Antique Carnival Glass
Antique carnival glass is highly collectible these days. One reason is because it dates all the way back to the early 1900s. Carnival glass wasn't called carnival glass until the 1950's. When it was first introduced in 1907, it was called Iridescent Ware. The name described the finish, which was a shimmering iridescent finish that changed color as the light hit it a certain way. The finish was made from a metallic spray applied in layers. The process was called doping, which is why you may also hear this type of glass referred to as dope glass.
There were a wide variety of patterns in many colors being made during this time period. Colors included red, purple, orange, cobalt, white and green. Vaseline glass, also known as uranium glass, was carnival glass made with uranium salt which gave a green glow under ultraviolet light. Of course, the risks of radiation were not known at that time. The result was a gorgeous iridescent green that the public went nuts for. This type of glass was called Radium Glassware and was released by Millersburg Glass in the year 1910.
During the days of carnival glass production, most glassmakers did not clearly mark their pieces. Therefore, collecting this type of glass can be tricky. Because there is no clearly designated maker mark on most pieces it can be hard to tell who makes a particular piece. In addition, today's glassmakers can easily craft pieces that look just like antiques. In order to identify real carnival glass it is important to know what you are looking for and understand the subtle characteristics and nuances of different pieces by different glassmakers.
Perhaps the best way to achieve this is to have books about antique carnival glass on hand to refer to when considering the purchase or sale of an antique piece. These books have color photos of various pieces and list the different characteristics to look for. Of course, if you have what you think is a valuable piece of glassware it is best to get the item professionally appraised. For other pieces you may be able to use a book such as the following: Standard Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass by Bill Edwards and Mike Carwile, Standard Companion to Carnival Glass: Identification & Values by Mark Carwile and Pocket Guide to Carnival Glass by Monica Lynn Clements and Patricia Rosser Clements.
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