Decorated Carnival Glass

Dugan Glass Company produced a variety of peach opalescent carnival shapes and patterns which were hand decorated by artists on factory premises, during the 1910-1911 period. Enameled floral motifs such as Lily of the Valley and Violet were popular.

Border Plants, Caroline, Cherry-footed, Plain, Single Flower, Single Flower Framed, Ski Star, Stippled Flower, Stippled Petals, naming but a few.

Fenton Glass Company also claimed a share of this market, as evidenced by their Lotus and (Absentee) Grape with painted decoration, along with some Stippled Rays examples in berry sets. Other patterns may exist.

These items seldom surface in today's collector market, but amazingly, many have maintained their hand-applied paint remarkably well over the years.

Of course, Fenton maintains a large decorating department within their factory today, verifying the continuing fascination of collectors in purchase of decorated glassware.

Northwood, as well, entered the competition of this type painted ware. Most of their painted designs were assigned to water sets/tankards.

APPLE BLOSSOM Berry Sets: have smooth, raised panels on the interior, with a plain exterior, nicely accommodating the painted decoration. As with other painted examples in this pattern, these are quite rare.

The mold for these pieces dates to a 1904-1906 Northwood pre-iridescent line named Barbella by the late WiIliam Heacock. The glass color used at that time was cobalt blue, for berry sets, table sets, and water sets. Since the first Apple Blossom table set pieces did not surface until 1995, perhaps other painted items are yet to be discovered? The Apple Blossom pieces are of the same identical configuration/design as Northwood's Grape & Gothic Arches. Perhaps that pattern came about as a direct result of re-tooling of the Barbella moulds.

LOTUS and (Absentee) GRAPE: Only a couple of these 9” blue bowls of Fenton origin are known. One sold in the early 1990s.

SINGLE FLOWER: This design is all exterior, found mostly in peach opalescent. It appeared in wholesale catalogs during the 1909-1911 time period; not seen following the 1912 fire. The design is comprised of three groupings, each one having two stemmed flowers. A leaf spray with flower blossoms is found within the center of the base.

As you can see, at least a couple of edge treatments were applied, and the floral motifs are different on each of the shapes. Marigold and amethyst examples are found in Single Flower pattern, as well.

SKI STAR Handgrip Plate: Wholesale catalogs during the 1910-1911 period, primarily offered this pattern in peach opalescent, so it was a very early Dugan effort. All known shapes carry the Compass exterior design, a pattern carried over from 1907 opalescent production. The majority of the molds for this pattern quite possibly were lost during the 1912 fire. While variety of color is minimal, there seem to be a surprising number of shapes available for such a short production run.

Handgrip plates of 8” - 9” having a dome foot are found in amethyst and peach opalescent. Very few are found with the addition of painted decoration.


STIPPLED FLOWER - blue flowers	STIPPLED FLOWER - white flowers

1910 catalogs illustrate decorated bowls in various pattern. This peach opal STIPPLED FLOWER 7.75 in. bowl is enhanced in that way.	STIPPLED FLOWER with LILY of the VALLEY painting.

STIPPLED FLOWER: Peach opalescent and amethyst are the only known colors in this simplified and attractive design, with hand decoration found predominantly on the peach examples. The six ruffled bowls of 7”- 8” are more prevalent than the triangular or square shaped bowls. Decorated bowls in peach opalescent appeared in wholesale catalogs of 1910.

Just as Fenton Art Glass Co. maintains a large staff of hand painters for their current production, manufacturers of vintage carnival glass each provided such a department to handle orders for decorated ware.

We display four differing decorations on these bowls, indicating that a preference in type of floral application, and, or color could be chosen.


STIPPLED RAYS - Marigold Berry Set. Courtesy Ardonna Bucher	STIPPLED RAYS Interior of the Decorated Berry Set. Courtesy Ardonna Bucher

STIPPLED RAYS: These berry set pieces have been in the collection of Ardonna Bucher for many years. While vacationing in Vancouver, WA, Jim and Ardonna went “antiquing” in a large shop, where the large bowl and four small ones were the only examples of carnival glass in the entire store! Realizing she had never seen anything like them, she decided to make the purchase, only to find out later just how very rare they are!

The master bowl is 9 ¼” in diameter with a 3 7/8” base which is typical of the very slight rise, or minimal dome found on Stippled Rays pieces. It is 3 ¼” tall. A large Magnolia blossom, buds and leaves are painted on the exterior. The exterior of the sauces are decorated with 2 Magnolia buds and leaves. These small bowls are 5 5/8” in diameter with a 2 ½” base and are 2” tall.

Another interesting factor to note here: The hand-painting replaces the usual Scale Band Exterior pattern found on Stippled Rays bowls.

DOGWOOD?: In our attempt to gain a consensus surrounding this pitcher, one person ventured forth with the pattern name we are using here, while another stated it could be a “stylized Dogwood” or a semblance of Apple Blossom.

A lady known to specialize in enameled carnival glass simply stated she had not previously seen the pitcher in the course of her collecting.

As for the manufacturer: Fenton and Northwood produced pitchers in this bulbous shape. In considering the shape of a Northwood Wishbone pitcher, the neck area of this example is quite similar. The top portion of the attached handle is somewhat smaller than that same area found on most of the Fenton pitchers with attached handles. Can we then conclude Northwood as the maker?

Should any of our readers care to cast a valid opinion as to the origin of this pitcher, please feel free to get in touch with us!

In Ephesians 4:4-6, Paul listed seven uniting “ones.”

One body--------we are a single family unified for one purpose

One Spirit----------we all have the Spirit as our power source

One hope-----------we all look forward to the same future

One Lord--------we all trust the same Person in charge

One faith---------we all trust Jesus' sacrifice for our salvation

One baptism------we all have a single identity

One God and Father----we all share the same source of our existence

What a difference it would make if we all could dwell

within the scope of those seven “ones.”