Dugan - Diamond (Indiana, Pennsylvania) 

The Dugan and Northwood families were related by marriage (Tom Dugan was Harry Northwood’s cousin) and not only did the two emigrate from England to the USA in the same year (1881) but they also worked together in the glass industry for several years until 1889 when they went their separate ways. In 1904, Tom Dugan bought the Indiana, PA factory thus establishing the Dugan Glass Company where he, and his brother Alfred, worked until 1913. After that date, the factory became the Diamond Glass-Ware Company (Alfred Dugan returned to work there but Tom did not).

Dugan-Diamond's Beauty Bud vase has the dubious distinction of being (arguably) the last Carnival vase of the Classic era to be advertised in the Butler Brothers’ catalogues in 1931.

Carnival Glass from Dugan-Diamond ranges from show-stopping pieces (the Butterfly and Tulip) through quirky (Brooklyn Bridge) to easily available, often common-place items (Double Stem Rose). The quality of their iridescence exhibits a very varied range, with some stunning black amethyst, celeste blue and fabulous electric green examples at the top end. Peach opal was a colour that Dugan-Diamond excelled at (and they made a range of enamelled peach opal bowls that are truly gorgeous). Interestingly they made very little blue Carnival.

A common fallacy persists that Dugan-Diamond produced a ruby red colour; the fact is they did not. The base colour that some novice collectors perceive as red is actually a deep ruby purple.

This rich crimson purple shade has been given various names, such as the wonderfully descriptive oxblood or fiery amethyst.

Examples of this rich crimson-purple base glass are not easy to find and are often truly spectacular. Dugan was one of the producers of this scarce base color, calling it by the evocative name "African Iridescent"*. Shown above, on the left, is Dugan-Diamond's Holly and Berry bowl in crimson-purple base glass with an electric iridescence that flashes with teals, blues and vivid purples. On the exterior of the bowl there is no iridescence - a typical characteristic of Dugan-Diamond - and the effect is a radium black - as in the centre picture. However, when the bowl is held to the light, as on the right, the base color glows through as crimson-ruby. Quite astonishing.

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