CLASSIC ERA CARNIVAL GLASS
Vintage carnival glass is molded or pressed glass, always with a pattern and always with a shiny, metallic, 'iridescent' surface shimmer.
Both functional and ornamental objects were produced in the carnival finish and patterns ranged from simple through geometric and 'cut' styles to pictorial and figurative. A wide range of colors and color combinations were used but the most common colors accounted for a large proportion of output, so scarce colors can today command very high prices on the collector market.
Carnival glass has been known by many other names in the past: aurora glass, dope glass, rainbow glass, taffeta glass, and disparagingly as 'poor man's Tiffany'. Its current name was adopted by collectors in the 1950s from the fact that it was sometimes given as prizes at carnivals, fetes & fairgrounds. However, that can be misleading as people tend to think that all of it was distributed in this way but evidence suggests that the vast majority of it was purchased by the housewife to brighten up the home at a time when only the well off could afford bright electric lighting.
Some carnival glass is still produced today although in very small quantities. At the height of its popularity in the 1920s huge volumes were produced and prices were low enough for the ordinary home to afford.
Carnival glass gets its iridescent sheen from the application of metallic salts while the glass is still hot from the pressing. A final firing of the glass brings out the iridescent properties of the salts, giving carnival glass the distinct shine it is known for.
The items offered for sale on this page are antique/vintage Carnival Glass from the "classic era" circa 1907-1930 unless otherwise noted. As such, the items may have normal anomalies present, such as straw marks, tool marks, slight spotting from the making in the finish, normal use shelf wear, small interior glass bubbles which are not broken or very slight seam or edge wear roughness to the touch which would not be considered as flakes nor fleabites.
"FREE SHIPPING" in the 48 continental U.S.A.
