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WCN
Magazine Issue 17
So what actually is Carnival Glass?
by Susan Brewer |
Carnival
Glass Message Board
Discuss, Buy and Trade Carnival Glass with other
collectors
First
developed in the early nineteen hundreds, it's a range of patterned,
pressed glass suffused with an iridescent lust re, which reflects
the light, making the surface gleam with metallic highlights.
It resembles the rainbow effect that you see when oil is spilt
in a puddle. This effect was gained by spraying the hot surface
of the glass with metallic salt solutions and then re-firing to
set the iridescence.
Pressed glass products using this method first appeared in the
US in 1905. They resembled the high lustre finish achieved by
high-class glass manufacturers such as Tiffany on their exquisite
hand-blown pieces. It is said that when pressed glass companies
began producing iridescent glass, Tiffany sales slumped because
customers didn't like to think that poor folk could now afford
to have similar products in their homes!
During the 1880s, hand-operated press moulds were developed by
the American glasshouses, which enabled them to produce domestic
glassware in large quantities much more cheaply than the traditional
methods allowed. Unlike hand-blown glass which was time-consuming
to make, pressed glass was formed using these moulds. Two moulds
were needed. The molten glass was poured into the outer mould,
and then the inner mould (or 'plunger') was forced in, using great
pressure. Sometimes the moulds were in two or more parts, and
so a trickle of the molten glass would seep through the gaps.
Later, these seam lines would be polished out if they weren't
hidden in the intricate design. At first the products were made
from clear glass, but gradually colours were introduced.
 Even
though Carnival glass was initially pressed into moulds it still
needed plenty of hand- finishing, because the makers wanted to
create an air of individuality. The glassmakers completed their
creations in a variety of ways. Sometimes they would very gently
draw up the edges of a plate into a fluted shape, thu s creating
a bowl. They might even add some rounded feet. Using special tools,
they could pinch or crimp edges, or could make ruffles, pleats,
frills and scallops. Gorgeous rose bowls and posy bowls could
be formed by carefully pinching in the top edges of small basins,
while tall vases were elongated by using centrifugal force which
had the effect of stretching the malleable glass. Then the top
edges could be decorated by crimping.
The most commonly-found shade of Carnival glass is marigold, then
comes amethyst, blue, green and red (probably the rarest of all.)
Other shades do exist, including black, pastel shades, and many
varieties of the main colours such as amber, electric blue or
sapphire. In addition, some of the colours were coated with white,
altering the hues - for example, marigold and white is called
peach opalescent. The colour refers to the actua l base colour
of the glass, not to the iridescence, and the best way to discover
it is to hold the piece to the light. Then the true colour will
show.
An amazing variety of items were created from Carnival glass,
many of which were intended for everyday use, rather than for
decoration, so it surprising just how many items have survived
over the years in good condition. Rose bowls, plates, ashtrays,
hatpins, salad bowls, cream jugs, punch bowls, plates, stemmed
dishes, vases and hair tidies were just a few of the items that
poured from the factories during the relatively short period that
the glass was in production.
America was the major producer of Carnival glass, and the first
country to produce the glass in commercial quantities. The so-called
'big five' companies were Northwood, Fenton, Imperial, Dugan and
Millersburg, and they each had their own specialities. In addition
there were a few smaller concerns. Other countries which produced
the glass included England, Australia, Czechoslovakia, Argentina,
Estonia, Finland and Sweden.
 The
glass was originally made to bridge a gap in the market by providing
ornamental glass for those who couldn't afford to buy the fashionable,
expensive, iridised handmade glassware. However, by the 1930s,
fashions changed as as people began to follow Art Deco trends
and the pretty glass became less popular.
It wasn't till much later that it acquired the name, 'Carnival
glass', as it was thought that when it fell from favour, it was
sold off cheaply to fairgrounds and offered as prizes. Whether
or not this was true is a moot point. Other names for the glass
were Poor man's Tiffany, Rainbow glass, Aurora glass or Taffeta
glass. The enormous range of patterns means that collectors will
always be searching for more pieces. It's calcul ated that well
over a thousand different patterns were produced by the American
companies, and when you realise that they came in many different
colours, shapes and sizes, you can see why a Carnival glass collection
can never be complete.
Patterns were given names which usually echoed the design, such
as leaf and beads, starfish, pineapple and bow, beaded cable,
peacock tails, Persian medallion, open rose and fluffy peacock.
Flowers, fruits, leaves were especially popular designs - pansies,
roses, water-lilies, blackberries, grapes, cherries, oak and vine
leaves. Sometimes horses' heads, dragons, birds, or kittens were
featured. Geometric shapes or abstract patterns are found too,
and are shown to perfection by the iridescence which catches the
light as the piece is turned, emphasising the various facets.
Because of the way that the glass is manufactured, no two items
are quite the same - if you place two dishes or vases of the same
pattern, shape, colour and size from the same manufacturer, side
by side, you will notice subtle differences. One may seem more
blue than purple, or have a section which gleams gold, or maybe
have a pink or green tinge. A single item of carnival glass on
display is beautiful - a collection, especially if illuminated
by spotlights, or perhaps placed in a north-facing window (away
from the danger of the sun's rays which could trigger a fire),
makes a stunning spectacle.
The price of carnival glass varies considerably, depending on
the manuf acturer, colour, design - and where you buy. Although
nowadays it is sought after by numerous collectors, it's still
possible to pick up bargains. Even so, normally you should expect
to pay anything from £20 ($30) upwards - and upwards could well
mean into the hundreds, or even thousands, of pounds/dollars for
a particularly rare piece.
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