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Northwood Water Sets - Part 5
NORTHWOOD WATER SETS - Part 5
We believe that all “true collectors” will appreciate the personal inflections related in this story written by Charlotte Williams of No. Ca. in Sept. 1985, back in the days when Sherman Hand was writing his early series of books on carnival glass. We visited Charlotte and Gordon, along with Marge and Ed Garner during the early 80s while attending a No. Ca. Convention. Both those collections have been sold now, but these couples were among the “early greats” who loved the collectors as much as the glass itself.
GRAPE & CABLE Standard Water Pitcher in Ice Green.
ICE GREEN GRAPE & CABLE WATER SET
(Standard Size)
By: Charlotte Williams
This is the first complete set found to date. It is Northwood's popular pattern and in ice green, making the Garner's “find” even more spectacular. This is how the story goes.
Mrs. Brown had the set in her family for many years, and one day gave the set to her cleaning lady. The lady gave it to Mrs. Green. She was having a yard sale and Bonnie, a glass dealer was there. Mrs. Green asked Bonnie to come by the next day and look at the set. Bonnie's first impression was that it was new, but she bought it anyway. A few days later Bonnie tried to find out more about the carnival set. She called several antique shops and asked if they knew anyone who could tell her more of its value, etc. She had called Fulton Follies, and asked to speak to Ed Garner, and was told Ed would know about the set and would be fair with her. She had hoped Ed would know its value and possibly someone who would be interested in buying it.
In the meantime someone had contacted Bonnie in hopes of buying the set. This person made an offer, but Bonnie felt she was being taken advantage of, so she went out and bought herself a price guide on Carnival Glass, “Bill Edwards”.
Several days had gone by and several more phone calls from the first one who had contacted her. Bonnie was packing to sell at the Oakhurst Flea Market, so she let the matter lay. While at the flea market Bonnie ran into Ed and Marge Garner, and told Ed she had been trying to contact him. She told Ed about the water set and asked him to come by on Monday and see it.
Sunday evening Ed called me and asked what I would be willing to pay for the ice green set. I gave Ed a price and told him it probably would turn out to be something else. Ed said he was going to see the set on Monday and would let me know. The hours seemed endless and about 9 o'clock I called him and they were not home. More waiting and finally Ed called and said the set was absolutely beautiful and in mint condition. She did want to sell the set to a collector, but she counter offered. We accepted her price.
We are so very pleased to own the set and hope all of you can come by to see it. The neatest thing about having this set, is to have friends like Ed and Marge, who put this chance in our hands. They could have bought the set and I'm sure many collectors would have paid any price to own it. They could have made a handsome profit for themselves. We will always be grateful to the Garners. (Sherman Hand took a photo of this set for placement in one of his Books.)
GRAPE & CABLE Standard size Water Set in Marigold.
Grape & Cable Standard Size Water set - Amethyst
GRAPE & CABLE Water Standard Size Set in Rare Green!
Courtesy Mickey Reichel.
GRAPE & CABLE Water Pitcher, standard size: Approx. 8” - 8 ½” tall. Usually seen in marigold and amethyst. Green ones are more scarce, with ice green being extremely rare. One smoke example, along with one in smoke opalescent are known. Standard size tumblers are some 4” tall. Marigold and amethyst are not difficult to find, but green will present some difficulty. Lavender, horehound, ice green and lime green are rare.
GRAPE & CABLE Tankard set - Marigold.
GRAPE & CABLE Tankard Set in Purple.
GRAPE & CABLE Tankard in Ice Green.
GRAPE & CABLE Tankard size Pitcher: stands about 10 ½” tall. Seldom seen in marigold or amethyst, the two more available colors. Extremely rare in green and more so in ice green. Tankard size tumbler is roughly 4 ¼” high with a more widely flared top edge than the standard size. Known in marigold, amethyst, green and ice green. These tumblers are more difficult to find than the standard size. Although no stippled pitchers are known, stippled tumblers in both marigold and amethyst exist.
PEACH Set in White Carnival w/Gilded Gold
PEACH: Water sets in blue are more rare than these sets having fired-on gold trim, but they are always popular. A few marigold tumblers have been reported, but no pitchers are known in marigold.
Mid-Spring 1909 Butler Ad
1909 Butler Brothers Ad: Left to right are variants #4, #1, and #5 Northwood Swirl Rib water sets. This is the earliest documented appearance of Northwood carnival glass water sets in the wholesale catalogs. These styles were marketed on into the 1910 timeframe.
SWIRL RIB Variant #1.
SWIRL RIB Variant #1: Mould blown with applied clear handle. Tall 12”-13” tankard shape having two-three bulging rings around the base. Mostly seen in marigold, quite scarce in green, (usually having Alaskan iridescent finish). Extremely rare in amethyst, with only a couple of examples reported. Variant #2 is the easiest of 8 Variant shapes known, is also 12”-13” tall in the tankard shape, is mould blown, having the clear handle, but lacking the bulging rings found in #1.
SWIRL RIB Variant #3.
SWIRL RIB Variant #3: Mould blown with applied clear handle and another tall, tankard shape, this model is identical in style to the N. Dandelion tankard. This may be the second rarest of the eight shapes known in marigold. Variant #4 is more bulbous in shape, yet not really round, but more the tear-drop shape, somewhat like the Dugan Vineyard pitcher. Usually found having a crimped top and known only in marigold. This shape is rarely found. Variant #5 is slightly taller than #4, but shorter than the tankards. This is a cylindrical shape, with defined shoulder where the body joins the neck. With a crimped top, marigold is the only reported color. Variant #6 is a version of the Swirl Rib water pitcher. It is a true, round shape. Only one has been reported.
NW INTERIOR SWIRL & PANEL. - Variant #7.
Marigold only reported color.
SWIRL RIB Variant #7: This is the pressed version, usually called INTERIOR SWIRL & PANEL. Identical in size and shape to Northwood's Raspberry water pitcher, this one is quite scarce and reported only in marigold. Variant #8 is a scarce one found in green (Alaskan finish) and marigold. This one is shorter than Variant #3, more squat in appearance, having a rounded bowl-shaped base; usually with a crimped top.
Possibly Variant #9
NW SWIRL RIB & INTERIOR SWIRL & Panel
10 in. tall x 5 in. Handle -Spout
SWIRL RIB Variant #9?: The bulbous area is of a different type than seen on Variant #8, although the top is crimped and the handle is of the applied variety. We believe this could possibly be Variant #9 in this series of pitchers/tankards.
These Swirl Rib and Interior Swirl & Panel designs are carry-overs from a period of glassware prior to the carnival glass production. Perhaps Variants #3 and #7 were good sellers, thereby indicating to Northwood that those shapes would very likely be admirable sellers during the period of iridized glass.
Dean & Diane Fry, 02/2010
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God,
so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain,
through which he obtained witness that he was righteous,
God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.
By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death,
“and was not found, because God had taken him”;
For before he was taken he had this testimony that he pleased God.
But without faith it is impossible to please Him,
for he who comes to God must believe that He is,
And that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:1-6)
Should you care to contact the Frys, their email address is:
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