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Novelties - Part 18
NOVELTIES – Part 18
1978 Book Cover
AMERICAN GLASS ANIMALS A to Z - by Evelyn Zemel (circa 1978).
We were contacted by Jerry and Carol Curtis in Jan. 2013 with information which clarifies some long-desired facts surrounding several glass novelty items which have surfaced from time to time since our entry into the carnival glass world in the mid 1960s. Members of the Texas Club were going through glass items, research papers and books from the late Jane Dinkins collection. A book called “American Glass Animals A to Z” by Evelyn Zemel, published in 1978 was discovered. At long last, the origin of some “coveted” items has come to light! The pages Jerry supplied are shown here and reveal L.E. Smith as the producer. That business extends for more than 100 years and some of their glass animals were being manufactured during the 1920s.
The late Eleanor Hamilton was quite proud of her (Muley) Cow! You may view an actual photo of the animal by clicking into: A Tribute to the Hamiltons.
Cow
This larger Cow was purchased from eBay in May 2013 by Jerry & Carol Curtis. Dimensions are: 4 1/8” long x 2 7/8” high X 1 3/8” wide. Presumably, the maker placed the stump underbelly for extra support. The elderly gentleman who sold the cow, provided an interesting scenario:
“ I have collected carnival glass since 1964. Only once, years ago, have I seen this cow in a book, but I’ve never seen another one in person. (It was someone else’s book on glass animals, and I’ve never been able to find a copy for myself."
The book said this cow was rare). Other collectors I’ve spoken with say they have heard of the cow, but have never seen one either.
The cow was a birthday gift to my grandmother, Rosa Debes, from her brother, sometime before 1910. She
moved to Beaumont, Texas in 1903, from Tripoli, Lebanon, and married in 1904. Being from the ‘old country’, she naturally took care of her things and kept them her whole life. This cow was most likely bought at Weller’s Hotel Supply and Gift Shop, in Beaumont (closed for many years).
My father, her son, told me he remembered seeing it on his mother’s dresser in the mid ‘20s. It was given to me when she died in 1968.”
Santa Claus Edition - Butler Bros. Catalog. 1910.
The miniature Candlestick shown at the top of this ad (#1C38) can be seen in our CANDLESTICKS – Part 6 segment.
Miniature Candelabra - seen in Butler Bros. Catalog in 1910.
These measure 4.5 inches x 4.5 inches.
1917 Westmoreland Catalog.#1013 - 5 inch size.
As life progresses, it’s quite natural to become curious about the source of our heritage. When I decided some years ago to become a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, research divulged that my “ancestor” had come from the Isle of Wight, off the coast of England. West Virginia became a State in 1863 and other of my ancestors had come from Germany, along with those who departed Ireland during the famine and settled in WV on land grants during the mid 1800s. On my Mother’s side, ancestors descended from Scots-Irish, and Holland Dutch background. MANY, if not most Americans descend from a combination of foreign countries. This has created the interesting diversity in attitude, personality, and overall character traits; resulting in the conclusion that there is always another mode of thought on most subjects! Whatever the topic: The best approach is to “think it through,..then..think it ALL the way through”. That old saying: “There’s more than one way to skin a cat” has significant influence.
We trust you will find the following research applicable with reality!
MINIATURE CANDELABRA: The 1910 Santa Claus Edition of Butler Bros. Wholesale Catalog displayed this ad using #C37 and stated the size as 4 ½” x 4 ½” in the listing. This Catalog number continued in use through Feb. 1911, Mid-Spring 1911, April 1912; concluding with the Mid-Spring 1912 issue.
#C1184 was applied to Butler ads beginning with April 1913, Aug. 1913, July 1914, Spring 1915, April 1915, June 1916, June 1917, Feb. 1918, April 1918, Feb. 1919, June 1919 and Feb. 1920. Such catalog numbers indicate a difference in selling entities.
Info. provided by Glen Thistlewood on Sept. 19, 2013 follows: “Here’s the U.S. Patent (as in PAT APL FOR/Patent Applied For) for the little Westmoreland mini candelabra. It was applied for in October 1910 and patented in March 1911 for fourteen years, for George R. West, who was the inventor of the item. The number of the patent is 41,256 and it was called “Design for a Candlestick”: It was further described as “new, original and ornamental”. George West ran the Westmoreland Glass Company with his brother, Charles. As the Westmoreland patent was granted in 1911 and the term granted was fourteen years, it would have expired (unless renewed) in 1925. Thus the 1919 illustration of the little candelabra in the Butler Bros. catalogs was (based on the evidence of this patent) clearly Westmoreland’s. I imagine that any small discrepancies in size descriptions were simply down to approximations or perhaps holding the measure at fractionally slightly different points.”
FOOTNOTE: The 1917 Westmoreland catalog displaying this candelabra, gives it #1013 and states the size as 5”. We believe this clearly indicates possible existence of two moulds. The patenting process began by requiring an alteration in the mould and application of (PAT APL FOR). At such time, Westmoreland would have asked the mould-maker to alter or extend the stem and width ½” ? (Mould size can be increased but NOT decreased.) In the marketing world, inaccurate or incorrect size measurements are not acceptable to prospective merchandise buyers.
• I (Diane) was a designer of embroidered appliqués applied to bibs on children’s creep-alls during the early ‘50s. I vividly recall seeing an entire shipment of several hundred creep-alls returned to the factory for reason of a “flaw” in the embroidery stitching on fewer than a dozen examples! Specifics are (or were) strictly adhered to in the retail world!-- (At least during earlier years in America!)
• (The stated difference of ½” in these two candelabra’s would NOT have been overlooked in the “buyers’ world” at that time in history!)
Considering the fact that few items of glassware were patented, we are left to assume there was some controversy over this item! Alteration would follow, however minute, as in the case of Four Flowers by Dugan. It was copied (with minor changes), to the Four Flowers, Vt.; believed to have come from a European manufacturer.
My uncle (Diane’s) applied for a patent on a rubber and plastic bicycle horn he developed in the early 1950s. I clearly recall the stipulations required before that patent was granted. (It was the horn used by CLARABELLE on a daily TV program of that day, originating from Cincinnati, OH!)
CONCLUSION: Plate #10, page 39 & 40-The Collector’s Encyclopedia of Glass Candlesticks by Margaret & Douglas Archer pictures this miniature candelabra c. 1910, on a page of various CAMBRIDGE candelabras. Given #2759, known as a 3 prong candlestick when made in crystal; no other colors known. Evidence concludes that Cambridge AND Westmoreland owned moulds, with Westmoreland having patented their
version.
The Cambridge Glass Book by Harold & Judy Bennett of Cambridge, OH, (printed in 1970); displays this same pair of 3 - lite candlesticks produced in Crown Tuscan from 1936-1954. This mould found use in Cambridge production for at least 44 years, leading to belief that Westmoreland’s slightly larger version was one of the “requirements” for issuing the patent.
BANANA Paperweight - BIRD in FLIGHT- $500.
2 in. x 2 in. SCOTTIE DOG - $275. Burns Auction. SITTING DOG - $50.
The Aqua Banana, the Elephant, and the Scottie Dog can be seen when you click into Novelties – Part 12.
Hand cart
Butterfly dishes
1905 Shriners Toothpick or Shot Glass - Pittsburgh - Niagara Falls.
PIN BOX & COVERED TURTLE with SNAIL (Powder Box) Sold for - $850.
Some items in this segment are obvious paperweights. Those with openings would create comment and convenience for such as paperclips on any organized desk top. The Shriner’s toothpick and the powder box are appropriately named. The pale marigold “flashing” is mindful of items known to have experienced the mineral bath.
Dean & Diane Fry, Oct. 2013
Test the Spirits
(1 John 4:1)
The apostle John issued a spiritual version of (caveat emptor)-buyer beware—in his first letter when he wrote, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God.” Why? “Because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
A day is coming when a political leader will rise up on the world stage and tell the world he can bring peace and prosperity if only people will give him their allegiance. And many people will-----and they will suffer the consequences. This Antichrist will speak eloquently and boastfully, and his false prophet assistant will work miracles. At that time as in no other, people will need to “test the spirits.”
All Christians should be like the first century Bereans who studied the Scriptures daily to separate truth from error.
Acts 17:11)
The way to test yourself, the way to test any man, is to look below the surface.
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