Dragon and Lotus, Fenton

Fenton made several dual theme patterns. If this doesn't look like your pattern, check Dragon and Strawberry, Peacock and Dahlia, and Peacock and Grape. This pattern is seen in perhaps the widest range of colors in the Carnival pantheon, including the highly desirable red in an ice cream shape as shown on the left. It brought $4,100 at a 1996 auction. On the right are three bowls: a ruffled green (the iridescence makes it look purple), a spatula-footed ice cream shape in marigold, and an opalescent three-and-one edge with pastel marigold iridescence. Bowls measure 8 1/2 to 9 inches.

Hartung Book One: Dragon and Lotus

Bowl, ruffled, three-in-one, or ice cream shape

Amber, 25, 45, 50, 55, 65, 75, 95, 130 (all 2020),
   55, 60, 80, 90, 110 (all 2021)

Amber opal, 800 (2019), 200 (2021)

Amber/red, 225 (2021)

Amberina, 160 (2020), 145 (2021)

Amberina, reverse, 115, 225, 350 (all 2018),
   85, 275 (both 2019)

Amethyst/purple, 40, 45, 55, 70, 75, 105 (all 2021),
   30, 45, 50, 55, 60, 70, 100 (all 2022)

Amethyst, slag in base, 120 (2012), 50 (2017)

Amethyst opal, 525, 700 (both 2021), 650 (2022)

Aqua/teal, 80 (2019), 55 (2020)

Aqua opal, 425, 600, 750, 900 (all 2019),
   240, 425, 675, 700, 750, 1,100 (all 2020)

Blue, 40, 45, 50, 55, 75, 85, 90, 95, 140 (all 2021),
   40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 110, 200, 245 (all 2022)

Blue, opal tips, 1,500 (2006), 1,200 (2013)

Blue, electric, 400 (2019)

Blue, powder, 75, 100 (both 2018),
   50, 190 (both 2019), 80 (2020)

Green (spatula footed, most common),
   35, 40, 45, 110 (all 2021), 20, 35, 60, 90 (all 2022)

Green (collar base), 150 (2021), 190 (2022)

Green, base not specified,
   25, 40, 70, 80, 85, 110, 160, 400, 700 (all 2021),
   60, 85, 90 (all 2022)

Emerald green, 200 (2011), 135 (2020), 250 (2022)

Honey Amber, 50 (2020)

Ice Green opal, 145 (2020)

Lavender, 20, 120 (both 2020), 65 (2021)

Lavender opal, 1,300 (2005), 575 (2021)

Lime green, 85, 95, 130 (both 2020), 40 (2021)

Lime green opal, 325 (2021), 325, 525 (both 2022)

Marigold, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60 (all 2021),
   10, 15, 20, 35, 40 (all 2022)

Marigold on moonstone, 175, 250 (both 2021),
   625, ICS (2022)

Olive green, 45 (2010), 170 (2019)

Peach opal, 40, 105, 120, 160, 190 (all 2021),
   130, 155, 375, 850 (all 2022)

Pink, 370 (2010), 70, 150, 250 (all 2020)

Purple slag, swirl base, 225 (1995)

Red, 300, 350, 425, 500, 550, 625, 850 (all 2021),
   200, 300, 325, 350, 475, 700, 950, 1,100 (all 2022)

Red, electric, 1,050 (2020), 1,600 (2021)

Red opal, 4,750 (2000), 1,025 (2018), 350 (2021)

Red slag, 500 (2010)

Smoke, 185 (2000), 800 (2015), 275 (2019)

Vaseline, 80, 90, 145 (both 2021), 160 (2022)

Vaseline opal, 160, 220, 400 (all 2020),
   150, 500 (both 2021)

Yellow, 800 (2007), 275 (2016)

Yellow opal, 725 (2013), 1,600 (2020)

Yellow opal slag, 2,800 (1998)
Nut bowl, spatula footed

Amber, 18 (2013)

Blue, 245 (2000), 65 (2005)

Marigold, 75 (2010), 45 (2012)

In January of 2003, the www.cga newsletter had reports from a number of readers about the Dragon and Lotus nut bowls (the rarest shapes in the pattern). They were reported in both the spatula footed and collar based and the colors reported were amethyst, blue, green, and marigold.

Plates, about 9 inches

Amethyst, 525 (2020), 120 (2021)

Blue, 800 (2020), 550, 800 (both 2022)

Green, 10,000 (2003)

Marigold, 700, 1,500 (both 2019), 800 (2020),
   625, 800, 1,000 , 1,500, 2,400 (all 2022)

Peach opal, 1,200 (2009), 425, 550 (both 2021)



The plate above, listed as purple, sold at the 2017 Karen Engel auction for $3,500.

In March of 2003, Ardonna Bucher, consumate collector of all things Dragon and Lotus, added some interesting info. She says there are about 4 peach opal spatula footed plates and a lime green opal collar-based plate. As for bowls, Ardonna has a cobalt blue opal ice cream shape bowl and a white spatula footed in the ice cream shape. She knows of a ruffled collar-based bowl in white. And she reports a bowl in root beer color--a brown or very dark amber.

Thanks, Ardonna. That makes at the very least 31 different colors in this pattern. I can't think of any other pattern with anything close to this total.

In May of 2004, Richard Thorne added that he has a spatula-footed marigold plate, an amethyst plate (possibly 3 or 4 known), and reports 3 or 4 plates in peach opal. He has two of the yellow opal slag bowls.

He further says, "Another interesting aspect of Dragon and Lotus is that there are several varieties of non-iridized bowls, either totally or the front side. In addition to the relatively common pink and green depression.pieces, these include red, blue and white (or clear), as well as two with root beer color, one totally (mine) and one on the front side (Bill Mizell)."

Thanks, Dick




Dragonlady Ardonna Bucher has kindly agreed to share some of her Dragon and Lotus rarities with us. Top is an ice cream shape in aqua opal, second is an ice cream shape in blue opal, bottom is an ice cream shape in white.
This photo is of Ardonna's banana boat-shaped piece. Most unusual. I could find none listed in my database of auction results going back to 1993. No doubt a workman's whimsey done just to see if he could do it.
A most unusual and very pretty painted Dragon & Lotus ruffled bowl in the collection of Ardonna Bucher. She talked with Frank Fenton about it and he said it was probably not painted at the factory but more likely by someone who just liked to paint things.
Another of Ardonna's unusual pieces. This shape is usually referred to as a nut bowl. At a glance, it would appear to be a common shape. But not in Dragon and Lotus. I have a total of almost 1,900 examples of sales of Dragon and Lotus in my auction database. Of that number, only six are listed as Nut Bowls.
This wildly painted ruffled bowl in purple sold in 2020 for $450. Photo courtesy of Wroda Auctions.

Updated 1128/2022