Last week Dave and I went to Daval’s used furniture store in Hastings, Michigan to get a hutch to go under his aquarium. Daval’s has very nice used furniture, clean, well-described and reasonably priced. Dave found a maple small buffet with two drawers and two cupboards with shelves, just the perfect size and configuration, solid wood and in good condition. It sure looks better than the fiberboard thing he got when he set up the fish tank!
Of course while he looked at furniture I looked at glass. Daval’s has a few showcases full of depression glass, including several pieces of Jeannette Floral Poinsettia, but what caught my eye this trip were pieces of Fostoria, Cambridge and Lancaster elegant glass and a couple later items from the 1960s.
My Mom had a Fostoria Buttercup creamer and sugar that she used most mornings that I always liked and reminded me of her. The pattern is lively, with flowers and leaves all over and on the classic, simple Sonata blank which is perfect for this vivid design. We found the torte plate
and the Buttercup creamer and sugar. If I hadn’t already gotten a set for me I’d have bought this.
The relish dishes on the shelf above the Buttercup creamer and sugar are also Fostoria, the Mayflower etch on the Coronet blank. Mayflower has a curved cornucopia-shaped basket that holds a flower bouquet, surrounded by swags of leaves and flowers. Mayflower always looks rather formal to me; I can visualize a design like this on Colonial-styled wallpaper. The bowl to the left of the creamer and sugar is Fuchsia, also Fostoria, on the choice 2470 blank.
I didn’t see much Cambridge glass beyond these three pieces of Caprice, the crystal creamer, pistachio green sugar and pink tray.
Many of our fellow glass lovers on Facebook ask about Prelude, the lovely pattern from New Martinsville/Viking; in fact I probably get more requests that turn out to be Prelude than any other pattern. There are a gazillion pieces and New Martinsville used multiple blanks for this etch. This creamer and sugar is quite elegant!
I’ve noticed we see more Lancaster glass now compared to when I first started back in the early 2000’s. Some Lancaster is just gorgeous! Splendid, pure colors both transparent and satinized, simple shapes, lovely decorations. Daval’s had three pieces of line 868, called Kay, all in frosted pink. One was plain, one had a flower design partly worn away and the third had a very pretty apple blossom decoration.
The flowers are painted, not decals, and Lancaster didn’t use baked-on paints so these come off if you wash in the dishwasher, and likely will tend to wear if you are not quite careful.
I have seen the flower groups as in the second bowl quite often on many different Lancaster and some Hocking glass, but this was the first time I found the apple blossom design. Very nice!
Indiana Glass made Daisy in crystal and amber in the depression era, then re-issued the pattern in dark green and white in the 1960s-80s. We had many pieces of amber but rarely have seen the crystal. Daval’s had a set of cups and saucers to oogle.
The last two pieces are both more recent, from the 1950s or 1960s. First up is this big comport or footed fruit bowl in Jeannette Floragold. You can’t see it in the picture but the plain band below the bold ribs on the side has the pretty flower design. Please note this is not the comport that goes for several hundred dollars! This one is easy to find and sells for around $20-45.
Anchor Hocking made Soreno in several colors and a full dinnerware line with many accessories. Recognize the avocado green? Someone, likely an aftermarket decorating company, decorated the salad bowl and torte plate with a stylish silver design for a snazzy chip and dip set. Those of us who can remember the 1960s recall the elaborate lazy Susans, chip and dip sets and ashtrays.
All in all Dave and I had a fun morning. He got a good piece of furniture, just perfect for his fish, and I got to look at glass!