Recently I wrapped a Lancaster Cane Landrum topaz 2-handled plate for a customer and once more was struck by the exquisite designs and colors from Lancaster. I’ve only had a smattering of Lancaster – it seems to come in spurts and I buy it when I can.
Landrum is the name of this lovely mold etched pattern with plumes and scrolls and flowers. Lancaster used this on at least two blanks, the pretty Petal shape I’ll show later and the cane centered pieces like this plate and the bowl that follows. The plate sold but you can see the pattern very well in the picture.
The pattern is a little harder to see in this photo. The piece is spectacular in person, the topaz wide, shallow console bowl.
Gene Florence includes several Lancaster patterns in his Collector’s Encyclopedia of Depression Glass, but not Landrum, probably because Lancaster made only accessory pieces – bowls, serving plates – and not dinnerware or a luncheon set. My favorite reference book for Lancaster is Lancaster Glass Company, 1908 – 1937: Identification & Value Guide by John Zastowney. Zastowney gave excellent, detailed information about Lancaster’s confusing patterns like Landrum/Cane Landrum, Jubilee and its close cousins. I recommend it if you like Lancaster’s glass.
Zastowney explained that pieces with the cane center are called Cane Landrum while those with plain centers are Landrum; I wondered about that.
The last piece I want to show today is my small bowl in the Petal shape. It’s similar to the Cane Landrum bowl with the scallops and points, but take a close look at the oval shape that goes from each foot up to the rim. That is the petal that gives this shape its name.
Lancaster made only a few basic shapes, but they decorated them with beautiful designs, mold etched fancies like Landrum, cuttings like Jubilee, painted decorations, satin finishes. They made their few shapes into gorgeous line up of glass.