|
13. L.G. Wright Glass Company, New
Martinsville, WV, 1937-1999. From the start “Si” Wright ordered moulds to
be made for his own versions of popular Victorian patterns. His moulds
were sent to various glass manufacturers to press the glass. When the
Wright company went out of business in 1999, its moulds were bought by
many other companies, including Fenton, AA Importing, Castle Antiques &
Reproductions, Mosser, and Rosso. An auction list of moulds and who bought
them can be obtained from the West Virginia Museum of American Glass.
Westmoreland made Carnival glass for Wright in
the mid 1970s. None of the Wright hen on nest dishes were marked. The
Wright 5-1/2” rooster (80-12) and 3”(actually 4”) hen (70-7, 70-18) dishes
were not made in Carnival glass.
a. (70-8) 7
inch hen: Base 7-1/16” x 5-5/8” Top 6-5/16” x 5”
This hen on nest dish is known to have been made in Carnival colors
of Amethyst (1981, 1994), Marigold (1994), Sparkling Grape (1994),
Stormy Blue (1994), Ice Blue (1977), White Carnival (1977), Ice Pink
(1981), Ice Green, Crystal (1981), and Red (1981).
|
Figure 38 Wright 7" hen, Red Carnival (1981) |
b. (80-7) 5
inch hen: Base 5-3/8” x 4-1/8” Top 4-3/4” x 3-1/2”
This hen, whose top is a copy of an old McKee hen, is not known as
being made in Carnival glass. However, the accompanying picture
shows the hen in what appears to be an iridized finish.
|
Figure 39 Wright 5-1/2" hen which appears to be Carnival glass. |
14. Asian Imports. Although any glass
hen on nest covered dish that is known to be of Asian extraction is
quickly dismissed as not worthy of consideration and certainly not to be
collected by the discriminating collector, they must be noted. For they do
exist, they replicate (copy) known examples of hen on nest dishes, and
some of them are quite collectible in their own right. The larger pieces
(8 and 6 inches) inevitably show signs of sloppy pressing and are often
marked with the fake Heisey mark of an “H” in a diamond. Known examples
come from Taiwan, China, and Japan, but may also have been made in
Thailand, Korea, or other Asian countries. This whole area is one that has
never been explored, mainly because the importers refuse to respond to
requests for information. I personally feel that there may be major
exporters in Asia who act as middlemen for the glass companies and that
this further conceals the origin of the glass.
|
Imported glass hen covered dishes
include sizes of 8-inches and 6-inches (Vallerysthal replicas),
4-inches, 3-inches, 2-1/2-inch salts, standing roosters in three
sizes, a 5-inch copy of Westmoreland’s 5-1/2-inch hen, and a 5-inch
copy of Westmoreland’s 5-1/2” hen top on a scalloped (Vallerysthal-style)
base rather than the Westmoreland diamond basketweave base. Of
these, only the 6-inch Vallerysthal-style hen and the largest
standing rooster (Portieux / Westmoreland replica) are known in
iridized glass, and that is only in Amberina.
|
Figure 40 Asian (Taiwan) 6-inch hen, Amberina Carnival |
Figure 41 Asian (Taiwan) 8" standing rooster, Amberina Carnival |
15. Maker Unknown. As with any area of
glass collecting, we inevitably come to those items that cannot be
attributed to any maker. There are a great many examples in this category.
There is some speculation as to whether the Brockwitz glass company made
their 3 sizes of hen on nest covered dish in Carnival. Only one
unattributed glass hen on nest dish is known at the present time to be
made in Carnival glass. The 5-1/2-inch hen dish pictured below came from
Ireland and the seller said it was Sowerby. The iridescence is so striking
that it looks covered in gold. It does appear to be old.
Figure 42 Maker Unknown, Carnival |
Figure 43 Maker Unknown, Carnival |
Figure 44 Maker Unknown, Carnival |
Select Bibliography
Adler, Donna. Indiana Glass Company of Dunkirk,
IN 1907-2002. Available on CD with 36 pages from Indiana catalog, and
is searchable. A lot of information also available on Donna’s Web site:
http://indianaglass.Carnivalheaven.com/
Berg, Ed. “Open Salts by Wetzel.” Glass
Collectors Digest, June/July, 1991, pp.59-61.
Boyd’s Crystal Art Glass.
http://www.boydglass.com
Bragg, Sharon. Online Database of Fenton glass
animals.
http://www.fentonfan.com
Fenton Art Glass.
http://www.fentonartglass.com
Florence, Gene. Degenhart Glass and
Paperweights. Degenhart Glass Museum, Inc., Cambridge, OH, 1982, 1992.
Kovar, Lorraine. Westmoreland Glass 1950-1984
Volume II. Antique Publications, Marietta, OH, 1991.
Kovar, Lorraine. Westmoreland Glass 1950-1984.
Antique Publications, Marietta, OH, 1991.
Measell, James, ed. Imperial Glass
Encyclopedia, Vol.1 A-Cane. Marietta, Ohio: The Glass Press, Inc.,
1995.
Measell, James. Fenton Glass: the 90s
Decade. Marietta, Ohio, The Glass Press, 2000.
Measell, James and W.C. “Red” Roetteis.
The L.G. Wright Glass Company. Marietta, OH, The Glass Press, Inc. dba
Antique Publications, 1997.
Mosser Glass Company: ?
http://www.mosserglass.com
Rosso Wholesale Glass Dealers Web site:
http://www.wholesale-glass-dealer.com
Sample, John. “Helen & Phil Rosso, Wholesale
Glass Dealers Inc. A Concern or Celebration for Collectors?” Glowing
Report, March 1999, Vol.1, #3. On the Internet at
http://www.icnet.net/users/davepeterson/rosso.html
Smith, Shirley. Web site of 192 pages of
information on glass hen on nest covered dishes:
http://www.HenOnNest.com
Thistlewood, Glen & Stephen. A Century of
Carnival Glass.Schiffer, 2001.
Walk, John. Fenton Glass Compendium,
1970-1985. Schiffer, 2001.
West
Virginia Museum of American Glass. “List of L.G. Wright Glass Company
Molds from the final auction May 1999.” P.O. Box 574, Weston, West
Virginia 26452. Website, which includes complete listing of all holdings,
at:
http://members.aol.com/wvmuseumofglass/
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