Fenton - Part 15

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Fenton - Part 15

FENTON – Part 15

Only known example of Mgld. FERN ($4500).

Only known example of Marigold FERN ($4500).

Side-view FERN - Marigold.

Exterior FERN 10.5 in. diameter.

FERN: A fascinating fact surrounding this pattern is that at one time, the only other known example in this pattern; a blue 3 footed ice cream shaped bowl-flat with a cupped-up edge was housed in the Fenton Glass Museum. (It can be viewed in our SCARCE BOWLS segment). Sometime in the early-mid 1980s, it became a part of the Floyd and Cecil Whitley collection in Texas. No other examples in the pattern were known until late July 2010, when Gene Louden purchased this marigold example from a local Ohio auction.

Discussion pro and con as to its “shape” began when he decided to allow Jim Wroda to sell it during the Aug. 2010 www.cga Convention held in Greenville, OH.

You can decide on the shape for yourselves. Our photos taken on the day of sale indicate that although the radium finish and lovely pattern provide a second rare example in the pattern, alternate edges DO turn up. None of our 9” plates from Fenton, Northwood or Imperial have edges which turn up. None of our 29 chop-size plates, including one from U.S. Glass and one from Millersburg exhibit turned up edges.

Using a “rule of thumb” established by the late Don Moore who was a leading collector until his passing in 1992: “if you cannot scoop food off the straight-smooth edge of the piece, then it is NOT a true plate”. We conclude this is not a plate! We turned the piece over on its face to measure the distance from collar to outer edge. The measurement of a “true plate” was established eons ago by the collecting community as no more than 1 ½” from edge to table-top. This piece measures about 2”. It is approx. 10 ½” in diameter.

Bidding for this piece was concentrated among some 4-5 bidders, with the winners taking the Fern piece home to Topeka, KS for $4500.

VINTAGE with smooth edge. Courtesy Joe Brennan.

VINTAGE: This 9” smooth edge bowl having six grape clusters is shown in the 1910 Santa Claus Edition of Butler Brothers Catalog. Fenton used several molds and various sizes for this apparently very popular design. Marigold, Amethyst, Green, Blue are known colors in both this size, as well as a 10” bowl. Some of the large size bowls offer 3/1 edge, along with ruffled examples. So far as quantity of pattern is concerned, this offers a variety only exceeded by “perhaps”, Northwood Grape & Cable. (Click into --

--for other examples).

1908 Butler Bros. Wholesale Catalog.

Plain interior NORTHERN STAR.

NORTHERN STAR - Side View.

NORTHERN STAR: Rather a scarce pattern, and usually found in a double hand-grip, this round specimen is as it came from the mold. Many collectors pass over such examples, but we enjoy an array of patterns and this seems to be the only example we have seen in this shape. The design is exterior, with a smooth inside surface. Although the Butler Bros. Catalogs we worked with do not display this pattern, we have shown the 1908 ad to illustrate how closely the Fenton pattern, Beaded Stars resembles Northern Star. Since Beaded Stars is known to have been one of the earliest of iridized patterns, utilizing a carry-over mold from the opalescent time period, perhaps Northern Star was also of early vintage? Both star patterns are only found in marigold.

Note: Fenton: in the late Frank M. Fenton’s handwriting. This sauce is 5 ½” in diameter. Collar base is 2 ½”. Depth is 1 7/8”.

Blue DRAGON & LOTUS with 3 ground & polished scalllops.

DRAGON & LOTUS Bowl: We display this piece merely to illustrate the grinding and polishing procedure on the three scallops, where apparent damage of the original fluted edge, (which is standard for these bowls) had occurred. This sort of “repair” removes any real value from the bowl for the average collector. (In addition to three segments devoted to this pattern listed in left column on our homepage , Ardonna Bucher’s color char t can also be viewed)

TEN MUMS - Amethyst - $150. July 2010

TEN MUMS Bowl: This pattern is found only on 9-9 ½” collar based bowls, ruffled or 3/1 edge in amethyst, blue, green and marigold. Some scarce marigold examples are found in a footed version. Amethyst and green are not so easily discovered as blue and marigold. The bowls exhibit ten mums, but the water sets of the same name, found in blue and marigold offer twelve mums on the pitcher. (Click into Fenton Water Sets-Part 3 for a comparison.)

White BLACKBERRY BLOCK Tankard.

Sold for $4600 on 7-10 - Seeck Auction.

BLACKBERRY BLOCK Tankard: The pattern is known only on water sets in Amethyst, blue, green, marigold, this very rare white and a singular vaseline set owned by Carlton Tarkington. Blue is said to be the “most common color”. (Fenton Water Sets-Part 6) displays the four standard colors in this pattern.

WATERLILY & CATTAILS Spittoon - Marigold

Courtesy Seeck Auctions.

WATERLILY & CATTAILS Spittoon: An example such as this, extruded from a sauce, brought $3000 in early 2010. Another, made from a tumbler, sold for $2900 in 2005. There is something for everyone, but if it’s “beauty in the eye of the beholder” you’re searching for: “this just is NOT it” (in our opinion)! Why is it that these distortions bring such sums of money? Does it not seem “interesting” to you that NONE of these “aborted” shapes appear in the (OLD FACTORY CATALOGS, nor in the Butler Bros. Catalogs)?? HMMMM!....A very good indication that some “individual garage operation” performed the alterations of original shapes…………in pursuit of the random “buck”! (We have spoken with a few who admit to having done so over the years.)

Ameth. ZIG ZAG-no painting!-$500. 7-10 Seeck Auction.

Amethyst ZIG ZAG - no painting!

Sold for $500. on 7-10 Seeck Auction.

ZIG-ZAG Pitcher: It is unusual to find this pitcher in any color without a painted design in either Columbine or Shasta Daisy. Those painted examples are found in amethyst, marigold, blue and green base glass colors. We encourage you to have a look at: (Decorated Water Sets-Part 1).

Dean & Diane Fry…..9/10