Red & Green Classics
Red and Green Classics
Both colors become desirable additions to any collection. Some of these patterns are fairly easy to purchase, while others are necessarily worth waiting for. As you read the stories of acquisition in our case, you can decide for yourself about the collectible factor.
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BLACKBERRY SPRAY
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CAPTIVE ROSE
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BLACKBERRY SPRAY - Fenton manufactured many hat shapes in numerous patterns. One of the favorites among collectors of such, is this Blackberry Spray in a nice red. We had never owned one until Kathi and Galen Johnson came by for a visit, and asked us to go with them to an auction over in IL, shortly after we moved to IN in late '98. This was one of two purchases that day. The pattern is distinct and color could not be better. These can be found in ruffled shape and sometimes JIP (one side up, one down). Blue, green, marigold, vaseline, aqua, aqua opal, an occasional white, and amethyst are known colors.
CAPTIVE ROSE is another significant pattern of Fenton origin. Found in collar base 9” plates and bowls of the same size, the known plate colors include a very scarce white, blue, marigold, and amethyst. This green example appeared in the room of Dennis and Denise Harp while we attended an ICGA convention many years ago. Not able to come to terms with the price Dennis wanted, it haunted us till we saw it again during an ACGA convention. The green iridescence on green base glass creates such harmony, that we decided to “go for it!” MANY years later, we are still enjoying it. The flat plates of Fenton origin have always been especially attractive to our tastes.
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NIPPON
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TWO FLOWERS
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NIPPON - Green 9” collar base plates in this pattern from Northwood are not often available. Amethyst PCE bowls are rather scarce, as well. Ice Blue, Ice Green, marigold, a few aqua opal pieces, along with rare white examples are known in this pattern. Cobalt blue bowls create a huge commotion when they surface. The pattern is rather a simple but effective match for the center design, which is somewhat akin to the center found on Lotus Land bonbons, and the very scarce Elegance pieces.
TWO FLOWERS - This nice dark true red (even the spatula feet are red!) 9” bowl has a long history of personal attachment. It was in the collection of Tom and Mabel Sprain of Northern CA during the `70's. When they sold their collection at auction in the mid `80's, Tom's sister Helen Quelette purchased it. When Helen's Glass sold in 1988, through a Burns auction, we placed a successful mail bid from CA. This famous pattern from Fenton has always had wide appeal. Blue, marigold, vaseline, amethyst and white are some other colors to consider.
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PEACOCK & GRAPE
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PEACOCK AND GRAPE
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PEACOCK & GRAPE spatula footed 9” bowls in good red are few and far between. We don't care for much, if any amberina in a red piece. During the early days of the San Diego County Carnival Glass Club when sale glass was needed to meet the desires of new collectors, we always took some of our collection pieces to the quarterly meetings with prices on. Cliff and Mary Lichtenberger were among the 26 Charter Members in 1985. Mary brought this bowl to a meeting, asking whether she could trade it for something she would rather have? Whew!! Did we have a swift answer to THAT one!! Mary made her choices, and with a little “bootie”, we had this wonderful bowl! Lichtenberger's went to TN every year for a pottery fair, and on one trip, found this red bowl along the way. Apparently red carnival glass is not for everyone! This is definitely one of Fenton's better red examples.
PEACOCK AND GRAPE was heavily produced by Fenton. It can be found in both collar base and spatula footed versions of 9” bowls and plates. Although marigold, blue, red, peach opal, lime green opal, and amethyst can be found, for some reason it is the green collar base plates which are less frequently seen. We know of only four examples. This one was purchased during a Tampa Bay convention in 2000, brought from England by a gentleman who seemed amazed that the plate was so desirable. It had been sold to Billy Richards, then to Tom Burns, from whom we purchased it, and before we arrived back to our room, we could have sold it to John Rogers. The exacting green base glass, combined with the lovely hues of blue and green in the surface iridescence creates an overwhelming appearance on this plate! The aqua overlay around the outer edge is totally captivating! Following our purchase, we discovered that Bob Grissom and Darryl Strohm were the only others to own one. Since then, we believe there has been another example surface.…….all from across the Pond! In the spatula footed plates, the blue ones are the scarcest color.
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CONCORD
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PLUME PANELS
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CONCORD - Which came first, Vintage or Concord? We are inclined to believe that there were two distinctly different moulds, rather than a case of re-work on the Vintage mould, adding the cross-hatch effect found in the Concord plates and bowls. In any case, Fenton made a considerable number of both designs in 9” bowls and collar base plates. Amethyst, marigold, and blue are the other standard colors found in this pattern. This green plate was purchased at an auction in KY during the late `80's. At that time, $3,000 was a terrific price for any plate, but this example warrants serious consideration. We have not seen one since, which we would rather have.
PLUME PANELS vases by Fenton become a challenge to locate. Marigold, blue, green, amethyst turn up once in awhile in sizes from about 8” to 12”. The pattern becomes somewhat distorted in the “swinging” process to achieve the taller dimensions. We were pleased to locate this true cherry red 8 ¼” vase for sale over Ebay in 2002. We had owned a great green vase at one time, but sold it to Kathy Harris for her gift to Dick when he retired in the early `90's. We decided to go for a red to replace it, but it took awhile to locate “the” specimen of our requirements!
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HOLLY HAT
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GREEK KEY
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HOLLY HAT - Unlike Blackberry Spray pattern, which is found only on the hat shape, the Holly design used on these hat shapes is a variation of the pattern of the same name found on 9” bowls and plates. Amethyst opal, amethyst, green, marigold, and blue examples can be found. In addition to the ruffled, there are some known to have two sides turned up, along with a JIP shape. Quite a lot of amberina is displayed in the bottom of this hat. However, the quality of the red which accompanies it, along with great iridescence creates a pleasing result.
GREEK KEY - Here is another very scarce pattern from Northwood, found only on 9” plates and bowls, with none of them readily available. The cobalt blue pieces are stunning in appearance, but then so are the marigold examples. Perhaps we could say that amethyst bowls are found with the most frequency. This is a great place to mention that Northwood plates are never as flat as those from Fenton and Imperial. They are readily accepted with their “scooped” plate shape. Perhaps the most important feature of this green plate: the iridescence is EVENLY applied all the way around the surface. Many Northwood pieces, no matter the pattern, have as many as four splashing sections all run together of color which does not flow together very appealingly. Just an opinion……..John Muehlbauer takes credit for pointing that out to us many years ago. Like you, John, we would rather have the same color flow all around the piece!
Dean & Diane Fry~~12/03
Should you care to contact the Frys, their email address is:
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