The Kaleidoscope of Antiques…Carnival Glass

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By: Alicia Roberts & Mack McKinney

After clear press glass became main stream, glass manufacturers were ready to take it to the next level, and they did so in grand fashion. By spraying the glass surface with a metallic salt solution, the surface achieved an iridescent coating in a myriad of colors, thus coining the phrase ‘carnival’ glass.

The iridized glass was most prolific from 1909 to the late 1920s, when the art glass rage swept the country and Europe. Many of the same patterns emerged because the same molds were used and the glass was manufactured by some of the same companies. The production of carnival glass started late in the first decade of the 1900s.

The high end glass was produced by the Millersburg Company, but both the Northwood Company and the Imperial Glass Company produced exceptional glass too. The Dugan Glass Company (later named the Diamond Glass Company) and the Fenton Art Glass Company were more prolific, with Fenton producing the largest number of carnival glass patterns, numbering almost 150.

Fenton also developed the radium process which featured a softer shade of color and a watery, mirror-like finish on the front side of the glass only.

Only Fenton has weathered the test of time as the Imperial Glass Company became a subsidiary of the Lenox Company in 1973.

It’s important to draw the distinction between carnival glass and stretch glass. Although both were sprayed with the metallic salt solution for iridescence, stretch glass is devoid of pattern and has an onion-skin appearance. To achieve the art glass effect, stretch glass was usually sprayed with the salts or “dope” and then shaped, while carnival glass was usually molded before iridizing.

The larger the piece of glass usually the more desirable, with large serving pieces like bowls, pitchers, and large vases commanding the highest prices. But don’t overlook the small pieces. A miniature punch bowl can be equally as valuable.

Since carnival glass is nearing a hundred years of age, look for prices to soar in a couple of years as antiques typically do when they become an ‘authentic’ antique. A word of warning. There are more reproductions in carnival glass than almost any other antique category.

Before investing a large amount of money in a single piece of carnival glass, consult with an antique dealer that specializes in this glass. The time to buy is now, but invest wisely.

For a comprehensive book on carnival glass, reference the latest edition of the Standard Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass by Bill Edwards and Mike Carwile.

For the stretch glass collector, American Iridescent Stretch Glass by John Madeley and Dave Shetlar is recommended.

For a beautiful selection of carnival glass, visit the Spring Antique Mall located on the southwest corner of I-45 and Spring Cypress (in the U-Haul Rental Center.), Exit 70A.

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