We’ve had a fun tour of Fostoria Century crystal, from the special pieces to regular dinnerware, the past few posts. (They are linked at the end of this post.) Today let’s look at some of the lovely patterns Fostoria used to decorate Century.
This is Heather, one of Fostoria’s best known and collected etches from the 1950s and 1960s.
Fostoria Glass Heather Etched Crystal 2-Part Relish
Fostoria made Century stemware, but they used their lovely Silver Flutes blank instead for Heather. You can see the little nubs on the stem that make this blank a good companion for the Century dinnerware and accessory pieces.
Fostoria Glass Heather Etched Crystal Footed Ice Tea Tumbler
Bouquet is another etched pattern that used Century. It’s not all that common; I have the impression it was not as successful for Fostoria as the contemporary Heather. This creamer shows the pattern well. Doesn’t it look like it is a happy, cheerful design?.
Fostoria Bouquet Etched Crystal Century Creamer
One of their nicer cuttings on Century is Sprite. It’s simple, just a curved line suggesting a branch. It’s so effective on Century with the complementary curvy shapes on the rim and the design.
Fostoria Century with Sprite Cutting Oil and Vinegar
This Sprite torte plate shows the design better.
Fostoria Sprite Cut Crystal Serving Plate
Fostoria used Century for Starflower and Camelia etches, Lacy Leaf and Milkweed crystal print, and Bridal Wreath cuttings.
Fostoria used their popular blanks, like Century, as canvas for their gorgeous designs, but they were unusually able to sell their top patterns plain, undecorated. I’m not aware of many Cambridge blanks that were popular on their own the way the top Fostoria shapes were. Fostoria was outstanding at marketing, one of the pioneers in direct to consumer advertising. They had lovely glass and knew how to get it in the hands of the American family.
Links to other posts in this series:
Elegant Glass with Fancy Rims – Curlicues, Loops and S Shapes
Fostoria Century – Curlicues on the Rim and Curlicue Shapes
Fun Pieces in Fostoria Century Crystal Elegant Glass
Fostoria Century – Vintage Crystal Dinnerware to Enjoy Today
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