Rare and Unusual
Come April 28th, you will have the
opportunity to buy at auction many rare and unusual pieces of
beautiful carnival glass. I have been a serious CG collector since
1970. While I don’t have many of those ‘early 70’s’ pieces left,
because I have always upgraded to improve the quality of my
collection, I do have some pieces from the 70s and 80s that I simply
couldn’t part with. Now, it’s time for Jan and I to share all our
glass.
| It’s hard to know where to begin.
Let’s start with an outstanding rarity, a Sapphire Oriental Poppy
tankard pitcher. I know of at least one other. It sold with 6 ice
blue tumblers in a west coast auction several years ago. There is a
significant difference between sapphire and ice blue base-glass in
our hobby. When I was most fortunate to be able to buy this great
rarity, there was an ice blue tumbler with it (which will also be
sold.) I’ve always displayed the two together, but quite frankly
sitting side-by-side the tumbler simply doesn’t have the richness
that the sapphire tankard has. And believe me, the tumbler is
beautiful. |
 |
Anyone who knows carnival, knows how rare and
desirable sapphire pieces are. Almost all are attributed to
Northwood, but they are so rare that in my 37 years of collecting I
still have a couple toes left to count the number of times I've seen
"true" sapphire pieces. Here’s your chance to own
one of the most beautiful and rare pieces of carnival glass in all
of ‘carnivaldom.’
Maybe not as rare, but equally as beautiful is the
“3n1” edged Farmyard bowl. This is the tops! It has what I call
“Tiffany Iridescence,” simply loaded with electric blues, electric
purples and Tiffany-Aurene rich yellow-golds.
 |
As a majority of you know, most, if not
all, Farmyards can be traced back to New Zealand as being
their original point of sale. This bowl is no exception. My
son was working in Christchurch a few years back and I
visited him during the Christmas season. I had just
completed several newsletter articles on Farmyards. In doing
research for the articles, I had traced down several leads
to ‘the sources’ - Kiwi collectors and dealers. By the time
I hopped on the plane back to the good old U.S. of A., I had
packed 3 of those rascals in my carry-ons! Talk about a
nervous passenger! Anyway, this one was the most expensive
and the prettiest, and still is! |
| A ‘showcase’ piece is this gorgeous Garden Path
Variant chop plate. It’s the only one I’ve seen with ‘wall-to-wall’
electric blue iridescence, coupled with my favorite ‘Tiffany-Aurene’
yellow-golds. I think you'll agree it really is "showy." This
fantastic piece also came from the Talley collection and before
that, from Norene Duran. It has had center stage on my wall ever
since I bought it. I suspect it also will have a place of prominence on
the wall of it’s new owner. |
 |
 |
What makes the next plate a rarity is it’s color.
It’s a ‘true’ emerald green Peacocks plate. I use the word “true”
because once you see it, there can be no doubt in your mind that
it’s emerald green. There are different opinions as to what is
emerald green carnival glass and what is not. This one fits the
Hartung definition, and I’m paraphrasing here, “If you have to ask
if it’s emerald green or not, IT IS NOT!” I’ve seen only two others
and this is the one with the most blue iridescence, to my
recollection. It came from England and I consider it one of the most
beautiful and desirable pieces in the collection. Hold you bidding
card up high so the auctioneer can see you! |
As you will note, we are selling four (yes, four!)
“Elephant Foot” funeral vases -- the first time this has happened in
the same auction. As you know, these fabulous pieces are all rare,
with the marigold examples being ‘beyond rare.’ These vases, along
with a ‘more-rare’ full-size marigold Tree Trunk funeral vase are
profiled in the article entitled “Big Vases” which appeared in a
previous newsletter and can be found on the website
www.woodsland.com/johnm.
   
| Actually, in case of a blowout of one of the above
noted Elephant’s Feet, a “spare tire, “ or should I say “spare foot”
will also be sold. This is a really neat non-iridized custard Ele’s
foot. Needless to say these are also very, very rare. Unfortunately,
this ‘spare’ has a major chip on the top rim, but if you lose a
toe-nail on one of the above............ |
 |
 |
Whilst in New Zealand I followed up a tip from a
carnival collector there that led me to the next piece, a marigold
Fantail chop plate. These are fashioned from the Butterfly and
Berry/Fantail master berry bowls. This one has fantastic dark
marigold coloring and iridescence. I know of very few of these chop
plates and only two perfect ones, as this one is. Hold up your hand
if you own one. You can own this one, come April! |
| Certainly one of the most important pieces in the
auction is an out-of-this-world green Chrysanthemum chop plate. It
has the most outstanding iridescence imaginable. It’s impossible to
describe (and photograph properly) but let me try. It has brilliant
mauves, purples, and reddish-rust colors, offset by yellows and
greens. Whenever you turn this chop plate, you would swear it’s a
different piece than the one you were holding seconds ago and
wherever you stand in the room it’s in, it reaches out and says,
“Look at how beautiful I am.” I suspect it was iridized on Mars!
Wow, wow, wow! |
 |
 |
The ‘siblings’ of the fabulous green ‘chopper’ are
also being offered, and they are equally rare - Chrysanthemum chop
plates in purple, smoke and marigold. Here’s a chance, probably your
only one, to pick up a matched set! |
| One the Northwood side of the ledger, we are
offering one of the most rare Rose Show plates -- a
marigold-on-custard example. In my 37 years of collecting I’ve been
most fortunate to own two of these treasures and seen less than a
half-dozen others. It is a beautiful even dark marigold example and
would grace any collection. |
 |
 |
Also Northwood, an iridized custard Peacocks
ruffled bowl will be sold. Many things make this rare. First is the
fact that it’s iridized, or “pearlized” custard. I’m aware of less
than a dozen “Pearlized” examples in any Northwood pattern.
Secondly, it has a ‘smooth’ outer edge, as opposed to the normal
‘saw-tooth’ edge on Peacocks bowls. And lastly, you can still see
traces of the applied gold decorative trim on the outer edge. This
is a real rarity and may be the only chance you get to own one. If
you are a Peacocks collector........... |
| Quite a few years ago, I was at Norene
Duran's beautiful ranch home high up in the New Mexico
mountains. Norene's collection was spectacular. Besides her
fabulous Imperial pieces, she loved anything with 'high
color.' We got along greatly! I expressed interest in two
very unusual Constellation compotes - one lavender and one
with a marigold stem and a white 'bowl.' Year's later I was
able to purchase these two rarities from Norene. The
marigold and white example is obviously a true whimsy and is
the one mentioned on page 52 in Carl Burns' excellent book
on Dugan & Diamond carnival glass. As Carl notes, the
lavender example is one of only "a few examples..." Here's
your chance to be able to tell your friends, "And these are
featured in Carl Burns' book." Jim, take my bid! |
 |
A ‘set’ of three ruffled Northwood master Peacock
and Urn bowls is being sold, again a ‘first’ at the same auction. I
guess you can’t call them “ruffled master ice cream bowls,” because
then they wouldn’t be ice cream bowl shaped, now would they? These
bowls can occasionally be found in marigold, but the pastel marigold
example must be considered rare. I have heard of 5 or 6 of these and
all seem to be stippled (the other two colors are not) and all have
the lovely yellow iridescence so close to my heart.
| The final color
in the triad is a gorgeous purple example. When I bought this
bowl at a Woody auction in 1975, only Harold Cox, “Mr. Northwood
Peacock & Urn,” owned another purple example. Since then Harold’s
has changed hands and another example surfaced that now resides in
the fabulous collection of good friends Dale Matheny and George
Thomas. |
 |
 |
Still on the Northwood kick, let me tell you about
two true “horehound” pieces. Again, the use of the “true” adverb
because I think the horehound moniker is overused to include pieces
that are really just slightly different shadings of amethyst. I have
seen several other stippled Three Fruits plates in horehound, but
none as pretty as this example purchased at the Mullen Auction in
1975. It is brilliant and even and appears to be ‘brand-new,’ as in
“mint coins.” |
| The horehound, PCE Peacocks bowl is the only one
I’ve heard of. It came from a collection in Southern Oregon and I
feel most fortunate to have been in the right place at the right
time. It also has gorgeous, even, iridescence. True Northwood
horehound pieces have a different ‘look’ to them and I think the
photo shows this. |
 |
I’ll stop here, even though I could continue on
with some unusual shapes or colors. Please see the pictures online
at www.woodsland.com/johnm, or better yet, come to Kansas City for
the 100th Anniversary of Carnival Glass celebration April 25th
through the 28th.
Return to
John's Collection |
