Our Favourite Finds : Carnival Glass

Carnival glass is pressed glass with mineral or metallic salts added during the manufacturing process to create the iridescent rainbow of colors it comes in.

Carnival glass was originally known as a glass called 'Iridill'. It was first produced in 1908 by the Fenton Art Glass Company ( which was founded in 1905). Iridill was inspired by the blown art glass of such fine makers as Tiffany and Steuben, but was unable to sell at the hoped for premium prices and was therefore discounted. After these price markdowns, Iridill pieces were then used in carnivals as prizes.

Iridill became extremely popular and very profitable for Fenton, who had produced many different types of items in this finish, in over 150 patterns. Fenton maintained their position as the largest manufacturer and were one of few makers to use a red coloured glass base for their carnival glass. After interest fell in the late 1920s, Fenton stopped the production of carnival glass for many years.

Most U.S. carnival glass was made before 1925, with production in clear decline after 1931. Some important production continued outside the US through the depression years of the early 1930s, tapering off to very little by the 1940s.

Even with it's popularity it's still difficult to find authentic Carnival Glass due to the many makers inspired by this glassware design. Here's some tips to find authentic Carnival Glass:

1: Original pieces either have have very well hidden seams or no seams.

Since the patterns on carnival glass were made to hide seams, it’s very unlikely that a real piece of carnival glass would have an obvious seam.

2: Many original pieces have experienced some oxidization over the years.

Any carnival glass made using metallic salts that oxidize will have experienced some oxidation in the years. If you know that the piece you’re looking at would have used those kinds of metals for its making and yet it doesn't have oxidization, this is evidence that it was made fairly recently, either as a fake or a reproduction piece.

3: The glass of original carnival glass is evenly distributed as it was molded and pressed rather than blown.

Most collectors trying to identify carnival glass will start by checking to see if there is a lot more glass at the bottom than there is in the rest of the piece. This is a common side-effect of making glass with a poor quality mold. The thickness of the glass should be similar throughout.

4: The bottom of the glass should not be iridized.

In real carnival glass, every part of the piece is iridized except for the base, since that part isn’t meant to be seen. Because of this, the bottom of the glass is the best place to check the glass’ original color before treatment. While checking the base visually, you can also check for hay marks, which are commonly found on glasswork from the period in which carnival glass was made.

Although carnival glass is a common find, there are a few rare and valuable pieces that exist. In recent history, carnival glass has become a sought-after collector’s item, and while many pieces can be acquired for less than $50, rarer pieces can sell for thousands of dollars. The biggest factor that determines carnival glass value is the limited supply of particularly rare colors, patterns, and pieces with original Fenton authentication. Carnival glass holds a prominent place in the market for vintage glassware, and by taking special care when selecting vintage carnival glass, collectors can create a beautiful assortment that serves as a historic and valuable investment.