Topic: Amberina Toothpick - American or Italian?

[Connie]

Thank you to "guest" who posted this link in another thread

http://www.glass.co.nz/rosebowls.htm


Although it is about rosebowls, I think it begins to answer some of my questions about the amberina toothpick.  It must be one of the historical reproductions made in Murano.  When I get home (I am traveling again), I will feel it to see if it is gritty.

Also in the link is a good example of a plated amberina piece.

Glen - In response to Fenton and amberina.  As I said in another thread several months ago, Fenton only began making glass which they call amberina around 2002.  They produced a satin amberina vase with hand painted poppies as part of their Connossieur collection. Then in 2003 they introduced the amberina line that you showed.

I did go back and look in my Fenton books which cover their early production (carnival, stretch, opalescent, etc.) and there is a color referred to as amberina in the book. But I see no evidence that Fenton made other patterns in amberina.

It would be interesting to find out if the carnvial glass pieces were truly made as amberina or are they ruby red pieces which show an incomplete color strike.

You have also confirmed what I was saying about old amberina (Libbey, NEG) being a gold formula and ruby glass being a selenium formula.

Also thank you for the additional info on Fenton Colonial Orange.  I thought that was the case in the color production - it is almost an imcomplete color strike of ruby. In the 2nd Fenton Compencdium, there is a good section showing the color variations of Fenton Colonial Orange.

Sorry for combining several different threads but they were all kind of inter-related.  

[Leni]

Sorry for combining several different threads but they were all kind of inter-related.  

Certainly were, Connie!  

Thank you very much indeed for sorting out all sorts of confusions for me!  :shock: Many mysteries have been made clear to me at last, and I feel I've really learned a lot!  

Leni

[Leni]

My point is that it does not matter what Fenton called it…..if it is amberina in appearance and by definition, than it is amberina.

While I can seeyour point, Glen, isn't there a possibility that problems could occur if you desribe something as 'Amberina' and a buyer argues that it isn't, because their definition is more specific?   :shock:  

I mean, if there was a law suit back in 1884 or whenever it was, couldn't it be argued that only the winner - New England Glass - can truly be called 'Amberina'?  :?

I know there is a problem with 'vaseline' glass, because some people only use the term to refer to the 'yellowy' vaseline glass and others use it to describe *any* uranium glass, or even any glass with any sort of opalescence!  

There are continuing (and sometimes heated)  'debates'  :roll:  about the 'true' definition of 'vaseline' glass and it can cause difficulties, in the way I can see the term 'Amberina' is causing some - er .... 'debate' - here!   :oops:

Leni

[Leni]

I see, Glen.  So you are saying that the term 'Amberina' is now used as a generic term to describe glass of this colour - it has passsed into the vernacular, in fact  :shock:

Now I understand! (I think!  :oops:  :roll: )

Thank you  

Leni

[Anonymous]

Glen -

I don't think we are disagreeing as much as it seems  :lol:

What I have been trying to point out is the original amberina was a heat struck glass containing gold where the pink/red more resembles cranberry (which is a gold content heat struck glass).  But the term amberina has now become commonly used to describe any glass which shades from red to gold or reverse as in reverse amberina. As Leni pointed out it is like the more broad use of the term vaseline.

The problem with people using the term amberina to refer to any glass that shades from red to yellow is that most people think of the reddish orange glass fading to yellow (which we agree is selenium glass) as amberina and fail to recognize the old amberina for what it is.  But wait ...  maybe that isn't a bad thing because then those who do recognize it can buy it cheap  :lol:


BTW - That is my little toothpick in the GA Live Auction.  I forgot it was scheduled. It has been in the upload for over a month - way before all this started  :oops: