Federal Glass had a way with curved rims and curly motifs. Patrician plates all have this lovely curved and scalloped rims.
The mold etched design is so simple. There is a wheel in the center – giving the nickname “Spoke” – surrounded with comma-shapes that are linked together to make arches and swags. There are more little comma-shapes on the rim that form Vs. It is simple and so effective.
Federal’s amber, or “Golden Glo” as they called it, is a mid golden color, not as red or as deep colored as some amber glass. Federal made Patrician in green glass too.
Federal used the same curvy shapes for Normandie as they did for Patrician. I wonder whether they started with the same molds, but etched a different design. Here’s the Normandie cereal bowl. Unfortunately I didn’t know how to photograph glass back then!
Most of the depression glass makers used interesting shapes for plates and bowls, ranging from scalloped to square to square with scallops to round. Federal was right on trend with Patrician and Normandie’s curvy shapes!