Thistle Etched Elegant Stemware - Fry Glass

Fry was one of several elegant glass makers which had a thistle etching. This is the Fry Glass Thistle etch, decoration number 15.

Thistles are popular motifs, possibly due to their prevalence in Scottish designs. Fry's is particularly nice with the flowing thistle leaves and the delicate up swept stems with thistle buds surrounding a central blossom.

Fry made some very beautiful glass with rich, complex etches and quality crystal. Although they are not so well known as Fostoria or Cambridge, many people recognize the quality and cherish their glass.

Crystal Center Handled Server Sandwich Tray

Yesterday we showed a neat cupped center handled server from New Martinsville. Today let's look at one that is more traditional shape.

This is a pretty piece of elegant depression glass from Westmoreland. It is a center handled server with the round serving portion slightly sloped up but not cupped. It is a tray with a handle in the center instead of a shallow bowl with a handle as the amber piece earlier.

Center handled servers, also called CHS, were popular serving pieces for sandwiches or small cakes or cookies. People entertained in their homes and would have used a special piece like this to make an occasion a little fancier. This one is quite nice with a tailored cutting of close lines separated by the simple flower sprays. It would be fun to use this today for anything from appetizers to cookies to sandwiches.

We have this listed in our store on TIAS, Cat Lady Kate's Elegant and Depression Glass, along with several other CHS.
Catladykate's Glass at TIAS http://www.tias.com/stores/catladykate/

Fostoria Garland - Lovely Urn and Wreath Etched Stemware

Beautiful etch is Garland from Fostoria. This dates to between 1915 and 1928 and is lovely with today's table settings.

Fostoria made a cutting called Garland also, and they used a second stemware line for this etch. If you like this you will want to be sure you are getting the etch and stemware blank you prefer. The other blank has a much wider stem and the bowl is more bulbous.

Garland features an urn overflowing with flowers and leaves that form swags around the bowl. The swags connect to round wreaths that have ribbons at the end. You can see the wreaths in this view.

During the early part of the 20th century formal dinners often included multiple wines and used separate stems for each one. This is one reason why the wine stems from early days are much smaller than wine stems one buys today. This particular wine goblet holds only 2 3/4 ounces when filled to the very brim. This is the common size for older wine stems - another point to know if you decide to indulge yourself with vintage crystal stemware.

We have this listed in our TIAS and eBay stores.
http://www.tias.com/stores/catladykate/
http://stores.ebay.com/Vintage-Elegant-Depression-Glass

New: We started a blog for people who are just beginning to enjoy depression glass called Depression Glass 101. http://depressionglassguide.blogspot.com/

Fostoria Shirley Etch - Coming Up Poppies!

Isn't this a beautiful candle holder? It is Fostoria's Baroque blank with the Shirley etch. You can imagine how this looks holding two candles on your dining room table!

Fostoria used Shirley on other blanks, including Flame and Sceptre. The wavy curves on the arms and asymmetric center show this is Baroque, even though it doesn't have the usual fleur de lis.

Shirley etch has a single large poppy surrounded by vines of leaves and buds that swag around the open flower. It's a beautiful design that looks wonderful on the Baroque candle holder!

Lido - Looks Like a Milkweed - Etch by Fostoria

Pretty etch looks like milkweed puffs gently floating in the breeze. This is Lido by Fostoria and it's on the Baroque blank. That means the glass itself has a pattern and the pattern name is Baroque. Lido is the etch.

This has been one of my favorites for a long time and I buy it when I can. This particular creamer came with the matching sugar. We have the goblet and large cake or torte tray as well.

Fostoria made Lido from 1937 to 1960 primarily in crystal but also in a gorgeous shade of blue called Azure. Years ago I saw some June tumblers in azure in the company store and couldn't afford them - such a shame as that is a wonderful color to show off etchings like this.

We have the creamer and sugar listed in our TIAS store and offered on eBay.

Catladykate's Elegant and Depression Glass at TIAS http://www.tias.com/stores/catladykate/

Catladykate at eBay http://stores.ebay.com/Vintage-Elegant-Depression-Glass

June Beautiful June! Flowers All Tied with a Bow

Beautiful stem, isn't it. This is the wonderful June etching by Fostoria and it's on the Fairfax blank. June has sprays of flowers all tied with bows and a ribbon that dips down to make a loop on the bouquet. So lovely, so romantic, so very elegant.

June etch is similar to the later Romance etching, but you can tell it apart by the little extra loop of ribbon - so perfectly exuberant - and the blanks Fostoria used. Tomorrow I'll show a Romance bowl so you can see the difference!

This is the cocktail stem and it's listed on our TIAS store and on eBay!

Elegant Stemware with a Twist! Fostoria Contour Champagne Sherbet

This is the champagne sherbet in Fostoria's Contour elegant glass. This dates to the late 1950s to 1960s as Fostoria made this pattern from 1955 to 1970. It has a mid-century modern styling with the curved stem and generous round bowl.

Swedish modern was all the rage in the 1950s and this must have been Fostoria's answer to the pricey Scandinavian art glass of the time. Contour pieces all have curves - lots and lots of curves - and the plates are cupped at the rim. They really are distinctive and you'll not mistake the stemware either with its curvy stems.

I showed the creamer and sugar in a previous blog at the end of 2007 and want to get this champagne sherbet out now for those who are looking for wedding gifts or stemware for special occasions. Vintage stemware gives us an intimate connection with the past; it's beautiful and it is useful. What more could you want?

We're listing this in our eBay store, TIAS store and offering one at auction this week.

Catladykate's Elegant and Depression Glass at TIAS http://www.tias.com/stores/catladykate/
Catladykate at eBay http://stores.ebay.com/Vintage-Elegant-Depression-Glass

Fostoria Large Star Cut - Lovely Stemware from the 1920s

Large star cuttings like this were very common in the early 1900s. Fostoria made their Cutting 81, Large Star, from about 1907 to the late 1920s, indicating the stars were well-liked. Many companies made this sort of cutting.

In fact we've seen rather crummy versions of this at the local thrift store with low grade glass and pressed stars or poorly cut stars. The particular wine stem I'm showing here is high quality crystal and the cutting is well done. I think it is Fostoria, Cutting number 81, based on the number of rays in the star and so on.

People who drank wine tended to have more than one type or one glass at a dinner or to serve sherry or wine before dinner. But compare the size of the wine stems to what we use today for wine. This one is 4 1/4 inches tall and holds just under 3 ounces when filled to the brim. That means that someone would have only about 2 ounces to drink at a time.

We have a pair of these stems and matching small table tumblers listed in our TIAS and eBay stores.

Catladykate's Elegant and Depression Glass at TIAS http://www.tias.com/stores/catladykate/

Catladykate at eBay http://stores.ebay.com/Vintage-Elegant-Depression-Glass

Morgantown Virginia Emblem & Swag Etched Stemware

If you've read our blog before maybe you saw the series we did on the romance of vintage stemware. Yes, stemware makes a romantic wedding gift as a way to add tradition to the new family and provide a link to the past. Champagne stems are particularly appropriate and could be used for the toast at the reception.

Here is a champagne by Morgantown, with the Virginia etching. We don't find much Morgantown glass in this area and we bought this on eBay. Virginia has a central emblem connected by swags interspersed with plumes and flowers. It is prettier in person than in the photos, although not a personal favorite.

We have the footed water tumblers and have just added these champagne stems to our TIAS and eBay store linked below.
Catladykate's Elegant and Depression Glass at TIAS http://www.tias.com/stores/catladykate/
Catladykate at eBay http://stores.ebay.com/Vintage-Elegant-Depression-Glass

More Amber Glass - Fostoria Lace Edge Colonial Bowl

Isn't this pretty? It is from Fostoria, one of their older, small patterns, number 2183 Colonial pattern. The piece is called a cabaret bowl and it is even more stunning in person.

I find Fostoria's amber glass to be deep, rich shades of amber with a hint of red. No browns or wimpy greeny yellowish sick colors here! We have plates in the Pioneer pattern, a single stem and candle holders in amber besides this gorgeous bowl. They are all warm and delightful to look at.

We have this listed in both our TIAS store and our eBay store, both linked below.

http://www.tias.com/stores/catladykate/

http://stores.ebay.com/Vintage-Elegant-Depression-Glass

Viking Sonata - Elegant Rose Trailing Vines Etch

Here's one of the prettiest designs from Viking or New Martinsville, yet it isn't well known. This is Sonata, also called Sonita. It was one of the etches that Viking made early after they took over the reorganized New Martinsville.

This particular piece is the oval celery bowl and what makes it so very nice is the utter simplicity of the shape -a simple oval with no molded ornamentation - combined with the graceful, pretty rose etch. I had this piece for many years and finally got help from a glass expert to identify it. It's listed now on both eBay and TIAS; beautiful as it is, I cannot keep every piece of glass and this one needs a new home!

Rose Point Creamer - Pretty Pieces to Grace Your Table

Rose Point was an extremely popular etching and Cambridge Glass made it for a long time. Probably the most common blank you will find is the 3121, which has three nubs around glass spheres in the stem. However, Cambridge used many of their most popular etchings on many different blanks, and Rose Point was made on several. The creamer we show here is the 3900 blank. The handle is fairly plain and the pieces lack the extra curlicues of other shapes.

This is also a little larger than some creamers, holding about 6 ounces when filled to overflowing. The matching sugar, which is also listed in our store, is the same size and holds 8 ounces.

We have a few other pieces of Rose Point to list this next week, including a small bowl and candle, and have some stems on order. Come check us out!

Romance of Vintage Stemware - Cambridge 701 Flower Basket Goblets

If you like baskets and swags of flowers this goblet is for you. This is Etch 701 from Cambridge Glass, just a beautiful design in a beautiful shape goblet. Etch 701 is one of the many Cambridge designs that never got a name and is thus less well-known than Rose Point or Elaine.

I got this on eBay, one of the successful purchases where the glass was just as described. I originally thought it was Tiffin Diana, which also has baskets, but it clearly is Cambridge. Tiffin's Diana has larger baskets and the swag is more dramatic, hanging from the top of the baskets. (Apollo Diana by Tiffin has the same basket and swag but adds a border etch along the top of the goblet.)

If you enjoy beautiful glass, take a look at our eBay and TIAS stores for many pieces from the elegant depression era.

Catladykate at eBay:
http://stores.ebay.com/Vintage-Elegant-Depression-Glass

Cat Lady Kate's Elegant and Depression Glass on TIAS: http://www.tias.com/stores/catladykate/

Center Handled Server - Westmoreland Flower & Ray Cut

I'm particularly attracted to center handled servers, CHS for short. Sometimes you'll find them called center handled serving trays, sandwich trays and so on. The main point is they have a neat handle in the center and usually are round and meant to hold cookies or small cakes or sandwiches.

These are basically fancy little tidbit trays. They come in every color depression glass was made - clear, amber, yellow, blue, green, pink, red - and with satinized decorations, painted designs, cuttings, etchings, gold trim, and so on. Very pretty and lots of variety to choose.

This particular piece is by Westmoreland. We have a monograph published by the West Virginia Museum of Glass, bought on eBay, that identifies many CHS based on the handle shape and other clues. This slightly rounded handle top, plus the shape of the vertical section, are what led me to attribute this to Westmoreland. It most likely dates to the 1930s. The cutting style is older and so are the design elements.

We list this on our eBay store and TIAS store. Take a look!

eBay Buying - One Good, One Not So Good

Today two packages came in the mail for me.

One was a set of 5 sherbets beautifully etched. The seller communicated well and shipped quickly. They were just as described. They made it here safely although I was a little concerned. Each one was wrapped in bubble wrap but they were packed tightly without much foam peanuts between or between the glass and the sides of the box. But the fact is, they arrived safely, quickly, and most importantly, were in the condition described. I left this seller positive feedback with 5 stars in all categories.

The other box had a mixed lot of candle holders, glass jam jar and glass figurines. I bought this because one candle holder was Rose Point and another looked to be etched as well. This seller wasn't too communicative; when I asked her to confirm condition she said they were put away. Even so, I took a chance. These were also wrapped with lots of bubble wrap and some foam peanuts. One of the least valuable holders was broken but the others came safely. However, the Rose Point holder had many scratches and one Indiana Sandwich holder is badly chipped. This is disappointing. I don't care about the Sandwich holders, but I would not have bid if the Rose Point was accurately described.

So now what? The post office will not refund anything for the broken holder because the pieces were packed inadequately. My best option is to keep the glass and sell for what I can as it will be profitable on the whole. I'll leave a positive feedback, but this does not rate 5 stars.

This weekend I'll photograph these and you can see more pretty glass!

Janice - New Martinsville's Elegant Depression Glass

Janice is one of New Martinsville's elegant glass patterns that is often classified as depression glass. You may find it with various etches and in colors like blue or red. This bowl here is crystal and one of the less common shapes. It is about 11 inches across with a ruffled rim.

Janice is a molded design with a prominent drape design on the lower portion. The base is ground and formed by little scallops. It's a nice pattern that deserves more appreciation!

Romance of Vintage Stemware: Morgantown Mayfair - Baskets Overflowing with Flowers

It seems like every glass maker had a Mayfair pattern! Hocking's was mold etched roses, Fostoria's was square and this one, by Morgantown, has three baskets overflowing with flowers and connected by swags and leaves. The piece you see here is the footed water tumbler.

For some reason many Morgantown stemware patterns are less expensive than similar glass from Cambridge or Heisey. As an example, book value on this footed tumbler is about $15-20, while many etched Cambridge patterns would be $20-40. If you like the Morgantown patterns that may help make it easier to decide to collect this stemware.

To my eye many Morgantown etchings are overly complicated, but this one is nice, simple enough that you can see the design but beautiful. There are three baskets repeated around the bowl of the tumbler and they always make me think of tulips with the thin base and overflowing tops.

We have this particular stem listed on eBay this week and have more in our TIAS store.
http://stores.ebay.com/Vintage-Elegant-Depression-Glass
http://www.tias.com/stores/catladykate/

Romance of Vintage Stemware - Fostoria Orient

Pretty goblet dates from 1922 to 1928, over 80 years ago. Don't you wish for such a long period of looking good? This is the Orient etch by Fostoria. Etch has swags and scrolls and a delicate lacy like netting design near the top. Some of the swags look like victory wreaths.

Don't confuse this with Fostoria's Oriental etch. Oriental has birds and is very different.

I bought this last summer, took a chance that we would eventually be able to identify it. The goblet is obviously quality glass and the etch is well done and distinctive. However, I looked through every glass book and did not see this design. (Yes, I looked in my Fostoria books too.) When this happens it means that either I looked right at it and missed the connection, or it is fairly obscure, or by a company that doesn't have a good reference book.

Last week our daughter sent me a link to an auction for the same etch and some wonderful helpful eBayer notified the auction seller this was Orient. Problem solved! Thank you, kind eBayer!

This week we are listing this single goblet on our eBay auctions and it is also listed in our TIAS store.

Romance of Vintage Stemware - Cambridge Caprice

Vintage stemware adds a touch of class and romance to your home. Imagine a gift of delicate etched goblets from the depression, given with the best wishes for a marriage or life as long and gracious.

This stem is Cambridge Caprice, which is one of the last patterns released by this venerable elegant glass company. Most pieces of Caprice were pressed with graceful arched wide ribs but some of the stemware was light and airy with blown stems. This piece is one of those blown goblets.

Caprice stemware has fancy stems with the two rounded wafers and ribbed center section. You can see several colors, as if it were iridescent, in the bowl; that is due to the optic.

We're going to highlight many of our favorite stemware shapes and designs over the next few weeks, so look for more posts about stemware.

Prelude Etch - New Martinsville Begun, Viking Continued

Isn't this pretty? It is the bon bon with turned up edges and two handles and the etch is Prelude by New Martinsville. New Martinsville was reorganized into the Viking Glass company near the time that Prelude was begun. Prelude was a successful etch for New Martinsville and Viking continued it, and in fact produced more pieces.

Some of the later pieces have less elaborate shapes or less careful finishing and I've read that you may even find pieces where the design was applied externally, as a paint, instead of etched. This piece has a ground base rim and likely dates to the earlier part of the production.

We offer this on our eBay site and our online store within the TIAS collectible mall.