Carnival Glass Turns 100 Years Old

The year 2007 is a special year for glass collectors as they mark the centennial year of carnival glass. It was 100 years ago, in 1907, that carnival glass was first manufactured by The Fenton Art Glass Company.

100 years on, carnival glass remains very popular with an avid following of enthusiasts, admirers and collectors. Thousands of pieces are continually available at auctions and on sites like eBay, and regular conventions are held such as that organized by the International Carnival Glass Association.

What's so special about carnival glass, then? Carnival glass is a colored, pressed glass with an iridescent finish. To make it, glass is pressed into a mold while in a hot molten form. An iridescent sheen is produced by applying metallic salts or oxides while the glass is still hot from pressing. As a result, it looks as though it has rainbows on the surface. It's pretty, and people love to collect it and put it on display.

Before carnival glass came on the market, iridescent glass was already being manufactured by Tiffany but only the wealthy could afford to buy it. Then in the late 1880's pressed glass was introduced into the United States. This enabled manufacturers to lower costs and produce iridescent glass which was more affordable to consumers. In 1907 The Fenton Art Glass Company started manufacturing carnival glass. Within a few years Northwood Glass Company, Imperial Glass Company and companies such as Dugan and Millersburg were producing their own carnival glass patterns.

Around the late 1930s Carnival became less popular as fashion changed and people turned to Art Deco trends. Prices fell to the level that it was bought up in large quantities by carnivals and fairgrounds to be offered as prizes. Initially called 'Iridill', it eventually became known as 'Carnival Glass'.

Around 1000 different patterns were made between 1907 and the 1930s, and a total of some 2000 patterns are in circulation today. Many patterns have names reflecting the design, with many patterns from nature such as leaves, flowers, fish and birds. There are also many geometric patterns. Each piece has a base color, referring to the color of the glass before the iridescent finish is applied. The most common base color for carnival glass is marigold, followed by amethyst, blue, green and red.

If there's one thing that's true about glass, it's that it virtually lasts forever. It takes centuries to biodegrade. Unless it is dropped, that pretty piece of glass in your hands will probably last for another 1000 years. They might be 100 years old, but many pieces still look as good as the very day they first came out of The Fenton Art Glass Company doors.

David Goldsmith is a freelance journalist and carnival glass enthusiast. For more information on carnival glass, and carnival glass conventions and auctions, visit

http://www.TheCarnivalGlass.com

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