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).
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Dugan-Diamond Carnival was produced from around
1908 through to the very early 1930s, until
tragically a fire razed the factory to the
ground.
Like their Carnival competitors of the time,
they sold through mail order catalogues such as
Butler Brothers.
This is an ad from the 1910 Christmas "Holiday"
edition of the catalogue. The top ad shows 3
enamelled / decorated bowls, a particular
speciality, and the bottom ad shows Stippled
Petals (left) and Ski Star - both these handled
baskets are rare items.
Note that the items with a handle cost 5 cents
more - per dozen that is!
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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.
Visit the Dugan-Diamond
picture gallery
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