10:32
Faizan
You recently picked up a beautiful piece of rainbow-colored glass at a local flea market. Turning it over you notice the striking color change and begin to wonder if your new treasure has a name. You may have discovered a collectible glass known as Carnival glass, a type of pressed glass that has an iridized (made iridescent) surface. The iridescent coating is made by exposing the newly formed hot glass to fumes, sprays and vapors created from heated metallic oxides which are pigments used to color glass. The resulting finish resembles the surface of a soap bubble or oil on water. It can be difficult to identify a piece of Carnival glass.
Examine the color of the glass. The unusual color effects are the most distinguishing feature of a piece of Carnival glass. The most popular colors are the cobalt, marigold, amethyst, green and white. The white Carnival glass, also known as "milk glass," is the only type that is opaque. The color of the piece is determined by the color of the actual glass, not of the iridescence. On a piece of glass that is classic-era Carnival the base of the piece will not be iridized, allowing you to determine the true color.
Determine the shape of your piece of glass; this may help you figure out the particular pattern to aid in identification. Carnival glass has been produced in a wide variety of shapes from glass baskets to plates and wine sets. A website such as ddoty.com, a site dedicated entirely to Carnival glass by expert David Doty, offers a listing of Carnival glass pieces by shape. Once you identify the shape of your piece, you can find the different patterns that have been produced for each shape.
Find the pattern of your piece of Carnival glass. There have been at least 2,000 different patterns created; yet another reason it can be so difficult to identify a piece of Carnival glass. Refer to a published listing of the numerous patterns such as the one offered on ddoty.com or found in the Standard Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass written by Bill Edwards and Mike Carwile.
Study the motif (recurring shapes or colors) of the piece. Many patterns included individual motifs such as butterflies, hearts or grapes. David Doty, one of the leading experts on Carnival glass, also includes an index of motifs on his website ddoty.com, to aid in the identification process. Doty's site appears to be one of the most comprehensive sites for identifying a piece of Carnival glass.
Look for a manufacturer's mark. One of the largest producers of Carnival glass from 1905 to 1930, the Fenton Art Glass Company, used only paper labels to mark their pieces. Many manufacturers did not include a maker's mark on their products or only did so for a limited time during their production of the glass. A number of manufacturers also produced similar copies of their rivals' more popular patterns, which makes identifying a piece of Carnival glass an extremely difficult task even for experts. Contemporary makers of Carnival glass, from 1970 and later, include a maker's mark on their pieces. An excellent source for pictorial examples of the various manufacturers' marks can be found on ddoty.com and knottywood-treasures.com.
Examine the color of the glass. The unusual color effects are the most distinguishing feature of a piece of Carnival glass. The most popular colors are the cobalt, marigold, amethyst, green and white. The white Carnival glass, also known as "milk glass," is the only type that is opaque. The color of the piece is determined by the color of the actual glass, not of the iridescence. On a piece of glass that is classic-era Carnival the base of the piece will not be iridized, allowing you to determine the true color.
Determine the shape of your piece of glass; this may help you figure out the particular pattern to aid in identification. Carnival glass has been produced in a wide variety of shapes from glass baskets to plates and wine sets. A website such as ddoty.com, a site dedicated entirely to Carnival glass by expert David Doty, offers a listing of Carnival glass pieces by shape. Once you identify the shape of your piece, you can find the different patterns that have been produced for each shape.
Find the pattern of your piece of Carnival glass. There have been at least 2,000 different patterns created; yet another reason it can be so difficult to identify a piece of Carnival glass. Refer to a published listing of the numerous patterns such as the one offered on ddoty.com or found in the Standard Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass written by Bill Edwards and Mike Carwile.
Study the motif (recurring shapes or colors) of the piece. Many patterns included individual motifs such as butterflies, hearts or grapes. David Doty, one of the leading experts on Carnival glass, also includes an index of motifs on his website ddoty.com, to aid in the identification process. Doty's site appears to be one of the most comprehensive sites for identifying a piece of Carnival glass.
Look for a manufacturer's mark. One of the largest producers of Carnival glass from 1905 to 1930, the Fenton Art Glass Company, used only paper labels to mark their pieces. Many manufacturers did not include a maker's mark on their products or only did so for a limited time during their production of the glass. A number of manufacturers also produced similar copies of their rivals' more popular patterns, which makes identifying a piece of Carnival glass an extremely difficult task even for experts. Contemporary makers of Carnival glass, from 1970 and later, include a maker's mark on their pieces. An excellent source for pictorial examples of the various manufacturers' marks can be found on ddoty.com and knottywood-treasures.com.
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