Fashion Contemporary, Imperial

Imperial made these two shapes only during it's contemporary production, not in the classic era. The 6 1/2 inch bell, found only in Meadow Green, are quite hard to find. When they sell in eBay, they don't bring much as few people recognize them. The LIG mark is small and placed on the band where the handle meets the bell. Red toothpick holders should be marked with the IG logo. Using the Imperial mold, Smith makes this pattern in other colors, including blue, pink, white, and purple. Red toothpick holders sell on ebay for $15 to $25, the other colors $10 to $15.

This photo was sent to me by Lane Booker in 2014. Neither he nor I had seen the item before so I inquired around and got a wonderful response from John Valentine.

(in 2021, one of these was sold at auction for $270)

Information from John Valentine:

This compote, named "One-Of-Fifty-Six", was made on July 1st 1966, and presented by the Imperial Glass Corporation, Bellaire, Ohio, as an individual surprise to the 28 A.C.G.A. members and their friends at a luncheon at the Holiday Inn, St Clairsville, Ohio on July 5th, 1966 hostessed by the capable Miss Lucille Kennedy, assistant to Carl W. Gustky, president of the firm. This rare piece was made solely for limited presentation. Also each of the 28 recipients at the luncheon joyfully signed for his gift. The original signature record is to be kept in the archives of the Imperial Glass Corporation, with a Photostat copy to E. Ward Russell, A.C.G.A. president at that time. The remaining 28 compotes of this restricted 56 will be presented as gifts to the Imperial Glass officials and certain other company employees.

Each of the initial 28, now individually owned, is regarded as a hard to come by item of carnival glass. They are not hallmarked. Therefore, they represent the first time that Imperial Glass had departed from its rigid policy of hallmarking current issues of carnival glass with the capital "I" superimposed by the capital "G".

Descriptively, "One-Of-Fifty-Six" is a four-mold, marigold, un-hallmarked jelly compote in the Fashion pattern. It is four and three-quarter inches high. Its top rim, serrated and scalloped, and is four inches in diameter, while its base is serrated and three inches in diameter. The stem is domed slightly and formed in eight delightfully narrow, fluted panels. The top rim has four larger scallops, each with seven serration's, and four smaller scallops with three serration's each. The large and small scallops, of course, are altering.

Thanks was given to the Imperial Glass Corporation, the maker-host-donor of the very beautiful and rare jelly compote.

It is felt that the presentation of detailed information on special carnival glass items, as in the article, will help to keep the record straight for all carnival glass collectors and those who own these presentation pieces now, and those who may fall heir to them in the future, and still others who may seek to acquire them.