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Carnival glass bowls are part of a larger
collection of collectable items called carnival glass. Carnival
glass is an inexpensive pressed glass to which an iridescent
coating has been applied, giving it an oil-like sheen. The process
is sometimes known as doping, leading some glass manufacturers to
call it "dope glass". It originated in the early 1900s, and
production waned in the mid to late thirties.
The Fenton company is largely recognized
as the first and largest producer of carnival glass. Fenton began
life as a company that decorated blank glass produced by other
companies. In 1907 they began creating their own carnival glass,
which was initially marketed as "Iridill," or, more simply,
iridescent ware when Feton glassware began production. It was an
overnight hit and many other companies began turning out and
marketing their own carnival glass bowls.
The demand for their products began to
decline in the late twenties. The reason for the decline was the
decreasing sales during the depresion and partly also due to the
saturation of the market by glass companies. To reduce the dead
stock companies began to sell their wares at deeply discounted
prices to carnivals, which was used by the carnivals as prizes in
their games. During this period many companies shut shop.
Carnival glass bowls experienced
resurgence in popularity during the fifties. The term "carnival
glass" was given to these items by the collectors after learning of
their term as carnival prizes. Reproduction of carnival glass bowls
were started by many companies. To this day carnival glass,
particularly antique Fenton glass, is a prized collectable
If you're looking for carnival glass,
your best bet presently would be auctions, antique shops or online
for various prices. Fenton antique glass in particular fetches high
prices, along with other popular carnival glass. Marigold and dark
hues - such as blue and green - are some of the most common colors.
Red pastel colored carnival glass bowls are the most prized and
expensive variety. One rare ice-blue colored plate in particular
sold for an amazing $16,327.55 on a popular auction website!
These are many ways to collect more
information about antique collectibles- books, websites,
newsletters, and other documents will help any interested person
find out about the designs, shapes, and sizes of antiques
available. Many organizations are devoted to bringing collectors
together to help them learn more about collecting.
Carnival glass bowls are a highly
collectible type of glass. They were produced by covering glass
with an iridescent, shiny coating. The largest producer of carnival
glass was Fenton. Fenton glassware
quickly became popular, and other companies started producing
carnival glass as well. Due to market saturation and the Great
Depression, demand for carnival glass declined sharply in the late
1920s. Today, antique Fenton glass in particular is sought after by
collectors, with red and pastel colored pieces considered the most
valuable. Many resources are available for those new to collecting,
such as websites and books with information on the various types of
carnival glass.
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