them for sale on occasion over Ebay. Having one would be a good investment for learning! Might want to watch for the basket on Ebay as well. They are scarce

We thought you might be interested in seeing these ads taken from the Butler Brothers Wholesale catalogs. The Ski Star and Stippled Petals baskets appeared in the fall 1910 issue. Mexican Aurora was the marketing term for peach opalescent. The large size 7 ¼” iridescent Big Basketweave basket appeared in the April 20 1917 issue of Butler Bros. catalog. The Daisy basket was displayed in a 1929 Butler Bros. catalog…..Content of the Copyrighted Limited Edition (250): Butler Bros. Reprint Catalog, circa April 1994, contains all ads pertaining to carnival glass which appeared in 42 individual issues of the ORIGINAL printings of the period. Two-Hundred-Sixty-Six patterns are listed in the index. Verification of manufacturers and original sale prices of this Glass so many of us have come to be quite fond of, should provide tremendous satisfaction for all who

have access to this correlation of fact.

Dean & Diane Fry 8/03