3 carnival glass vases, 3 makers. Northwood, Fenton, and Millersburg. Which is which?

Discussion in 'Pottery, Glass, and Porcelain' started by 42Skeezix, Jun 22, 2014.

  1. 42Skeezix

    42Skeezix Moderator Moderator

    Presented for your perusal and discussion are these three very similar Carnival glass swung vases all made circa 1910-20. All are approximately 12" tall, with a 4" base.Though at first glance they appear very similar they each have distinguishing features which lead to their makers. Each has a different name. One is made by Northwood, one by Fenton, and one by Millersburg. Which is which. What are their names and which one can actually be considered rather rare?

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    Leah Goodwin likes this.
  2. desperate_fun

    desperate_fun Irregular Member

    I'm going to guess without going to DDoty's site :)

    Top pic. Left Vase - Fenton Center Vase - Northwood Left Vase Millersburg

    I am totally guessing on these. Carnival Glass is not even close to anything I know about. I'm basing my guesses on my gut. LOL

    The rare one would be Millersburg (Just because I dont here that maker's name tossed out around here much)

    As for the names of the vase?? No freakin clue :)
     
  3. 42Skeezix

    42Skeezix Moderator Moderator

    Good guess but no on the makers. You may be partially right-or not. Let's see if anyone nails it first.

    We collected Carnival for years. Actually had a pretty advanced collection at one time.
    An example, We had 7 Good Luck bowls all in rare colors including a stippled Renningers blue and an aqua opal. As a matter of fact that Renningers blue bowl is one of the reasons that color exists. One of my customers was Tom Burns, at the time the #1 Carnival glass auctioneer in the country. I sold him a stippled strawberry bowl in an "odd" blue for $1500 many many years ago. Shortly thereafter I ran into a beaded bullseye rosebowl in this same peculiar but spectacular medium blue shade. This I also sold to Tom. A little while later we decided to break up the collection. Our Good Luck bowl in the exact same brilliant blue went to Tom. All three of these transactions took place at Renningers Antiques Market in Pa. We joked that the color should be called Renninger's blue because all the known pieces (My three) in that color "turned up" at Renninger's. Well sure enough he advertised the Good luck bowl as "Renningers Blue" in his next auction because of these three pieces, that I had sold him, in what was at the time a unique color. From there the name stuck and it is today a commonly accepted and understood rare variant in Carnival collecting circles. I say rare variant for another reason. Both bowls, the Strawberry and the Good Luck, had stippled backgrounds and slightly larger than normal bases. Both of these characteristics are very rare on Carnival pieces in normal colors, but do turn up on pieces in rare colors. Just about all Renninger's blue bowls known today have stippled backgrounds. All three pieces had SPECTACULAR iridescence and sharp mold work leading me to believe they must have been done with more care than the general run of production.

    These were all by Northwood BTW

    That's my small contribution to the collecting world. A carnival glass color. But I'm still proud.
    .
     
    Last edited: Jun 22, 2014
  4. Bev aka thelmasstuff

    Bev aka thelmasstuff Colored pencil artist extraordinaire ;)

    I got a small collection of Carnival glass from my mother. My ex insisted upon selling most of it. I have few pieces left, but one is the exact same vase as your center one in the last picture. I will hold onto that one just because. I had about fifty pieces at one time. :(
     
  5. desperate_fun

    desperate_fun Irregular Member

    Interesting stuff. Thank you for sharing that info.
     
  6. ola402

    ola402 Well-Known Member

    These are fairly easy to ID. Go to this web site and select Hobs, Knobs, and Bullseyes. You should find all of your vases there. http://ddoty.com/vaseid.html
     
  7. ola402

    ola402 Well-Known Member

    Oh, never mind. This is a test, not you looking for an ID. Excuse the intrusion.
     
  8. Scott

    Scott Active Member

    Fenton Rustic, Millersburg Swirl Hobnail, Northwood Tree Trunk
     
  9. Scott

    Scott Active Member

    Let me correct that, Im doing this off the top of my head. The Fenton vase is April Showers I believe. Rustic has larger hobbs to it.
     
  10. kentworld

    kentworld Well-Known Member

    Since I'm a pottie rather than a glassie, I'm going to go with with Scott said! ;)
     
  11. 42Skeezix

    42Skeezix Moderator Moderator

    Bingo!!! The Millersburg Hobnail swirl being by far the most desirable.
     
  12. Scott

    Scott Active Member

    Millersburg also made a rose bowl as well as a spittoon in the Hobnail Swirl.
     
  13. 42Skeezix

    42Skeezix Moderator Moderator

    Yes, all from the same mold.
    They also made a plain hobnail. This is found in table sets and pitchers along with the swung vase, rose bowl, and cuspidor.

    All nice stuff.
     
  14. Scott

    Scott Active Member

    Yes, you are correct. Im not sure how long you have collected carnival glass but did you know Lamar Sharp from Lititz, Pa? He is long gone now.
     
  15. 42Skeezix

    42Skeezix Moderator Moderator

    We knew Mr. and Mrs. Sharp quite well. Their son was also very involved in the hobby as I recall. He had the Midas touch for finding rare pieces.

    We broke up our carnival collection 15 or 20 years ago.
     
    Last edited: Jul 2, 2014
  16. Scott

    Scott Active Member

    Yes, they were good friends and Lamar taught me so much back years ago. They are both gone now as I'm sure you know. Dave, I have not seen in a few years but the last time I saw him was at a Keystone show in Denver, Pa at the Holiday Inn.
    They had such an incredible collection and enjoyed many a weekend with them.
    I just recently rejoined the ICGA because of my old carnival glass shakers I have collected and they just did an article on them in their present newsletter.
    I sold off most all my collection years ago to get into Victorian shakers but it never really leaves your blood.
    I don't know if Ruth Schiensthul (I know I spelled it wrong) is still around, but I don't think she collects anymore. She had the collection in the American Glass Musuem in Milville, NJ
    I see tom Burns a few times a year as we travel around to different shows. A few of the others out there, I cross paths with on ebay at times.

    Scott
     
  17. 42Skeezix

    42Skeezix Moderator Moderator

    Haven't seen Tom in years. If you happen to bump into him tell him THE Bottle guy said Hi. He probably wouldn't remember Don right off... but he'll for sure remember THE bottle guy:cool:.

    I do see one of Tom's ol' chums from time to time but for the LIFE of me I can't remember his name. It'll come to me. I bet you know him.
     
    Last edited: Jul 2, 2014
  18. Scott

    Scott Active Member

    Will do, I will see him next in upstate NY in August. You are not talking about Bill Richards? He passed away.
     
  19. Pat P

    Pat P Well-Known Member

    I have a carnival vase sitting here in my living room that's similar to the one on the right, with a dark brownish-purple glass color. It was part of my mother's small but nice collection.

    Mine is a bit different, though. It looks like there are more knots and the base has knots circling round without many vertical lines extending to the base.

    carnivalvase01.jpg

    carnivalvase02.jpg

    carnivalvasebase.jpg
     
  20. Pat P

    Pat P Well-Known Member

    I haven't tried IDing my vase since I'm not sure I want to part with it. If anyone offhand has an idea about the maker, etc., I'd love to know it.
     
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