As
far as carnival glass is concerned, ‘a lot’ - since this was not the name given
when it was launched in the early 1900s. When companies such as Fenton, Northwood and Imperial introduced pressed
iridised glass to emulate the beauty of expensive, hand crafted Art Glass
produced by makers such as Tiffany and Steuben they were bringing a ‘lifestyle’
dimension into the decision to purchase – and it was snapped up by the aspiring
middle classes.
Now
you could afford to bring into your home a luxury item that had previously only
been in the reaches of the managers for whom you worked. So, it was important
to have names that were evocative of the exotic nature of this glass and which
transported the buyer to faraway places that he or she could only dream of.
Consequently, it was promoted under enticing names such as Iridill, Golden
Iris, Rubigold, Etruscan, Pompeian and Venetian Art.
It
only acquired the name ‘Carnival Glass’ in the 1950s when some of the later
produced items, either because they were excess stock or inferior quality, were
given as prizes at funfairs although this constituted only a very small
proportion and is not representative of the glorious legacy handed down from
the earlier years. That said, it’s a name which reflects the carnival of
colours, shapes, patterns and surface finishes that caused such excitement when
these pioneers pushed the boundaries of this magnificent iridescent pressed
glass manufacture.