is carnival glass marked

Full Answer

Does carnival glass have any value?

Fenton's carnival glass was first marketed as the "golden sunset iridescent assortment" in catalogs. In 1907 when these pieces first sold, they cost 85 cents. A Fenton autumn acorns bowl averages for about $65. You can find some selling for as much as $150. Earlier Fenton specimens, up through 1920, can fetch a high price.

Why is it called Carnival glass?

The popular belief is that it has become known as Carnival Glass because it was given away or used as prizes at fairgrounds / carnivals. There is no doubt that a lot of Carnival Glass was used in this way, possibly due to an oversupply or an excess of poorer quality items being available in the 1920s and 1930s.

How do you identify carnival glass?

Carnival glass is identified by the color of the glass, not the color of the treatment. Base colors for Northwood were green, amethyst, and cobalt blue. Ice green, white, and ice blue were the names of the pastel colors. Northwood also made custard, stretch and opalescent glass.

How to identify carnival glass?

Method 3 Method 3 of 3: Determining the Quality and Age Download Article

1. Establish the quality of the sheen for an easy estimate of the value. Each piece varies in the amount of shimmer it has.
2. Check for a maker’s mark on the bottom. Some carnival glass pieces, though relatively few, have a mark that reveals the manufacturer.
3. Examine the piece for scratches, wear, and tool marks. ...

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Does carnival glass have markings?

Carnival glass made by this company includes not only table or dinnerware sets, but berry sets, and other useful items imitating cut glass patterns. Marks vary on Imperial carnival glass pieces, but to identify it, look for the familiar "iron cross" mark.

How can you tell if carnival glass is Fenton?

To identify whether a piece of glass is Fenton glass, look for a sticker near the bottom of the item. The stickers are usually oval and may have scalloped or smooth edges. You may also see an oval with the word Fenton stamped into the glass if the piece was made after 1970.

Is carnival glass worth anything?

In recent history, carnival glass has become a sought-after collector's item, and while many pieces can be acquired for less than $50, rarer pieces can sell for thousands of dollars.

What is the most valuable piece of carnival glass?

1. Millersburg Peoples Vase in Blue – $155,000. Auctioneer's Description: Millersburg BLUE Peoples vase. EXTREMELY RARE!

What is the rarest color of carnival glass?

While there are many beautiful colors of carnival glass, some are rarer than others. One of the rarest and most valuable colors is purple. Other rare colors include red, orange and yellow. These colors are less common because they were difficult to produce during the time period when carnival glass was made.

Are all Fenton Glass pieces marked?

Most Fenton Glass is marked, however, the older it is, the more likely the glass is to have lost its sticker if it was from before 1970. Some pressed marks might also be hard to see, or the glass may have been damaged over time. It is not guaranteed that any glassware without a mark cannot be a Fenton piece.

How do I sell my carnival glass?

Sell it off as individual pieces (eBay and/or lists, and/or club newsletters, and/or club conventions, or open a booth in an antique mall) Sell it through a 'local (general antiques) auction company. Sell part of it through a recognized 'carnival glass Auction company' now, and the rest later.

Does carnival glass glow under black light?

​Vaseline Carnival Glass is generally understood to have a yellow-green base glass that reacts vividly under UV (black light) giving a transparent, vivid, yellow-green, fluorescent glow.

Is there a difference between carnival glass and depression glass?

Both carnival and depression glass are colored. However, carnival glass features an iridescent, multicolored look, whereas depression glass has more of a simple, single-colored, transparent look. Carnival glass was made to inexpensively mimic glass made by the Tiffany Company.

When did they stop making carnival glass?

2007After interest waned in the late 1920s, Fenton stopped producing carnival glass for many years. In more recent years, due to a resurgence in interest, Fenton restarted production of carnival glass until its closure in 2007. Most U.S. carnival glass was made before 1925, with production in clear decline after 1931.

What type of glass is worth money?

Look for pink, blue and green glassware Pink, green and blue are the most valuable colors of depression glass. Pink tends to be the most valuable because it is more rare. Yellow and amber colored depression glass is more common and therefore less valuable.

Is Fenton Glass worth anything anymore?

Many of their pieces were made previous to World War II, and as such, many pieces have become collectible. Most glass pieces of the Fenton Art Glass Company are worth anywhere from $15-$50.

How can you tell the difference between carnival glass?

The most common ways to identify the glass are:Look at the coloring and sheen for the iridescent rainbow effect.Check out the base of the glass, which should not be thick or weighty. ... Look for the manufacturer's mark, although keep in mind many companies did not place a mark on their carnival glass.More items...

Is Fenton Glass worth anything anymore?

Many of their pieces were made previous to World War II, and as such, many pieces have become collectible. Most glass pieces of the Fenton Art Glass Company are worth anywhere from $15-$50.

How do you date Fenton Glass?

6 Tips for Identifying Fenton Glass Look for a Fenton tag (used before 1970), look for the Fenton mark (“Fenton” in an oval), look for “F” in an oval, indicating another company's mold was used (1983+).

What years did Fenton use stickers?

Circa 1968 to 1982-85. Color: Black & white. Used on hand-painted items with other labels. Circa 1970-1985.

What is carnival glass?

Carnival glass is one of the most popular antique collectibles—and one of the most complex to master. There are countless varieties of carnival glass out there, and even experts can be hard-pressed to say for certain who manufactured a piece or how to categorize its color under the iridescent sheen. The main things to look for in carnival glass are ...

How to identify carnival glass?

Name the key aspects of the pattern on the piece. Most carnival glass has a decorative pattern on the exterior or interior of the piece. Figure out what is depicted on your own and think of a few words to describe it. Then, consult a guidebook or the internet for those keywords if you want to identify the exact pattern.

How to tell if carnival glass is vintage?

Identify the color to see if the piece has a traditional carnival glass color. Some colors are simple to distinguish and identify, like the common, yellowish marigold or a simple red. However, experts on carnival glass have categorized almost 50 different colors that the vintage pieces can have. For an initial look at a piece, you only need to describe the basic color.

How to make carnival glass look like ordinary glass?

Hold up the glass in a well-lit space to check for a shimmer. Every piece made of carnival glass is reflective, with a characteristic shimmery veneer. The sheen of carnival glass has the multi-color, rainbow shimmer of of oil on water. Do this in a light area, as dark rooms can make the piece look like ordinary glass.

How to tell what color carnival glass is?

Look for an area without metal oxide, often the base. In order to determine what the color of the carnival glass is under the shimmer, you will have to find a section that lacks the oxide spray that creates the iridescent quality. In order to find a place like this, flip the piece over and check the raised base on the very bottom.

What is the most reflective piece of glass?

The most reflective pieces are often called “electric” carnival glass.

Can carnival glass be iridescent?

If the piece you are inspecting does not appear iridescent in light, then it cannot, by definition, be a piece of carnival glass.

What is carnival glass?

Carnival glass is moulded or pressed glass to which an iridescent surface shimmer has been applied. The keys to its appeal were that it looked superficially like the much finer and much more expensive blown iridescent glass by Tiffany, Loetz and others and also that the cheerful bright finish caught the light even in dark corners of the home.

Where was carnival glass made?

Starting at the beginning of the 20th century, carnival glass was eventually produced on every continent except Africa and Antarctica but largely and initially in the U.S.. All the major European glass making centres except Italy produced some and it was very popular in Australia.

How many colors are there in Carnival glass?

Carnival glass was made in a wide array of colours, shades, colour combinations and variants. More than fifty have been formally classified. These classifications do not go by the surface colours showing, which can be even more varied, but by the 'base' colours of the glass before application of the iridizing mineral salts.

What is the most popular color of carnival glass?

The most popular colour for carnival glass is now known by collectors as 'marigold' although that name was not in use at the time.

How does carnival glass get its shine?

Carnival glass gets its iridescent sheen from the application of metallic salts while the glass is still hot from the pressing. A final firing of the glass brings out the iridescent properties of the salts , giving carnival glass the distinct shine it is known for.

When did Fenton stop making carnival glass?

Fenton maintained their position as the largest manufacturer and were one of very few makers to use a red coloured glass base for their carnival glass. After interest waned in the late 1920s, Fenton stopped producing carnival glass for many years. In more recent years, due to a resurgence in interest, Fenton restarted production of carnival glass until its closure in 2007.

Does carnival glass have a maker's mark?

Many manufacturers did not include a maker's mark on their product, and some did for only part of the time they produced the glass. Identifying carnival glass involves matching patterns, colours, sheen, edges, thickness, and other factors from old manufacturer's trade catalogs, other known examples, or other reference material.

What is the U over the letter S on Carnival?

The United States Glass trademark - U over the letter S - is a rare find on their Carnival, and we were delighted to show Greg Dilian’s picture (below) of such a mark on his marigold Sheraton sugar *. Greg also has a U.S. Glass Athenia toothpick holder with the same trademark.

Did Westmoreland sign their glass?

Westmoreland: Westmoreland did not “sign” or trademark their Classic Carnival Glass. Their Revival Carnival production from 1970s on, however, was often trademarked with their WG or the word WESTMORELAND. (These later marks can also be seen on glass made by others when they were left on moulds that were subsequently sold.)

Does Heisey make Carnival glass?

Some Heisey glass is found with their trademark H inside a diamond. But, Heisey did not make Carnival Glass. Some of their glass is known with light iridescence, however it was not iridised by Heisey during production, but instead was cold iridised afterwards by individuals such as Sara Comer, or was water-ambered at one of the springs such as Marlin or Stephens.

Did Fenton sign their carnival?

Fenton: Fenton did not “sign” or trademarked their Classic Carnival. Any Fenton Carnival with the word Fenton on it, or the cursive F, will be from the Revival years (c. 1970s to mid-2000s). We have a full feature called “ Fenton Old and New ” that details the trademarks used by Fenton on Carnival from the 1970s onward. Here is the link: Fenton Old and New

Is Carnival Glass a trademark?

Makers marks or trademarks are not often seen on Classic (old) Carnival Glass made in the United States, with the exception of the well-known N mark on many Northwood items. Look deeper though, and you might be surprised at just how many different marks on old Carnival there were all around the World.

Is Imperial Carnival a trademark?

The greater part of Imperial Carnival was not trademarked - however, some notable marks are known. They used the "Iron Cross" mark on a small number of Carnival Glass patterns, from c. 1917. Imperial also marked some, but not all Homestead and Chrysanthemum plates "NUART". Also used, was the similar "NUCUT" mark.

Does Northwood have a signature?

A Northwood script signature can be seen on some Carnival Glass – yet curiously, neither is old Classic Northwood. The first appears on rare examples of the Dugan Nautilus (see below for details and photos).

What is carnival glass?

Carnival glass is pressed glass with mineral or metallic salts added during the manufacturing process to create the iridescent rainbow of colors it comes in. Carnival glass gets its name from the fact that it was a common prize at carnivals from around 1907 to 1925. Most iridescent carnival glass was sold in stores, however, despite its name.

How to identify carnival glass?

The most common ways to identify the glass are: Look at the coloring and sheen for the iridescent rainbow effect.

What is the difference between carnival glass and depression glass?

Depression glass can be distinguished from carnival glass from its lack of the iridescent metallic rainbow effect that carnival glass has. Depression glass also tends to be one overall color, as opposed to the multi-colored look of carnival glass.

How to tell if carnival glass is real?

Dull surface - You can sometimes also tell fakes by a dull rather than shimmery effect. Compare it to a real piece of carnival glass to check. However, it's important to note that real carnival glass came in a variety of matter and shiny finishes.

How to tell if glass is iridescent?

The most common ways to identify the glass are: Look at the coloring and sheen for the iridescent rainbow effect. Check out the base of the glass, which should not be thick or weighty. It usually also does not have the iridescent shimmer that the rest of the glass will have. Look for the manufacturer's mark, although keep in mind many companies did ...

Why is carnival glass rusty?

The older the carnival glass, the more likely it is to have a rusty look from the metal oxide used to create it aging over time.

What is Imperial's mark?

Imperial's mark was their cross-shaped logo. Their work was also distinct for its use of unusual base colors, and their design work was primarily geometric. Dugan's manufacturer's mark was an uppercase D within a diamond shape. Most of their carnival glass work featured nature designs and crimped edges.

What are the colors of carnival glass?

Carnival Glass Colours & Shades. The most common shade of carnival glass is marigold, then amethyst, blue, green and red, which is 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 ...

When was carnival glass made?

Carnival glass was first produced in the early nineteen hundreds and is a range of patterned, pressed glass suffused with an iridescent lustre, which reflects the light and makes the glass surface gleam with metallic highlights.

What were the items made of carnival glass?

An amazing variety of items were created from carnival glass and many were intended for everyday use, rather than for decoration, and it is surprising how many items have survived. 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 ...

What does Carnival Glass lustre look like?

The Carnival Glass lustre resembles the rainbow effect that you see when oil is spilt on water

How was pressed glass made?

Unlike hand-blown glass which was time-consuming to produce, pressed glass was produced using moulds. Two moulds were used with the molten glass being poured into the outer mould and then the inner mould or plunger forced inside, under great pressure.

How did glassmakers make their creations?

Sometimes they would very gently draw up the edges of a plate into a fluted shape, creating a bowl. They might add some rounded feet or using special tools would pinch or crimp edges, or make ruffles, pleats, frills or scallops.

When was pressed glass invented?

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 produce, pressed glass was produced using moulds.

When was the Imperial Glass Company mark used?

This is a late Imperial Glass Company mark. Several iterations of the original Imperial Glass Company mark used in the 1950s (a capital "G" laid over a stylized capital "I") led to this mark when the company was purchased from Lenox by Arthur Lorch in 1981.

Who marked the glass on the Bubbly?

When unmarked pieces made by Steuben Glass Works were brought to Frederick Carder (the company's co-founder and longtime art director) so he could look at them, and he often marked them as they were identified. These marks read "F. Carder" as shown on this Bubbly piece, and were accompanied by the word "Steuben" etched in the same way.

What is Aurene glass?

Aurene is one of the most popular styles made by Steuben Glass Works. While the Aurene signature may look amateurish, the one shown here is on a genuine piece of Steuben glass. Some pieces are marked only "AURENE" rather than "STEUBEN AURENE." The company's etched fleur-de-lis logo is sometimes present as well.

What is a J in Jeannette glass?

Most Jeannette Glass Company tableware was not marked. The marked items tend to be footed pieces such as goblets and glasses of varying types. Jeannette also used a "J" in a triangle or a "J" standing alone as their mark on occasion.

When did the crow mark on marbles go out of business?

The crow mark was used on glassware from the late '30s through the 1940s. Production ceased in 1949, but the company sold off its remaining inventory until 1951 when it officially went out of business.

When did Durand glass come out?

This is one of several marks used by Durand Art Glass from the mid-1920s into the early 1930s. Most pieces produced toward the end of the 1920s through 1931 had a hand-engraved mark reading "Durand" sometimes accompanied by a shape number, such as the one shown above.

Where is the Devil's Tail mark?

This is one of a number of different marks used by the Daum factory in Nancy, France. Be sure to familiarize yourself with what is known as a "Devil's Tail" mark .

Overview

Collectibles market

Carnival glass is highly collectible. Prices vary widely, with some pieces worth very little, while other, rare items command thousands of dollars. Examples of carnival glass can be easily found in antique stores and eBay.
Identification of carnival glass is frequently difficult. Many manufacturers did not include a maker's mark on their product, and some did for only part of the time they produced the glass. Id…

History

Variations

See also

External links