CAL HACKEMAN, SGS PRESIDENT, AS GUEST EDITOR –HOOKED ON CARNIVAL
JANUARY 15, 2016 PRESENTATION: STRETCH GLASS – Translucent Colors
It’s Cal from suburban Maryland, just outside our Nation’s Capital. I couldn’t let Brian have all the fun traveling, so my partner, Jeff, and I drove up to DC to see our nearly 9 month old grandson, Everett. I used to live just across the river in VA and every time I come back I am reminded why I moved away – traffic! The only thing that moves slower than the political process in DC is the traffic. I feel sorry for everyone who has to commute in or out of this city. Maybe we should record these emails and turn them into podcasts for drivers to listen to on their way home?
Tonight I’d like to chat a bit about some of the 30 or so colors of stretch glass. Stretch glass enthusiasts are not as particular about colors as are those who focus mainly on carnival glass. Nevertheless, stretch glass comes in a full array of colors. Some of the color is in the glass and some of the color is in the iridescence. Every now and then we find some unusual combinations. Without a doubt the most common colors of stretch glass are blue, green, topaz, pink and crystal – the so-called “pastels.” Sometimes these colors have special names trademarked by the maker. For example, blue can be “Harding Blue” (Diamond), “Celeste Blue” (Fenton), “Blue Ice” (Imperial), “Jade Blue” (Northwood), “Pearl Blue” (US Glass) or “Tut Blue” (Vineland). Some of these are very distinct colors but some are not easily distinguished from another similar color. BTW, green can also be different colors with different names and pink is usually referred to as “Velva Rose” or “Afterglow.” At Fenton, crystal was “Persian Pearl.” Here are some examples of pastel stretch glass:
Next we have the “vibrant” colors: Cobalt Blue, Ruby Red, Tangerine and Wistaria (sic). Cobalt Blue and Ruby Red were made by several companies, Tangerine and Wistaria only by Fenton. Other companies made orange and purple stretch glass, but the color will generally not be the same as Tangerine or Wistaria. Take a look at these pieces:
There are common and hard to find pieces of stretch glass in most colors. Everything in one color is rarely all “rare” despite what you see on eBay. For example, a Tangerine dolphin fan vase is NOT rare – it is a fairly common piece of stretch glass, but a pair of 8 ½” Fenton Tangerine candlesticks is extremely rare. Velva Rose 8 ½” and 10” candlesticks are very hard to find; the same candlesticks in Celeste Blue or Florentine Green or Topaz are common. And so it goes, it seems there are no absolute rules in stretch glass – not every vase is common, not every nut cup is rare. This is one of the challenges that makes it fun and interesting to study and collect stretch glass.
Tomorrow night we will look at opaque stretch glass. If you have some in your collection, please send in photos and tell us about it.
And now, some mail!
From: Dave Richards (Cumbria UK)
To: Cal
Re: Stretch Glass
Thanks for putting up such a rich array of Stretch Glass items for our enjoyment. We don't see much of this in the UK, at least compared with straight Carnival Glass. I'm fascinated by the reasons for this. From the time frame; post WW1, I think I'm right in thinking, I suspect that little was originally exported to the UK. Was this due to imposed UK import restrictions, and/or general economic depression over here?
Stretch glass looks like a luxury item. Was this how it was marketed at the time? The U.S. had a boom post WW1, so for consumers was it a case of throw out the old cheap patterned Carnival Glass and bring in the modern, sleek silk and satin finished stretch glass? Am I right in thinking that the time line for this type of glass is between the end of WW1 and the depression of 1930, after which everything just became much cheaper to suit more limited pockets? Stylistically, a lot of the stretch glass looks similar to the glass we in the UK were producing here later in the Art Deco period, without iridisation, and often with finishes such as frosted and cloud.
From: Pat Lynch
To: Carl and All
Re: Stretch Glass
One of my favorite stretch pieces. Northwood's #675 candleholder. Dark blue with gilt trim.
From: Galen & Kathi
Re: Stretch hiding in our house
We've gotten a few neat stretch items in our collecting career - we're going to be selling our red Chesterfield pitcher and tumbler at the HOACGA auction next year, but we still have our Celeste Adams Rib water set (love the stemmed glasses). We have a few stretchy big bowls around the house (with black bases), and we do look at it when we're out hunting-but without the education as to what is rare and the lack of a price guide, we don't tend to buy too much. Oh, almost forgot the candlesticks! Those we do pick up when we get the chance - because many of them are on Doty's site.
I don't know, but expect that for many people the uncertainty as to value may color our purchasing activity. If you really love it and have to have it, it may not matter so much, but most are conditioned to consider possible resale value.
The pictures are awesome - thanks for showing us the variety and rainbow of colors!
And a question - Fenton reissued stretch, and presumably signed the newer stuff. Did they sign it all?
From: Steve G.
Hi to all,
I am writing an article about all the vintage carnival glass patterns that feature grapes or some part of the vine. It has been a lot of work and a lot of fun. However I lack 3 pictures to complete it--all Dugan/Diamond patterns. They are Dugan Many Fruits, Dugan Malaga,and Dugan/Diamond Golden Harvest. I have come to the conclusion that they are not very common and not extremely popular with collectors. I could be wrong on that but if any of you have pictures of those itemsI would greatly appreciate if you would share them with me. You can send them to me at kaia98@att.net. Thank you for your help in advance.You can see the first parts of the article on the Great Lakes Carnival Glass web site.
Steve G.
From: Jim Wroda
Just a reminder about the On-Line auction ending Sunday for Gertrude Miller. Also our next on-line auction will be uploaded Monday morning for the Seibert family of Fort Myers, FL. Beautiful glass in that auction also. Approx. 170 pcs.
Also, did you see this RARE piece of CG in this weekend's antiques auction? We are selling for the Fulkerson Family out of MI. They were LONGTIME dealers, Gary Lickver and Tom Burns knew them well. Anyways we are selling out there stock and things from the house. This showed up out of the house… Sells Saturday. Thanks to the Thistlewoods for helping with identification, it is in the Goddess of Athena catagory. Have a GREAT weekend, Jim
To: Everyone
From: Seeck Auctions
Just a reminder that Online Only Carnival Glass Auction #89 ends this Sunday evening, January 17th beginning at 7pm CST.
There will be a week break before the next online auction.
We will be putting some pictures of the S. California and Texas convention auctions on the website soon. Both auctions have super glass.
Have a great weekend,
Jim and Jan Seeck
Seeck Auctions
641-424-1116