The Attraction of Carnival Glass

"Hurry, hurry, hurry!-- step right this way, folks, and see this amazing glass. It's molded! Or stretched! It's iridescent! It's just like magic! See all the colors of the rainbow in one single bowl!"

My first exposure to carnival glass was when I was about eight years old, digging in my parents' back yard. At some point, some of the far lot must have been used as a dump by the locals. Because in a day of digging, I'd find things like bits of unlucky G.I. Joes, reflectors from old bicycles, and shards of porcelain... Tiny treasures that rewarded the imagination of a child almost as much as the digging itself did.

In making a mud-pie, one morning, I came upon a fragment of glimmering, shimmering iridescent red-purple glass.

I brought it inside to my mother with wonder in my eyes. To an eight-year-old, it looked about as close to magic as glass ever could. "Look, Mom-- treasure!"

But Mom laughed. "Oh, that's just a piece of carnival glass. It was this cheap, gaudy, cheesy stuff they used to give away at carnivals as prizes. It's nothing."

Except it was too late; I was in love with it.


The Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass, by Bill Edwards and Mike Carwile explains that carnival glass was a type of either pressed or stretched, iridized glass-- typically manufactured between 1905 and 1930. The rainbow iridescence of it was sprayed onto the glass before firing, making it affordable for average households during the area. And, as Mom had said, it was also sometimes given away as amusement park prizes.


The type of carnival glass you have depends on what type of finish was used. Different finishes are layered over a base color. The most common base colors for the glass itself include marigold, amber, amethyst, peach, cobalt, red, and smoke. You can determine the base color of your piece by holding a piece up to a direct light.

According to the book, there are basically three kinds of finishes for carnival glass. One is a satiny finish which adds colored highlights over a uniform glass surface color. This ruffled candy dish, which came from my great-grandmother, is an example of a pretty standard carnival glass piece. The color is marigold and the iridescent highlights tend toward purple/fuchsia tones.


Another type of finish is what was called the "radium" finish. This has a shiny mirror-like luster. In looking at my other carnival pieces from this era, I believe the bowl below might be a decent example of a "radium" look. The finish is very silvery and much more opaque than the other piece. It's over an amethyst glass...


A third finish, typically used on pastel pieces, may have a frosty look-- a white milky edge which is called "opalescent." This delightful Fenton shoe, my friend Josette gave me, appears to be done in the more opalescent style.


While the manufacture of carnival glass originally ended in the 1930s, in the 1960s, companies like Imperial Glass Company of Bellaire, Ohio revived some of their original carnival glass molds. This caused what the Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass describes as a second "carnival glass fever."

And for we fans of the thrift, the wonderful news is that these "revival" pieces are quite findable at thrift stores! While carnival Imperial grape pieces don't come into thrift stores as often as their milk glass sisters might-- a sharp eye can still spot them now and again at very reasonable prices. The pattern of this amber compote was done in blue, as well...


Below is a closeup on a grape pitcher-- in a slightly different pattern to the Imperial grape above-- that I found at the Salvation Army one day for $4...

I love the depth the iridescent colors give to the raised grapes!

This pressed glass bowl was another Salvation Army find...


You can see the detailed pattern here, and how the colors of the carnival finish accent them. I'm not sure who manufactured this-- I've seen it listed before as Westmoreland Glass, which was a glass making company local to Western Pennsylvania.



The book refers to these highly-defined wheeled patterns as "Starbursts" or "Buzzsaws"...


I actually don't recall the origin of this ice blue basket anymore, but I wanted to share it with you to show how many colors can be found within a single carnival piece...


And lastly, this pattern below is called "Anniversary" from Jeanette Glass Works, another Western Pennsylvania local company. The first is a bowl...


The second is one of a set of dinner plates....

It was late to the first wave of carnival glass manufacturing-- made in 1947. The Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass considers it "poorly lustered"-- but when these plates catch the light on my dinner table, the glow is as warm and magical as the lure of any Ferris Wheel.

Hope you enjoyed our little carnival ride today!

• If you missed last Treasure Box Wednesday, where we took a look at a number of thrifted pieces Shiny and Brite, click here.

And perhaps I'll see you this coming Wednesday for more nifty, thrifty fun!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Days Shiny and Brite

Any good treasure hunter knows, it's never too early or late in a season to pick up seasonal items-- particularly when they have a little age and interest to them. And this last week was a shiny taste of Christmas.

A visit to the Salvation Army Superstore rewarded me with a bag of vintage Shiny Brite ornaments-- those gleaming, uniquely shaped decorations of the 50s. I have a few that came from my parents' house. My dad recalls them from when he was a young'n...


In fact, the bell above is very similar to ones handed down to me. Of course, with the years also comes some unpleasant ornament casualties, and so I'm happy to find ones similar to the originals to supplement my collection. With a bag at just a little over $1, it's easy to splurge...


I love how some of them are shaped like whimsical toys, while others have shimmering starbursts at their heart, like these bulbs...


To further bring on the shiny, I discovered these two luster candlesticks. I'm not sure the age on these, but their style is very much like the pressed glass from the Depression era. I think I need to do a bit of research...

They certainly do work well, though, with all my Carnival glass!

Another find-- while not necessarily shiny-- did have a very sparkly price. At $0.79, I couldn't pass up these two pink sherbet dishes in my Hazel Atlas Moderntone Platonite pattern...


And before we close the lid on today's Treasure Box, I thought I'd show you shiny of a more natural sort. I'm definitely seeing the value of bringing my camera just everywhere with me. Because one breathtaking morning commute, the sky exploded in color...


It was so vibrant, so awestriking to me, I actually deviated from my route to work, went around the block, and parked, just so I could get a few of these shots out my car window...


It's hard not to believe you'll have a decent day at work when your world is filled with brilliant colors like these...


Wishing you beautiful, colorful days ahead. The kind that warm the heart, and bring a bit of optimism into your view.

• For those who missed Sunday's post, "Fit to Be Tied: Funny Knitting and Crochet", click here.

See you again soon!

Fit to Be Tied with Funny Knitting and Crochet

Times change, and nothing proves it more than crafting trends from a half-a-century ago. That's what I love about finding ephemera at thrift stores and antique malls. What seemed perfectly normal then-- from marketing lingo to photo styles-- today can seem a little...

Surprising...

unnatural...

and, um, one step away from needing to call child welfare services.

Fortunately, the 1947 craft guide, "The New Baby Book," doesn't disappoint.


I believe the ladies at Threadbared discussed some of the items in this book once, but having come across it at the Salvation Army for $0.99, I just felt it merited another, more detailed look-see.

I mean, right off the bat we begin to see the publishers of this book had a somewhat skewed view of the practicalities of parenthood...


"Babies are such fun to dress," the inside cover proclaims, and shows a cartooned tot standing, diaper dangling and waiting to be ensconced in love and crochet.

For anyone who has dressed a small child, they know; as sweet as the little tykes may eventually look-- the actual dressing process is not always exactly a cakewalk.

Those without children, or who haven't done extensive baby-sitting, you can get a sense of the experience by taking a willful aquarium octopus... then try putting it in an eight-armed jumpsuit. See how that works out for you.

I think you'll reflect on the fun of the experience in a somewhat different light. Even if the mollusk does look just too sweet in its matching knit bonnet.

Of course, the New Baby Book remains blissfully unconcerned about the many varied moods of your average child. Like here, for example.

Here smiling Dorothy is happy in her sweetly-crotcheted dress. But then we have our little friend on the left. The one in itchy wool Leiderhosen and one step from weeping. Oh, the small one is trying to keep a brave face, but the stress... it's noticeable.

"Why is it so hot, Mommy? Why am I so itchy? And why, oh why, am I wearing such short pants when I have such long sleeves? "

We apparently print his picture anyway. Crying children are entertaining in the Depression era. Toughens you up... Gets you ready for those times you'll have to walk to school in three-foot snowdrifts uphill both ways.

Get used to it, sonny.

Yet the New Baby Book also seems to feel strongly that bibs should be used for children well-beyond the baby-food phase...


The little girl on the right is already old enough to walk to school uphill both ways. But here, for some reason, we have the scene before she and the boy on the left "show us how the piggies eat." Let's just see her bring that bib out during school lunch. I bet it will be a big hit.

The New Baby Book folks also seem to be trying to use mind-control on the children. See, because the children are old enough to read, they know the bib says, "I like carrots." Eventually, if they read this enough at every meal, they will believe it.

By the way, how easy it is to launder a food-encrusted bib made of wool?

And while we're talking about knitwear and washing, here we have some early Doublemint Twins modelling the latest in beachwear...


Aren't they adorable? Sure, they are now. But what will happen when the sand and surf get into those lovingly-knitted bikinis? I mean, sweaters made of natural fibers tend to stretch out and sag or even shrink when exposed to water and...

Well, perhaps these swimsuits are different. Perhaps they're made of some exciting, new-fangled water-resistant yarn?...


Um, no. No, they aren't.

Nevermind.

So, hey-- have you ever wondered whatever happened to Rosemary's baby?...

I think this is what they did the moment the toys started levitating around the crib.

"Tie 'em in and keep 'em warm," says the caption. Safety first, right? No crib deaths to worry about here. Though based on the look on that child's face, it appears more like we're protecting the parents from the kid.

This must be how Hannibal Lecter started off life. "I'd like Gerber's minced liver, mashed fava beans and a nice milk. SSSSSLLLLPPPPTHHHHPPP!"

They remove the face mask, like now, for when he eats.

Below we have distracted Little Miss Muffet by giving her a complicated physics problem to work out...

This was necessary because for the previous 37 takes, she removed her knit booties, hat, sweater and was considering a serious career in nude modeling. It would be artistic and not likely to involve anything fiberous.

Seriously, what kid would keep that hat and those booties on for more than five seconds?

Of course, this poor dear below is just a disembodied head...


The other boys there in the illustraton have been using him to practice their softball throw. And they've been just tossing him back and forth, again and again.

He'd be okay with all the exercise but, truthfully, he does get a little airsick. In fact, you can see how nauseous he looks here.

Let's all sing a rousing chorus of "I ain't got no body," shall we?

Now this little girl, she looks happy because her mommy's told her she's going to be a star someday...

She poses like this in all the family's photos. She's done it for years. Her mother is sure if she keeps up this catalog modeling eventually she'll be discovered and get a movie deal like Shirley Temple. She sings and dances, too... Mary, you want to just give a nice little demo for the people now? Go on, don't be shy...

Of course, when she gets to be ten and still hasn't broken into the business, Mom is bound to be disappointed. Imagine, investing so much time and energy, and Momma's never going to get that mink coat after all.

Mom will mention it. Once every couple of days or so. "We'd have been rolling in dough, if you'd just tried a little harder, Mary. Put a bit more effort into it. Thought of your parents and their needs. Didn't you want your mommy to have her mink?"

Mary'll end up a diner waitress with dice earrings and low self-esteem in the City of Broken Dreams.

This next one is a bit reminiscent of a nightmare I had once....


Possessed children dressed as Santa's elves had crawled down my chimney and were coming to do me in.

Is that a sandpail shovel I see her holding? But she's wearing woven wool from head-to-toe!

And if it's for playing in the snow then, um, where IS the snow? Have we sent little Suzie out into the yard to dig in the cold hard earth?

Or did Suzie steal the sandpail shovel prop from those Doublemint twins, after they had to go in and wring out their sagging, waterlogged bikini bottoms?

I can't figure it out.

But lastly-- "gay and gifty" are these items below...

Here we have a knit dolly, a clown and.... what's that item on the right?

Why a baby bottle cozy! What do small, gooey fingers need more than a beautifully crocheted baby bottle cozy to smear with formula and drool?

It's destined to be a beloved family heirloom.

Well, that's all for today, my friends.

• If you missed Treasure Box Wednesday, where we take a look at some Victorian book covers, click here.

Otherwise I hope you see your smiling faces on (or whatever facial expression you might bring with you) on Wednesday, when we uncover Christmas treasures, lusterous fun, and more.