Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Our Fenton Glass Collection


This is some of the Fenton glass that Otter and I collect. The tree and both hummingbirds are mine, the butterfly, unicorn and mouse are Otter's. These are all new pieces, produced within the last couple of years. I also have a ring holder, but I forgot to get it when I was taking the picture! I have several other pieces, such as the perfume bottle I posted with the other 2 glass items. The other 2 items are on eBay and so is the 2nd Fenton perfume but I kept one of the perfumes. I have some older Fenton such as a hobnail creamer & sugar set and similar pieces. I had a few other pieces similar to the creamer and sugar but I had a stupid moment several months ago and sold them on eBay. And I've been kicking myself over it ever since! Especially since the closing announcement. (Hobnail is a series of slightly pointed bumps that are all over the glass piece, they are usually opalescent). (Not the same as moonstone, moonstone bumps are rounded).

Otter's unicorn is something she found at a thrift store, for either 25 cents or 50 cents, a couple of years ago when her room was decorated with unicorns. At the time, we didn't realize it was Fenton. She was getting her unicorns ready to post on eBay when she started changing her decor a few months back. And as I was about to post the unicorn, I noticed a small Fenton logo. So needless to say, it went back to her shelf! It's not a vintage piece, but it's at least from several years ago.

The butterfly looks yellow, but it is actually vaseline glass. Vaseline glass is made with a small amount of uranium oxide - yeah, the radioactive kind - and it will glow nicely under a blacklight. (Don't worry, it's safe!). It has opalescent edges.

The two hummingbirds are my Christmas and birthday presents from Bill last year. I told him I wanted a pink Fenton hummer and I made sure he saw a picture of them on the internet, as well as exact directions to the local store. He got there and there were two, they are slightly different and are not the same shade of pink. So he did what any smart man would do - he bought both! But I did not have to wait until my birthday for the second one, he wrapped them both together with the boxes taped together at one end and from the shape I didn't think he'd gotten what I wanted. Was I ever surprised! Got him lots of brownie points, that's for sure. The green tree is this years Christmas gift from Bill - when Fenton announced the closing, I told him that I'd like the tree and that I'd take the responsibility off of him by getting it myself. (See the sacrifices I make for him?!) The mouse is Otter's Christmas present this year - same thing as my tree. She just got it in September is all.

Of course, I still have a birthday coming up this year! So I guess I'd better find another piece to add to the collection. Shouldn't be too hard, there are some absolutely lovely pieces in the final year's release and I can probably find more than a few that I want in just a matter of seconds. So I guess I'd better get my catalogs out and start flipping pages!

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