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reference book updates
Section VIIChiarenza & Slater's The Milk Glass Book1. (Opaque News - December 1998): Plate 19 Frog Bottle: David Schepps, whose vast collection of glass frogs is unsurpassed, reports the bottle is of German origin. It is also found in clear glass, sometimes with painted decoration. We were unable to estimate the value of this bottle in our price guide, but Mr. Schepps informs us that in his experience it falls in the $350+ range. 2. (Opaque News - June 2000): Plate 39 Horseshoe Dresser Box: It should be noted that this box was made BY not FOR the Alton Manufacturing Company, a subsequent company occupying the factory f the former Boston & Sandwich Glass Company. [Robert Friedrich, Flushing, New York]. 3. (Opaque News - December 1998): Plate 52 Young Victoria Statuette: We have now come across this piece illustrated in clear frosted glass in Charles Hajdemach (British Glass 1800-1914, p. 351). Mr. Hajdemach does not state a positive attribution, but suggests John Derbyshire, circa 1874, as a possibility. 4. (Opaque News - December 1998): Plate 73 The Drunkard ("Pochard") Candlestick: Member Allyne Rogers having this candlestick in blue milk glass, signed "Portieux." 5. (Opaque News - June 2000): Plate 75 Madonna and Child Candlestick: This candlestick was also made in crystal. A review of patent records revealed the design is number 8,719 issued Oct 19, 1975, to William H. Roby of East Cambridge, Mass. I have not been able to find any information about Roby, but I would guess there is a pretty good change the candlesticks were produced by the New England Glass Company. [Tom Felt, Alexandria, Virginia]. 6. (Opaque News - June 2000): Plate 81 Scroll and Cross Candlestick: An original 1902 catalog illustration of this candlestick appears in Frances Bones, Fostoria Glassware 1887-1982, Collector Book, copyright 1999, page 9. It is listed as number 1192 Candlestick, eight 10½ inches. [Robert Freidrich, Flushing, New York] 7. (Opaque News – March 2005): Plate 92, Startled Doe Covered Dish: This is listed as August Walther’s catalog number 195. 8. (Opaque News - December 1998): Plate 96 Spaniel Dog Covered Dish: Member Barbara Scott reports having this covered dish in purple slag. 9. (Opaque News - June 2000): Plate 98 Duck on Ovoid Basket Weave Base: We know of two sizes. The one shown in the book and a slightly larger one which measures 4" long, 2¾" wide, and 3¼’ high. The large one is identical to the smaller one in all details [Submitted by Helen Story, Hershey, Pennsylvania]. 10. (Opaque News - March 2001): Plate 102 Sea Gull Covered Dish (Movendose, oval): Although some of the catalog sketches, such as this one, do not provide clear enough details to make attributions absolutely certain, I believe this Sea Gull ("Movendose") is indeed shown as item #102 in The Milk Glass Book where reference is made to the slight resemblance to L. G. Wright’s 5 inch Duck owing mainly to the similar flanged base. 11. (Opaque News – September 2005): Plate 108 Quail Pie Covered Dish: Canadian member Sid Lethbridge posted this interesting tidbit on the Yahoo’s hen group chat site: "I just received my Riverside newsletter and there is an excellent article by Jack Senander on the misattribution of the glass shown on pages 4 through 13 and Plates 1-5 of "Riverside Glass Works" by Cliff Gorham. These are not the product of Riverside but instead were made by Elson Glass. The catalog pages had been provided to Gorham by a local historian as supposedly being Riverside catalog pages. They are not marked in any way with a company name. However, Tom Bredehoft pointed out that several of the patterns shown are proven Elson Glass products: - No. 88 - Daisy and Button "Jack has investigated this thoroughly and has now stated that he concurs with Tom's conclusions. This means that the #100 Etched Dish aka the covered quail dish is an Elson product not Riverside." "I sent this intriguing little notice to Frank Chiarenza (as did member Dick Reed) because the quail pie dish is also shown in The Milk Glass Book. Here is his reply:" "Indeed, this is news to me. I think we all had simply given credence to the historian in Wellsburg, WV who gave the catalog pages to Cliff Gorham, and it was she who identified them as illustrating items made by Riverside Glass. No one thought to question her authority, I guess."
"Of course, it always seemed odd to me that the Quail Pie CD was a Riverside product, because it is the unique instance of Riverside making an animal covered dish but no other figural dishes. But then, the same may be said of Elson. In addition, neither Riverside nor Elson are known for making much opaque glass, if any, though the latter did make some opalescent pieces."
"If, as it now appears, Elson was in fact the originator of the Quail Pie, then I would suspect the earliest productions were made in clear frosted. And it may be that the ones that are found in opaque (milk glass) could have been made later, perhaps after Elson joined the National Glass Company in 1898. With little other positive documentation, we can only speculate."
"Incidentally, since W. K. Elson was one of the founders of Central Glass before he formed his own company, there is good reason now to suspect a remote connection between Elson's Quail Pie dish and the hens and other animal covered dishes made by Central" Sid posted a little more information the next day: "Elson started up in 1882. They operated until 1892 when it was reorganized and became the West Virginia Glass Co. Not much more is known. A few folks like Tom Bredehoft are studying the products of this company." "As for what the dish is called, the manufacturer just called it #100 etched dish, but it is the one shown on this web page as the quail pie dish." http://www.eapglass.com/feature.htm" 12. (Opaque News - March 2001): Plate 111 Twin Hen Salt Covered Dish (Doppelte, Hennendose): It seems that the example shown in The Milk Glass Book -- a blue base with white lids -- is not a color combination actually offered that way in the Von Streit catalog. Because the lids themselves are identical to those shown in the catalog on individual hen salts, it is likely that some previous owner put together spare parts to form a whole piece. This probably should not be considered a "marriage," however, at least not in the usual sense of the term. By the way, you should know that this double Hen dish was also made in a larger size (190 mm), assigned No. 1912 in the Von Streit catalog. 13. (Opaque News - March 2001): Plate 115 Cow (Kuhdose, oval): Set on a basket base with flared woven reed edge, the Cow top is the same as the one seen above on a tub base. This basket base appears to be Von Streit’s common type for other animals as well, such as the Horse shown above. And though not included in this article, the catalog does show the Duck and Hen covered dishes pictured in Fersons’ items 105 and 107, both of which can be updated as know products of this German company. 14. (Unpublished): Plate 116, Hen Covered Dish: I cannot be positive, but this appears to be one of a series of figural covered dishes shown in the 1928 A. G. Brockwitz catalog. The hen is advertised in three sizes, along with a rabbit and duck. The bases seem to be identical in all three items, as well as C/S 116. The catalog page also shows the tops of all three figurals resting on a straw lined ground. 15. (Opaque News - March 2001): Plate 122 Musterschutz Breakfast Set (Hennendose, oval): Much of the commentary concerning this piece in The Milk Glass Book (item 122) is correct, including the assumption of a German origin. What we completely misunderstood, however, is the marking "Musterschutz" and the number 1391 which, as is now evident, is precisely the catalog factory number. The word "Musterschutz" simply means "design patent" or "trade-mark," comparable to the French "Depose." As you can see in the illustration above, the Hen covered dish was sold "ohne Eierbecker" and "mit 6 Eierbechern" -- that is, "without egg cups" or "with 6 egg cups." The egg cups themselves are also illustrated elsewhere in the catalog, and were sold individually, either with our without the chick lids. this explains why they are marked with two different numbers -- "1393" embossed in the lid and "1392" in the cup itself. The breakfast set (as well as other items shown below) was made in clear, and in both white and blue opaque. All were offered optionally with painted decorations. 16. (Opaque News - March 2001): Plate 124 Love Birds Covered Dish (Taubendose, oval): Although we have only an artist’s drawing to rely on, it does look as if the cover for Westmoreland’s much admired "Love Birds on a Nest," first introduced in the 1950s is a cop of the von Streit No. 1025 Dove ("Taubendose"). The Westmoreland base, however, is different. We do not know whether Westmoreland’s base was copied from still another unknown original or a newly created one. If a new design, it certainly is a credit to Westmoreland’s expert mould makers because their base does replicate the pattern embossed around the Doves on the cover. Designing a new base would not be unusual for Westmoreland, by the way, as evidenced in the completely original base it created for its reproduction of Atterbury’s "Chic on Egg Pile" lid. To further complicate the matter, there is also still another totally different base on which a "Love Birds" cover has been found, as reported by member Barbara Scott (Glass Collector’s Digest, Dec/Jan 1996, p82). A question therefore must be raised as to whether the von Streit version is "the" original, or whether it is itself a copy of some other as yet unidentified maker. 17. (Opaque News - March 2001): Plate 128 Lizard on Strawberry: Although commonly referred to as "lizard on Strawberry," the company catalog name is simply Strawberry ("Erdbeerdose") followed by the notation "with and without spoon hone ("Loffellock"). Reported in The Milk Glass Book, this remarkable piece has already been attributed to Von Streit, as it was featured in the company’s 1903 advertisement. 18. (Opaque News - March 2001): Plate 143 Fan-Tailed Pigeon Covered Dish (Taubendose, rund): Previously shown in Ruth Web Lee (Victorian Glass) but without attribution, she includes the German-made Dover or Pigeon ("Tabuendose") in plate 111 where curiously Lee has placed it in the company with seven other covered dishes which are All-American-made! The Atterbury Frog sits alongside her, while a Flaccus Sheep on Bo-Peep base and five McKee animal covered dishes complete her rare assemblage. 19. (Opaque News – December 2004): Plate 147 Snail on Wooden Pail: In the 2004 NMGCS auction, one in blue was sold and one in white was offered at one of the dealer tables. So add both white blue milk glass to the known colors. (Opaque News – March 2006): It is, however, an original design and I was sure that the snail on the top signified it was of French design and origin. Alas, I’m wrong again! This piece appears in the German firm, Fenner Glasshutte, 1903 and 1909 catalogs. It was marketed as a sugar bowl. The page is reproduced for your records at the back of this issue. 20. (Opaque News - March 2001): Plate 154 and Millard, plate 184-b Ram Covered Dish Widderdose): The description we gave this piece in The Milk Glass Book (item 154) turns out to be right on the mark -- "This charming miniature dish may be a child’s piece or, perhaps, a covered salt." In fact, the Ram covered dish ("Widderdose") appears on a catalog page together with about 25 other items, all under the heading: "Spielzeugartikel und Salzfasser" -- that is, "Toy Articles and Salt Cellars." Collectors of salts will be delighted to know the company did intend it for such use. And we are now able to explain those "cryptic registration numbers" embossed in both the base and the cover. The enigmatic letters "MS" no doubt are an abbreviation of "Musterschultz" (i.e., "design patent") and "2509" inside the lid is the catalog number. The base bears a different number (2184) because it could be used with other lids having different patterns but of the same size. Again, I remind you that this piece, like all the others, was made in clear as well as opaque white or blue, either plain or decorated. 21. (Unpublished): Plate 156 Butterfly Covered Dish: This wonderful item appears in the 1930 Meisenthal Glass Company Catalog as "Papillon" Sugar Bowl. 22. (Opaque News – March 2006): Plate 165 Gingerbread House: Sharp eyed readers might notice that the catalog page includes the Gingerbread House shown in C/S 165. It makes perfect sense that this wonderful piece is German—after all the Hansel and Gretel story is one of the Grimm Brother’s most popular fables. If you look at some of the early copies of Hansel and Gretel with their woodblock illustrations, the milk glass version of the Gingerbread House is a surprisingly close approximation of the original drawings. 23. (Opaque News - December 1998): Plate 178 The Battleship Maine Variants: Member Marvin McVey tells us he has the beaded cabin variant in his collecting, bringing the known number now to three. Are there others yet unreported? 24. (Opaque News – March 2005): Plate 186 Sailor on Boat Covered Dish: This is listed as August Walther’s catalog number 194. 25. (Opaque News - December 1998): Plate 193 Clown Ash Tray: This tray is attributed to Gillinder & Sons. Member Tom Felt found it illustrated with other "Easter Novelties" by that company in the Feb 27, 1902 issue of Crockery & Glass Journal. 26. (Opaque News - June 2000) Plate 204 Performing Horse Dish: This dish carries the logo of a chain of CIGA HOTELS, including the hotel Meurice in Paris, the Danielli and Regina in Venice, and others, where face cloths and towels also carried the same logo of four hours raised in a sort of quilting. The source for the logo is not related at all the Spanish riding school or Lipizzaner Stallions. Rather, it represents the four bronze horses seen on the facade above the portals of the San Marco Church in the Piazza in Venice. You were right in guessing it was a "commemorative or souvenir" piece! Wit breakage and pilferage, however, the hotel chain found it too expensive to continue stocking it in their guest rooms, so they changed it. As to the maker, it would seem that Murano Italy is a likely source for this milk glass soap dish. [Submitted by S. Leon Kaye, Metuchen, New Jersey] 27. (Opaque News - June 2000): Plate 207 Fan and Circle Variant Tray: The 13½ tray shown is not the same as the one pictured in Belknap (item 48). We have the Belknap tray whose size Belknap did not mention; it is a bit smaller, measuring 11 5/8 inches. Also, take note that the scroll work on the both plates is different, both at the sides and on the ends, more reticulated on the large and less on the smaller one. [Submitted by Dick & Noni Manley, Wakefield, Massachusetts]. 28. (Opaque News - December 1998): Plate 212 Phrenologist’s Head Inkwell: Mr. S. Leon Kaye has brought to our attention a reference with which we were not familiar. William E. Covill, Jr. in his book, Ink Bottles and Inkwells (copyright 1971), shows the Phrenologist’s Head Inkwell as Fig. 1417, p. 336, and says it is embossed "PATENTED DEC. 11, 1855" on the frame. He further states it is marked ‘WASHINGTON MANUAL BY SEE" on the underside of the hinged cover; and "J.H. SEE WASHINGTON" on the side of the milk glass font under the frame. It may be, therefore, that there are variants of this inkwell, since the embossed words differ slightly from those on the specimens we have examined. We also did not find the patent date marked on the frame. 29. (Opaque News - December 1998): Plate 236 Santa Claus Oil Lamp: Member Barbara Scott adds the following information drawn from Ann Gilbert McDonald, Evolution of the Night Lamp (1979): Nicholas Kopp is credited with creating this Santa lamp made at Consolidated and said to be from "Fostoria Shade originally." The same information is given by Melvin Murray, Fostoria, Ohio Glass II, 1992) 30. (Opaque News - December 1998): Plate 285 Hunting Dog Card Holder: We were way off in suggesting this pieced depicts a "hunting" dog. It definitely is not hunting, but rather chasing or playing with a ball. Imperial Glass lists it as their No. 11/739 Card or Cigarette Holder (see Garrison, Imperial’s Vintage Milk Glass, p. 112). As a pre-1950s product, it does not carry the IG logo, or course, nor does it have any other markings. We doubt it was an original design, as Imperial often reproduced or copied earlier glassware designs both foreign and domestic - the Vallerysthal Beehive Honey covered dish (1950/60) and the Challinor-Taylor "Daisy" bowl (1950/484) are but two examples. 31. (Opaque News - December 1998): Plate 296 American Indian Chief Figure: Several members called to our attention that this Indian figure was advertised in 1981 as "Standing Tall" in a limited edition of 1000 by J & B Glass Company of Fort Wayne, Indiana (see Glass Review July/Aug 1981, p, 76). The trademark is a "C" placed inside a hexagon. The Indian is also shown in black milk glass by Toohey (No. 629, p 62) who offers an additional reference to a Boston advertisement in the March 1984 issue of Glass Review (p. 46). 32. (Opaque News - December 1998): Plate 297 Polar Bear Paperweight: We are somewhat embarrassed to have missed the maker of this Polar Bear. Our hunch about its "questionable age," however, was correct. Barbara Scott reports this paperweight was made by Summit, but the actual origin of the mould is uncertain. We still think it is hard to find, although the value assigned to it in our price guide is much too high. 33. (Opaque News – December 2004): Plate 312 Walnut Double Salt: Bart Gardner reports he has found this open salt in caramel opaque. So add caramel to the known colors. 34. (Opaque News – December 2004): Plate 339 Cherry Square Sugar: Bart Gardner reports he has found this sugar in blue milk glass. So add blue milk glass to the known colors. 35. (Opaque News - June 2000): Plate 343 Jeweled Oval Sugar Shaker: I have this shaker in a somewhat ugly variegated glass which appears to be the result of some sort of (mineral) salts being sprinkled into the pot or onto the gather. It could just be a glass blower’s whimsy, but since it is not marked "Patd Apld For" I wonder if this was purposely colored differently. Perhaps it was used as a patent model, rather than carving a wooden patent model. At any rate, this is a different color being reported [Cay Bettinghaus] 36. (Opaque News – June 2003): Plate 367 Bearded Old Man Grape Carrier Toothpick: I am more convinced than ever that glass books should be issued as single pages in a loose leaf binder so that a page with errors can be removed and a corrected page inserted. Since the 1998 publication of Jim Slater’s and my The Milk Glass Book so much new information has come to light that refutes or augments our listed entries that make one wish for a simple way to publish corrections and additions. Fortunately, Opaque News affords that opportunity to members of the society, but there is no way short of a revised edition to pass on such new information to readers of the book who are non-members. (Don’t forget to renew your subscription!) This brief update is but one example of how far off we were not only in describing but even in assigning the category for one of our items which we listed under the heading "Toothpicks/Match holders." Thanks to our member from Germany, Siegmar Geiselberger, who publishes an excellent journal titled "Pressglas-Korrespondenz," I have received some information regarding what we called the "Bearded Old Man Grape Carrier Toothpick To start with, it is not a toothpick holder, nor is it a matchholder. Also wrong was our notion that the figure is represented as holding a grape basket on his shoulders. So too is our suggestion that it might be of French origin. What more can be wrong? Well, we thought we were safe at least in stating that it is "rare," but with eBay auctions turning up so many pieces once considered rarities, very little can be considered rare anymore. Here, then, is an update for item # 367 in The Milk Glass Book. Had we recognized the figure is a gnome, we might have been more likely to seek a German origin, for it is indeed a product of a glassworks in Germany. The illustration reprinted here comes from a page in a trade catalog issued in 1890 by a company called -- hold your breath! -- "Vereinigte Radeberger Glasshűtten Achtiengesellschaft in Sachsen." In English, that translates roughly as "Union of the Glass Houses of Raderberg Limited Corporation in Saxony." (The word "Achtiengesellschaft" means a company which sold its shares at the stock market). We may assume this represents a consolidation of a number of factories in the region of Raderberg in Saxony, much like the conglomerates formed in this country at about the same time, such as the U.S. Glass Company in 1891 and the National Glass Company in 1900. The catalog designates item number 3913 as an egg cup ("eierbecher") formed as a dwarf or gnome ("gnomen"). The letter "M" that follows may indicate the type of glass it was made in, an abbreviation for "Milchglas" (milk glass). Now, of course, the depiction becomes clear. In keeping with popular folklore accounts of the activities of gnomes, he is treading wearily along a rocky ledge, carrying precious stones in his basket on his way to a cave where the treasures will be buried and closely guarded. How much more fitting, then, that the gnome’s basket weighing heavily on his shoulders should serve to hold a nourishing egg rather than sticks. (No offense intended to all you collectors of toothpick holders, by the way!) 37. (Opaque News - June 2000): Plate 377 Columbus Hanging Matchholder: We have this item also as shown in satinized milk glass, but it was made in clear frosted glass as well which is perhaps why missed finding it illustrated in Bessie Lindsey’s American Historical Glass (item 432, page 442). Lindsey identifies the figure as Edward Hugh Sothern (1859 - 1933), an American stage actor who appeared in many Shakespearean plays; hence, the obvious Renaissance costume. The patent date is 1876. [Submitted by Dick & Noni Manley, Wakefield, Massachusetts]. 38. (Opaque News – December 2004): Plate 339 Cherry Square Sugar: Bart Gardner reports he has found this sugar in blue milk glass. So add blue milk glass to the known colors. 39. (Opaque News - December 1998): Plate 414 Walking Fish Covered Dish: For the benefit of those who do not have Millard’s out-of-print book Opaque Glass, we should have made clear that Millard correctly attributes this covered dish to Challinor, Taylor. Back to Top |
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