Topic: Shell shaped compote/comport - ID = O'Hara's Antique celery

[aflint]

6" tall at the top of the scrolls, 5 1/2" tall at the tip. 4 1/2" diameter foot, and about 10" from front to back.
The foot is smooth on top with raised thumbprints underneath. The stem has a faceted knob with 8 faces.

The entire thing was made in a 2 part mold. The seam continues from the base, up the stem and to the tips of the bowl. Has maybe a slight pinkish tinge - turns a lovely shade of chartruse in blacklight. It is not high quality glass, there are several flaws  - waviness, some embedded marks inside the bowl and so on.

I'm having no luck finding this searching US pattern glass makers. My guess at this point is Portieux, but my resources for Portieux are limited. Does this look familiar to anyone?

Thanks in advance for any info!
Alison

[deco.queen]

This was identified as O'Hara's Antique celery from 1890. A US company.

[jsmeasell]

There are two similar items from other concerns.

The Findlay Flint Glass Co. (of Findlay, Ohio) advertised an 8" Shell Bowl in late 1890.

The L. G. Wright Glass Co. had its 22-72 Daisy and Button 7" Shell bowl in various transparent colors beginning in the 1960s. Fenton Art Glass bought this mould in 1999 and we made some of them in opaque Chocolate glass in 2004-05.

[aflint]

Thanks Janice, I was just now getting back to post Sid's reply.   :fwr:

Mr. Measell,

Thank you so much for the information. Do you agree that this is an O'Hara piece? Unfortunately,
my references for the older pressed glass companies is sparse and the only pattern example I've found thus far is the Fenton you mentioned.

I do however have several of your books, your New Martinsville book being a veritable bible for me. Your reply has made my day!

[jsmeasell]

Your piece is indeed different from the Findlay Flint and L. G. Wright versions. I looked under O'Hara in Innes' book without success, so I would like to know the source for the O'Hara attribution.

[Sid]

Jim:

It is based on an O'Hara catalog.  See below for the image.  I think the catalog is circa 1887 to 1890 because it also had the World butter dish which was introduced in 1887.

[aflint]

I knew this was something interesting when I saw it while browsing under "Contemporary Glass" on eBay.  Thank you so much for confirming my hunch.

I apologize Sid, for leading you all over the boards with this, but Tom Felt & I decided it might be European....the base looks so similar to several Portieux and Vallerysthal pieces I was seeing. But of course, I didn't find this shell shape. And as usual, when it comes to EAPG, I was wrong. 

It was nice to "meet" you Mr. Measell! And Sid, you're a wonder!

[jsmeasell]

It's interesting that O'Hara called this piece "Antique Celery". That suggests to me that O'Hara's c. late 1880s design was inspired by something then considered to be "antique," perhaps a ceramic or silver item from the 18th or early 19th century?

[dirk.]

in fact there are antique examples of goblets made of real shells and silver/gold
since renaissance times, e.g. nautilus goblets. googling will certainly give an
impression of these.