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Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => British & Irish Glass => Topic started by: wolkenreb on November 23, 2011, 01:30:37 PM

Title: Sowerby Hen on Basket with Chicks butter dish - carnival 'Sunglow' (?)
Post by: wolkenreb on November 23, 2011, 01:30:37 PM
I'm very happy to have acquired this Sowerby butterdish.  It is huge (approx 8" x 6")!  According to www.cga these appear in the 1938 catalogue and came in only 2 carnival colours 'Sunglow' (marigold) and Rainbo Lustre (cobalt).  More info here http://www.carnivalglass.org/education%5Chens/03.asp  Apparently these colours weren't not popular and they were later produced in frosted colours.

I like the unusual design, ie with the chicks around the hen.  I don't suppose there is any way of telling if this one was produced 1930s or 1960s?  Any expert additional info would be great!
Title: Re: Sowerby Hen on Basket with Chicks butter dish - carnival 'Sunglow' (?)
Post by: wolkenreb on December 06, 2011, 07:15:13 PM
Since nobody has taken the slightest bit interest in my lovely hen I'm going to spout some poetry (Scottish trad)

Ma banty hen is cluckin
Fair cluckin
Clickin, clackin, cluckin
In oor back yaird.

She goin te have some chickies
Wee chickies
Wee cheeky, chooky chickies
In oor back yaird.

I'm sorry, but it had to be done.
Title: Re: Sowerby Hen on Basket with Chicks butter dish - carnival 'Sunglow' (?)
Post by: Carolyn Preston on December 07, 2011, 01:10:47 AM
I'm sorry, but it had to be done.

Are you sure??????  :thud:

Carolyn
Title: Re: Sowerby Hen on Basket with Chicks butter dish - carnival 'Sunglow' (?)
Post by: wolkenreb on December 07, 2011, 06:29:59 PM
Yes Carolyn, sadly that was my only option.  Didn't do a lot of good though (maybe more harm than good?).

I'm truly so surprised that this piece has generated some interest though - it ticks so many boxes eg, carnival, pressed, animal, unusual, emmmmmmm

Oh well, shack a son goo!  (http://serve.mysmiley.net/animals/animal0045.gif) (http://www.mysmiley.net) (http://serve.mysmiley.net/animals/animal0045.gif) (http://www.mysmiley.net) (http://serve.mysmiley.net/animals/animal0045.gif) (http://www.mysmiley.net)
Title: Re: Sowerby Hen on Basket with Chicks butter dish - carnival 'Sunglow' (?)
Post by: Glen on December 07, 2011, 07:20:27 PM
I almost never check out the items posted in the forums other than Glass. I just don't have the time, so I try and give "Glass" a couple of brief glances each day, in case there's anything I can help with. I don't routinely check in the British Glass section, but by chance I just noticed your post.

The article you refer to on our wwwcga website was written by "Hen" expert, Shirley Smith. I believe the Covered Hen was first seen in the Sowerby catalogues in c. 1928 with the catalogue number 2551. It is also shown with the same number in the 1950s and probably later. I am not aware that it is possible to date specific examples (unless they have a later paper label on them).
Title: Re: Sowerby Hen on Basket with Chicks butter dish - carnival 'Sunglow' (?)
Post by: wolkenreb on December 07, 2011, 07:32:58 PM
Glen, thank you for taking the time to reply!  (I thought all new posts appeared automatically when you went into 'unread posts'?? - I must be wrong.)

My only thought regarding the age of this is that, if this colour had proved to be unpopular in the 30s, it would seem it would be unlikely that it would be put into production again at a later date.  But that is just supposition.  The colour is really lovely actually - very iridescent and a kind of champagne with a hint of pink.

Can I contact Shirley Smith through wwwcga website?

Thanks again.
Title: Re: Sowerby Hen on Basket with Chicks butter dish - carnival 'Sunglow' (?)
Post by: Glen on December 08, 2011, 09:57:01 AM
Hi Nancy - I don't use the "Show Unread Posts" facility  :-[ I genuinely don't have time for more than a quick look at the most recent new posts in "Glass". I simply have too many irons in the fire at the moment, so my apologies for not seeing your original post.

Shirley Smith isn't a wwwcga member - in fact she is a GMB member but I don't think she has visited or posted here for some time.

My own opinion is a little different re. the popularity of Sowerby's Sunglow - I don't think it was unpopular in the 30s. In fact Sowerby did a lot of patterns in Sunglow. The Hen was undoubtedly introduced again in the 50s in Sunglow. Sowerby's Sunglow is what Carnival collectors call marigold - popular in its day (it would have looked lovely against dark furniture) but not always the most sought after colour today on account of its availability. Collectors love the rare and unusual!

Title: Re: Sowerby Hen on Basket with Chicks butter dish - carnival 'Sunglow' (?)
Post by: wolkenreb on December 08, 2011, 11:27:11 AM
Glen, please don't apologise for not seeing my original post!  Not many folk have as much time on their hands as I do to browse here there and everywhere!  But I do appreciate your opinion, which is very interesting.  I always like to learn more about whatever I've picked up (glasswise - not diseases!!).  So Sunglow, or Marigold, actually was quite popular and therefore it's more than likely that the hen was put back into production in that colour.  You're spot on when you say it would have looked lovely against dark furniture, especially under artificial light.

What first caught my eye when I saw it listed on Ebay was the fact that it had chicks too - I had never seen that before, and for that reason I felt it was unusual.

Thanks again Glen!  :)