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Pattern ID Service Recent Requests
Animal Motto Plates | Flint Glass | Nearcut | Banded Star | Crystallography
Animal Motto Plates
Jim Hare
Hello Kat:
I am soliciting your help in identifying 2 different plates or shallow bowls as shown on the attached photo’s.
The larger one is of a dog laying down and the words Be True on the top and bottom of him. The dog and the words are embossed into the bottom of the plate. The handles have birds embossed into the glass. This larger plate is almost 6” in diameter. The foot on the bottom appears to have been ground and then polished.
The smaller one is of a cat like animal playing with a ball and the words Be Playfuyll on the top and bottom of the cat. The cat and words are embossed into the bottom of the plate. The handles again have birds on them. This smaller plate is 4 7/8” in diameter. The foot on this plate may also have been ground and polished. They appear to be very old but with today’s technology, I have a hard time telling some new from the old. Thanks for your assistance.
Jim Hare
 
Kat Krivda
Hi Jim,
You have a very rare example of two of the Iowa City Glass Company Animal-Moto plates. Iowa City Glass was only in business (producing glass) for a few years (1880-1883). Your plates show up in Miriam Righter's book Iowa City Glass published in 1966 (which is amost as rare as the glass). Hope this helps.
Kat
  
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Does Flint Glass Sun Darken/Purple?
Steve & Radka Sandeman
Hi! We know that Elaine Henderson & others, including us, absolutely HATE sun-purpled glass, and have a quick question along these lines. We recently found and sold on Ebay a Flint ASHBURTON Creamer in perfect condition; however, we just received a note from the buyer that this is sun-purpled; in our opinion, this was not at all purpled, but that's his claim. We were under the understanding that flint glass will not purple, due to the chemical components used in the manufacture of flint glass. We know that it's manganese that turns from exposure to sunlight, so is it possible that flint glass could turn?.....even slightly? If there's a specific reference we could point to, it would certainly help. We don't want anyone disappointed, but like to be correct in our statements. Thanks Very Much in advance for your help!
Steve & Radka Sandeman in (normally) Sunny San Diego
Kat Krivda
Hi Steve and Radka,
Manganese, or "glassmakers soap" was used in various quantities as a clarifying agent for as long as glass has been made. The natural color of glass is dependant on the impurities in the glass batch and will normally have a green or brown cast (see early bottles). Manganese clarifies the impurities to make it clear. It's also the chemical that makes purple glass purple (depending on quantity). Clear Flint glass will turn, but because of the flint, or iron oxide, it will turn a grayish lavender. To answer your question: Yes, flint glass will turn. Not necessarily the way that soda lime glass will, and usually not artificially (it turns a really ugly color), the way some nefarious dealers have turned their glass "sun-purple", but it will turn.
As to where this information comes from, there is no one source, but several. English Glass for the Collector 1660-1860 by G. Bernard Hughes has a very good chapter on the beginnings of blown Flint Glass. George & Helen McKearin in their book American Glass give a fairly good accounting of glass making in the Americas along with an explanation of clarifying glass (page 9). The rest of the information comes from reading (a lot), and experience (what I've seen).
If the ASHBURTON glass you sent was absolutely clear, I hate to say it, but it may be someone trying to exchange their "sun darkened" piece for your clear one. You might tell them to send it back and refer to your "invisible" mark before sending their refund. Hope this helps.
Kat
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Nearcut #2647, Cambridge Glass Company
Sara Hagen
Hello Kat,
I was hoping you could help me with identifying the pattern of this punch bowl set. I've read your identification pieces on the EAPGS website and am so interested in the history. Thank you in advance for any light you can shed!
Sincerely,
Sara Hagen
 
Kat Krivda
Hi Sara,
Your punch set drove me nuts. I knew I'd seen it somewhere, but couldn't for the life of me figure out where. I scanned every major glass manufacture book I could think of, then it hit me...It showed up in an old Cambridge Catalog reprint I have. The bowl and base are Nearcut #2647, by the Cambridge Glass Company, Cambridge, OH (by the way, the base in your picture is upside down. The collar of the bowl should fit perfectly inside the smaller end with the scalloped/sawtooth end down.) As far as I know, the pattern has never been incorporated into the Early American Pattern Glass literature, so the collectors have never named it. It was made, circa 1906.
Your cups are a completely different pattern and manufacturer. They were made by the Indiana Glass Company, Dunkirk, IN and because of the size of the handle, I would guess somewhere around 1950 (in the original, the handles were smaller in diameter). The pattern name is Paneled Daisy & Finecut (#123) and was made at Indiana from 1905 to 1975.). I Hope this helps.
Kat
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Aly Boltman
Hi - I have a four piece pressed glass set with scrolled feet and a star banded pattern. There is a spooner, a creamer, sugar and covered butter? dish. Can you tell me who made this please and when it dates too? Are four piece sets common or more rare than say a goblet in a matching pattern? Thanks for your help!
Aly
Kat Krivda
Hi Aly,
Your four piece table set is a pattern called BANDED STAR. The design was patented (#12080) Dec 28, 1880 by W.C. King & G.B. Swift and assigned to the King, Son & Co Glass manufacturing Company, Pittsburgh, PA. To have all four pieces of a Table Set (Creamer, Covered Sugar, Covered Butter, and Spoonholder) in any pattern is much less common than a single goblet. This pattern is fairly hard to find to begin with. I couldn't tell from your photos if it is clear, or if it is a pale blue. If it is pale blue, it would be quite scarce since the pattern is only documented as being made in clear, and occasionally pale yellow (according to Revi's American Pressed Glass and Figure Bottles). Hope this helps.
Kat
Aly Boltman
Thank you very much Kat.
It's a four piece clear glass table set. I've looked in three books and couldn't find the pattern!
I really appreciate your prompt reply.
Aly
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Crystallography
Ruth Salisbury
Hello, I have a million and a half books on pattern identification, but there are a couple patterns that I just can't get. Here is another one. This is a plate, more like a tray actually. The head on the handles looks like a Neptune or Poseidon face. Plate 1 Plate 2 Any ideas? Thanks in advance!
 
Kat Krivda
Hi Ruth,
Does the pattern protrude, or is it indented? It looks to be made with the Crystallograph process. Earl Autenreith wrote two articles on it that were published in the EAPGS News Journal. (Vol 4, #2, 1997 & Vol 11, #4, 2004).
The process was developed by Henry Feurhake, and patented (#219.245) September 1879. The Dithridge Fort Pitt Glass Works advertised in January 1880 "Crystalloid Glass Ware" picturing several patterns with a price list with some of the pieces not pictured (and not identified). The last thing Earl wrote in his first article was "Other patterns of the crystallograph method may exist. Further research may discover other patterns. Be on the lookout!" In his second article the last paragraph summarizes his findings "...the "Crystalloid" design, using the crystallograph process of etching molds, produced a finely detailed desing on the glass product.
This type of glass is the product only of Dithridge & Co. (Fort Pitt Glass Works) for early known patterns, or Riverside Glass Works for all designs. Feurhake Beck, as owners of the patent would likely have taken molds, used at Fort Pitt, with them to Riverside. I have as yet not found evidence to prove the PSYCHE AND CUPID pattern to be either a "Crystalloid" process or a Riverside product, although the pattern design, mythological theme and comparable shape of its products to Riverside/Fort Pitt products, supports the attribution.
The process, for whatever reason - difficulty with working or cleaning the molds, or lack of popularity of the designs - appears to have been short-lived. Any pieces found would have to be considered rare." In short, I think what you have is a previously unidentified piece of this glass. Hope this helps.
Kat
Ruth Salisbury
Hi Kat!!
The pattern is very fine, and it protrudes the glass - is raised and is definitely not etched. It is well defined and can reallllly be felt. However, the pattern is raised on the underside of the plate rather than the top. The plate has a lot of detail to it and is in good shape. Comparing it to Psyce and Cupid, this piece is much nicer. I have a P&C spooner and the pattern is very undefined... smoothe.. hard to make out. This plate/tray is not like that at all. thank you!!
Ruth
Kat Krivda
Ruth,
Have you ever seen the Bread Plate some call VIRGINIA DARE or the footed sauces called CUPID'S HUNT? Your tray looks to have the same sort of design - not the bottom, it's a "normal" mold pattern - the sides where the POSIDON Figure head is. I'm not sure PSYCHE AND CUPID would be considered a good example of the Crystallograph wares.
On the VIRGINIA DARE piece (which is actually DIANA, goddess of the Hunt) if you filled in the background with a spackling compound, all you would see is the top most design and the plate would be smooth. It's very detailed and well defined. The process has a distinctive look to it that isn't found in any other method of making glass.
Kat
Ruth Salisbury
Hi Kat,
I have many glass books, but NO WHERE NEAR the number you have. I think I even have the 200 Years of American Blown Glass book you mentioned, I'm going to check and see.
I want to try and look up those patterns, Virginia Dare, Cupid's Hunt, etc... just so I can try to reference what you're speaking of when you say that mine is similar. I'm not sure where to begin, but as you say, the research is half the fun! Thank you again for your wealth of information!!!
Ruth
PS. I found this information on a website - regarding my bread plate
"we can't ID - Here is a Bread Plate some call Wind God or AEOLIS. We have not been able to find it in the literature. The decor (see enlarged handle) is like crystallography. It is about 11" long and $125."
Just wanted to pass it along!
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