Fenton Art Glass Cake Plate Stand Lily of the Valley Cameo Opalescent 1979

[Updated July 2020] Hi in that location! I hope you lot are well and that you had a good weekend. Today I'll exist chatting about collecting vintage Fenton glass, produced for over 100 years in West Virginia (1905-2011) and at one time, the largest supplier of colored drinking glass in the country.

Over the years, I've bought and sold many pieces, only realized recently that I seem to have created yet another "accidental collection." This fourth dimension of small vases, including v or half dozen by Fenton.

And while glassware, especial articulate, is not selling these days, Fenton still has a market, albeit smaller and involving less coin than in the eighty's and xc'south. Rarer, more elaborate pieces similar lamps and pitcher and drinking glass sets nevertheless command pretty practiced money.

Merely you know what that ways? If you're a collector, now is the fourth dimension to pick upwardly pieces when you detect them cheaply, because the value can only go up.

Other drinking glass-related collecting posts that y'all might be interested in: elegant glass, crepitation drinking glass, and amberina drinking glass.

Collecting Vintage Fenton Glass

I've been ownership modest vases for several years at present and take used them for my kid's dandelion bouquets and other small flowers similar violets and forget-me-nots.

If I collect anything, it's nearly always small and contained. I keep the vases in an antique secretary that I inherited from my grandmother. The top case has glass doors, then I can meet my vases whenever I'grand in the room. [It's where I have my "repose time," so I'm in there quite often.]

Vintage Fenton Glass History

In 1905, John and Frank Fenton of Ohio opened the Fenton Glass Company. Initially they focused on painting "blank" glassware. But eventually, they moved to Due west Virginia, which had the raw materials needed for glass product, and began producing their ain glassware–with cracking success.

Fenton entered the glass market place in 1908 with the introduction of what later became known as "carnival" drinking glass. Using Tiffany and Steuben iridescent glass as inspiration, Fenton ultimately produced over 130 patterns of what some have called "poor man'due south Tiffany."

During their 100+ years of business producing high quality drinking glass distributed world-wide, they developed numerous types of glass, including carnival and Bohemian, besides as drinking glass in a myriad of beautiful colors.

Using gold, manganese, and cobalt, fresh new colors arrived on the market, making Fenton a "truly American product…collected worldwide" (fentonartglass).

It was a sad mean solar day in 2011 when the company airtight it's doors.

How Fenton Glass Was Manufactured

To create any given slice, master craftsman would blow molten drinking glass into paw-carved molds. Pieces were then removed later cooling and reheated to allow the artisans to create Fenton's signature flirty edges or special spouts.

Items like pitchers and baskets would receive manus-blown handles and pieces with more than one part, like cake stands, would be secured together with molten glass.

half-dozen Tips for Identifying Fenton Drinking glass

1. Await for a Fenton tag (used earlier 1970), look for the Fenton mark ("Fenton" in an oval), look for "F" in an oval, indicating another visitor's mold was used (1983+). (Run into below for more info on marks.)
2. Fenton produced quality drinking glass, so you should not find whatever defects like bumps or air bubbles, unless information technology is a second (look for a star, rose (south-shaped), or block letter "F," which denotes a 2d).
3. Glass from the 1970's onward typically contains the "Fenton" marking every bit described higher up.
4. Fenton is known for their darling ruffles.
5. If yous acquaint yourself with genuine pieces of Fenton, through reputable antique centers and auctions, and become familiar with their patterns, through books and catalogs, you will begin to recognize many pieces whether marked or not.
6. Get assistance identifying pieces from old Fenton Glass catalogs provided past the Stretch Glass Society.

Marks on Fenton Glass

Prior to 1970, Fenton adhered paper labels to almost of its trade; unfortunately, they were hands removed and in many cases, have been lost.

Nonetheless, they did proceed to use paper labels beyone 1970 on some products. The sticker in a higher place of a drinking glass maker with the words "Accurate Fenton Handmade" dates to 1970-1985, (Ruby Lane).

In 1970, Fenton began molding their logo into their glass products, as seen above in the center and right photos. Beginning in 1980, a tiny number "8" was added below "Fenton," in 1990 a "ix" was added, and then in 2000, a "0."

Fenton Glass Values

The $10 one thousand thousand question regarding nearly collectibles, is "What's information technology worth?" Some other version of that question would be "Is Fenton glass valuable?" or "Are people buying even Fenton glass?"

To learn more about values, check out the price guide in my Member Library. You'll have complete admission to loads of freebies when you SUBSCRIBE HERE. In this post, I'll be sharing prices I achieved on several of the pieces that I've sold in the by.

In general, glass values accept dropped over the past decade and far less people in the younger generations are collecting. Not great news, right? But quality glass similar Fenton, made in so many cute colors, shapes, and styles, continues to be one of the more pop companies.

That said, while information technology'southward not a fast seller, information technology is a reliable seller, then long as you've discovered the appropriate price bespeak for your region of the country and the platform yous're selling on. For example, y'all may find that you secure higher prices for rarer pieces on eBay, merely for more common pieces, in your antique booth.

Equally with many collectibles, yous will probable have to "test the waters" by utilizing a variety of platforms to discover the one that works best for y'all and your inventory.

How to Clean Fenton Glass

You can wash Fenton glass pretty much as y'all would launder any other kind of glass: with soap and h2o. Eject some dish washing liquid into a bowl and add together warm water. I identify mine in the sink with a towel underneath to avoid breakage.

Permit the glass soak for a bit if it has stubborn grime stuck to its outside or interior surface.

Feel free to apply the scrubby side of your sponge to assistance remove anything adhered to your piece. It won't scratch the glass.

For problem areas, like between the "hobnails," in intricate designs, or in a tricky spot inside, like the very lesser, use a bottle castor, tooth brush or any other kind of brush that will do the fob.

Exception to the rule: Near, if not all, of Fenton's painted ornament was applied after any loftier oestrus processing and can therefore be easily removed by all the methods I just described. Avoid getting the decoration moisture at all, and instead carefully clean around it.

Fenton Glass: White Hobnail Milk Drinking glass

Fenton dipped its toe into the hobnail market place in the 1930's when it created a hobnailed bottle for Wrisley Cologne that turned out to be wildly popular.

They added the highly successful pattern to their line in the 1939 and collectors fell in love with information technology. They based the bumpy pattern on similar Victorian era drinking glass known as "dew drop," (The Spruce Crafts)

According to their 1961 catalog, hobnail milk drinking glass owed it's popularity to the "graciousness and warmth of its timeless beauty."

Women beyond the country began collecting milk glass of all types, that is until it fell out of the favor in the belatedly 1970's. It was non quite every bit timeless every bit they thought.

But old in the 2000'due south, milk drinking glass began to make a comeback; however, values are not nearly what they once were (comparatively).

You can typically discover small hobnail vases like this 1 at garage sales for a dollar or two and at antiquarian shops for $5-10. Personally, I dearest the clean lines and the bright white, especially for flower arrangements.  Fortunately, there is plenty of milk glass to be constitute, so we can all decorate with it very reasonably.

Hobnail milk glass owes it'due south popularity
to the "graciousness and warmth of its timeless beauty."

Fenton Glass: Colored Hobnail

Fenton apace began producing the hobnail pattern in an assortment of colors: cranberry, aqua blue, green, clear, yellow, and brown.

Not surprisingly, this 4″ cranberry opalescent hobnail vase is perhaps my favorite. Collectors admire the pretty pink coloring. When y'all come across the whitish tinge around the neck and on some of the hobnails, you know your piece is "opalescent."

Forget-me-nots peculiarly, expect striking in this lovely little vase–see for yourself in an prior post about these darling blue flowers.

Merely the Fenton 1963 itemize declares,"Fenton handmade planters, vases, and epergnes, are styled for imaginative floral arrangements–but even without flowers, their dazzler is very much live." Agreed.

While the same size as the cranberry version (in a higher place) this aqua opalescent hobnail vase, acquired many years ago, bears a slightly narrower shape with a more fluted cervix.

Since my personal drove contains merely small vases, other pieces, like this aqua blue hobnail hat, naturally get sold, usually via my antiquarian booth. This one sold for $12 in 2019.

Interesting Fact: According to Fenton'due south 1967 catalog, the term "hobnail" adult from the hobnails American pioneers wore on their boots.

Creamy opaque drinking glass of this nature is referred to as milk drinking glass. This blueish milk glass vase, with the Fenton in an oval marking on the bottom, dates to 1970. It sold in 2016 for $xiv.

Consumers love fan vases, like this four″ clear, ruffled hobnail example, which sold for $12 in 2017.

Another example of a clear opalescent glass vase, also four″.

Fenton Drinking glass: Silver Crest Blueprint

Fenton's Silver Crest pattern, denoted by a i/iv″ clear glass edge on the ruffle, is peradventure its second nigh famous design, after hobnail.

One would likely use this pretty 3 three/4″ high piece for candy or nuts.

Manus-painted pieces like this vase covered with pretty rosebuds, are a bit more desirable, especially those in perfect condition. This is an case of the kind of painted decoration I mentioned above that tin easily exist accidentally removed with soap and h2o if you're not conscientious to avoid getting it wet, at all.

Pieces of Argent Crest milk drinking glass with hand-painted violets is known as "violets in the snow" and dates to 1969-84. This fan-shaped vase sold in 2014 on Etsy for $26.99.

"Fenton'southward handmade planters, vases, and epergnes,
are styled for imaginative floral arrangements–
only even without flowers, their beauty is very much live."

Pieces with a pinkish edge are known as Pink or Apple Bloom Crest. This candy dish (or nappy bowl) in Pink Crest sold in 2018 for $8.99.

This post contains affiliate links for research materials related to this blog post. This is both for your convenience too as to support my blog, as I receive a small compensation whenever yous click on such a link and make any sort of a purchase, for which I thanks.

Vintage Fenton: Custard Glass

Glass lovers refer to opaque glass in this xanthous color as "custard glass." And farther, considering its surface is matte rather than glossy, it is referred to as "satin glass."

This 6 ane/2″ custard satin glass compote with raised Western farsi Medallion decoration (on the outside) serves as a nice example of Fenton'southward version of custard glass. It dates to 1972-80.

Here's a closer wait at the Persian Medallion pattern and the 1970 Fenton in an oval mark on the bottom of the pes.

Vintage Fenton: Milk Glass Basket

Our final example, an oval daisy and button patterned milk glass basket with a split twig handle, also came in clear amber and articulate blue. It retains it'south Fenton paper label–a drinking glass worker with the words "Authentic Fenton Handmade"–which dates it to 1970-1985.

I hope you enjoyed reading almost vintage Fenton drinking glass and seeing some examples from my collection (and from previous sales). Discover more resources Here.

How virtually you lot? Are you a Fenton lover? Collector? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below and invite y'all to share photos in my Facebook grouping–Your Vintage Headquarters. Join if you oasis't already!

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Source: https://adirondackgirlatheart.com/collecting-vintage-fenton-glass/

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