Carnival glass gets its name from the fact that it was a common prize at carnivals from around to Most iridescent carnival glass was sold in stores, however, despite its name. Carnival glass became popular again in the s and s and was still produced through the s in lower quantities.
The original name for carnival glass was Iridill, which was trademarked by the Fenton Art Glass Company. In addition to the moniker carnival glass, this type of pressed colorful glass was also known by many other names. These included:. There are several ways you can identify a piece of carnival glass. A qualified professional appraiser can assist you but you can also look at common features when first reviewing a potential purchase.
The most common ways to identify the glass are:. Carnival glass should have a shimmery quality to it, especially when you hold it up to the light. The effect should look somewhat like the rainbow iridescent swirls you see when oil is introduced to water.
The base color for carnival glass comes in over 60 colors, but the most common colors are:. You can tell what the base color for a piece is most often by looking at the bottom of the item as this area tends to not have as much or any of the chemicals used to create the iridescent rainbow effect.
Carnival glass comes in over 2, patterns and although antique carnival glass was machine pressed, the final fashioning and shaping of each piece was done by hand.
As a result, each individual piece is unique. The glass also had many unusual crimped, ruffled, rounded or scalloped edge designs. Different designs and banding patterns also tended to be clumped in years, so it's possible to age a piece of carnival glass based on the pattern. Another quality often found with antique carnival glass patterns is their uneven sizing and design, as you may see crimped edges on a bowl that fluctuate in size owing to the fact these designs were handmade.
Carnival glass was used to make items primarily for household decor and kitchen use. These included punch bowls, sugar bowls, serving plates, storage canisters, tumblers, candy dishes, steins, vases, pitchers, butter dishes and similar items.
It was also used more rarely to make ashtrays, figurines and lamps. Several companies in the U. Glass Company and Westmoreland. Unfortunately, many makers of carnival glass worldwide did not include maker's marks on their products. A few who did were Fenton, Imperial, Dugan and Northwood. When trying to identify antique carnival glass, you should be aware that "fakes" have been produced in order to fetch higher prices from less savvy antiques buyers.
There are some ways to tell real from fake, but nothing is completely foolproof. Carnival glass and depression glass were both popular around the same time period at the beginning of the 20th century. They are often confused for one another due to the time frame and their wide array of colors. 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. This Fenton marigold-colored footed compote dish is in the orange tree pattern. Fenton was known for its finishing processes and glass detailing such as fancily scalloped and crimped edges that bring to mind ribbon candy. This Fenton marigold-colored bowl is in the smooth rays pattern and it has a scale band on the back. This distinctive scale band pattern can tell you something about the age of the piece.
Certain years used different banded patterns. As well, there are stippled rays, smooth rays, and medallion designs. Collectors determine the value of one pattern over another depending on the supply available for resale. Keep in mind, that if you like antiquing, and if you can buy in person, you do not have to worry about additional shipping costs or breakage concerns during shipping. This marigold-colored basket was made by the Imperial Glass Company in the waffle block pattern.
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.
The vast difference in price reflects a verifiable age of the glass piece and the condition of it. Actively scan device characteristics for identification.
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Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Featured Video. Read More. Eventually other types of glass like depression glass took over on the scene, which is why companies stopped producing carnival glass. Why did it become popular? As About explains, manufacturers would combine chemicals and apply them to glass before it was fired to create that metallic sheen.
But, the affordable prices made it popular with people who wanted to decorate their home with this inexpensive glass. Photo credit: Love to Know Antiques. Is it tough to find?
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