Topic: somthing seldom seen: USA EAPG colored and decorated glass

[mrvaselineglass]

I just wanted to share something that is seldom seen:  A piece of early American pressed glass (EAPG) in colored glass and then decorated.  This pattern is called VENICE and was made by Adams & Co., Pittsburgh PA, in the mid 1880s.  Adams made it to try to compete with Venetian glass.  It is a simple pattern, consisting of only a faux glass wire wrap at the top portion of the tumbler. It is a two-mold design. A milk pitcher is also known with this painting design.  In this case, the colored glass is vaseline/uranium glass.  The lower portion was first given a satin finish with acid and was then hand-painted with a chrysanthemum bloom that takes over the entire side of the tumbler.  There are 5 different colors used to paint the design, so it was a labor intensive pattern to finish the work on it.   I have also seen this tumbler without the acid finish/paint.  The other version has a wheel-cut shallow cutting of ferns.

http://www.vaselineglass.org/venice.jpg

Mr. Vaseline Glass
(Dave Peterson)

[krsilber]

Painted EAPG does indeed seem uncommon; even without the paint it's not something I would have guessed was EAPG.  The glass is quite thin, too - I don't think I've seen pressed glass with such a thin bottom.  Those mold makers were an impressive lot, I'd like to learn more about the process.  Interesting piece!  Do other items come in this pattern?  I thought EAPG by definition had to come in sets (the P is for "Pattern," not "Pressed").  Not my area!

[TxSilver]

There are other pieces of the table service, so it is definitely a pattern. I found a little about it in Edwards & Carwile. They write that it was made in 1891 by US Glass at the old Adams factory after it was purchased. Did Adams also make the pattern before the purchase. I always read Edwards & Carwile with a touch of doubt. In defense of the book -- it is the only book that I have that mentions the pattern.

The glass is pretty to look at with a real picture. Much better than the drawings.

[mrvaselineglass]

The pattern is shown in KAMM in one of her PITCHERS books.  Revi (American Pressed Glass) just has a single line that lists the name of the pattern.  The colored pattern glass was all done in it's popularity by the time the USGlass combine was formed, and there is no evidence that USGC made any of the patterns IN COLOR that were inherited from all of the individual companies, so it is strictly an ADAMS piece.  Kamm states that the pattern showed up with the name of VENICE in an old Adams trade catalog.  Kamm only talks about the attributes and design of the pitcher.  I have photos of two different sizes of pitchers, another design on a tumbler, and an undertray.  Kamm mentions no other shapes other than the Pitcher.  Edwards/Carwile most likely got their info from Kamm.

[Sid]

Hello:

Adams' Venice water sets were introduced in 1886 with pitcher, tumblers and a tray known.  The canary colour would be from that timeframe.  The likelyhood that US Glass made these after 1891 is somewhere between slim and none.

[mrvaselineglass]

One of our vaseline glass club members has a full size pitcher with matching tumblers, and a previously unknown milk pitcher (about 1/3rd size smaller) and the milk pitcher has this same flower pattern.  I will dig though pics he has said I can use and put the other known shapes up on the board when I can find the right CD.  All pieces that the member has are in vaseline glass, but I have also seen a water set in clear glass with the painted flowers.

[mrvaselineglass]

OK, pictures courtesy of Steve and Radka Sandeman.  the only 'milk' pitcher that I am aware of is the one that is sitting next to the water pitcher.  I do not know the size of the pitcher with the stork, or the pitcher that matches my tumbler.  As you can see, there is a variety of decorations.  The set with the matching tumblers and tray is a water set.  I have no measurements.

http://www.vaselineglass.org/venicewp1.jpg
http://www.vaselineglass.org/venicewp2.jpg
http://www.vaselineglass.org/venicewp4.jpg
On the next two, the flowers are similar, but not the same, and it is two different pitchers.
http://www.vaselineglass.org/venicewp3.jpg
http://www.vaselineglass.org/venicemilk1.jpg

[Zatzafrazz]

 NICE!!  :hiclp:
I nere would have guessed these were EAPG either. They are so unusual!

[TxSilver]

Edwards & Carwile mention berry bowls, butter, creamer/spooner, goblets, pickle jars, pitchers, tumblers, and sugar in amber (or canary) and vaseline in their book. They admit to not knowing much about the pattern, though. They say they are sure clear was also made, but don't mention why they are sure. The Sandemans provided the pictures of the pitchers to them, too. I thought they were drawings, but I was wrong. It was only my brain getting sketchy.

[mrvaselineglass]

Edwards/Carwile have speculated before in regards to what came with certain patterns, and even what patterns were called originally or their most popular name.  The Sandeman's would know whether other pieces have turned up in the VENICE pattern, and I have a CD of all of Steve's glass on it (current as of 2007) and these are the only shapes/decorations they own.  Research on the E/C EAPG PRESSED GLASS book was sometimes only based on what the person said the piece was called when the photo was emailed to E&C.  Edwards has now retired, and Carwile is now going at it alone.  He is trying to at least do some further digging to see what other authors have called different patterns and does not just take the word of whoever submitted the photo.  Both Sandeman and myself worked with Carwile on his next OPALESCENT book, which is due out in December.  I have not seen a draft, but I do know that both Sandeman and I did a lot of identifying or verifying particular pattern names, and submitted a lot of new photos.  When I get my copy, I will let the group know if it is worth buying.

Dave