You wouldn’t name two kids the same, would you? Of course not! But for some reason our favorite glass companies liked to reuse pattern names. Case in point is Fostoria Trellis. The first time Fostoria named a pattern “Trellis” was in 1924 when they released this interesting cut pattern, number 169.
It has a wide criss-cross cut band topped with a half flower and leaf spray. This is the low sherbet which is in our store. Fostoria used their 660 shape, very simple with a lady leg and flared bowl, for stemware and according to Fostoria: Its First Fifty Years by Hazel Marie Weatherman, also sold an extensive line of pitchers, candy jars, salt and pepper and creamer and sugar pieces with this same cutting. She didn’t mention plates or dinnerware.
Fostoria Glass Trellis Cut Crystal Sherbet
They only made number 169 Trellis for four years, discontinuing it in 1928. Apparently it wasn’t a huge hit and Fostoria was moving into color and releasing many of our favorite etched patterns in the late 1920s.
Fostoria tried again in 1950, with a new cutting also called Trellis. This one is on the more complicated stem 6030 and features a criss cross surmounted with curved leaf sprays.
This is a more lively design, quite pretty, but it also was not a raging success and Fostoria discontinued after four years once again, this time ending in 1954. This curvy cut is number 822.
If you decide to collect a given pattern it’s wise to learn whether other companies used the same name – which happened a lot – or even the same company reused the name!