Fenton (Williamstown, West Virginia)

Frank L. Fenton: “My particular work was in the matter of design and then I got the idea that if I could do this work for an employer, I could certainly do something for myself. So, with $284 capital, my brother John and I rented an old glass plant in Martin’s Ferry, Ohio, and went into the glass business for ourselves. That was back in 1905.”

Frank L. Fenton's words above featured in a 1946 article by the “Parkersburg News” that profiled Frank and his glass company. The article described how Frank, aged fifteen, had started working for his uncle who ran a bakery and restaurant with an animal feed business “on the side”. Early in the morning Frank would hitch up “the old grey mare” and deliver feed for the animals. He described how he would spend the day delivering and then worked in the restaurant until 10 or 11 o’clock at night. After he graduated from high school, Frank got a job in the only industry in his little home town of Indiana – the Indiana glass plant. After three years there Frank moved in 1900 to Jefferson Glass in Steubenville, Ohio and then on to Bastow Glass in Cowdersport, PA. When Bastow burned down, Frank went to work for Northwood at Wheeling. It was at this point that he realised he could work for himself just as well. First the Fenton brothers established the company at Martin’s Ferry and then, in 1906-7, they moved to Williamstown (where the company still is today).

Carnival Glass was not the first ware to come out of the Fenton factory at Williamstown, but it is arguably the most famous. In 1907 Fenton were making glass reportedly called “iridie” or “iridill” that had a metallic lustre. 1908 witnessed their first trade ad for what we now know as Carnival (see Fenton old and new).

The above illustration is from a 1915 Lee Manufacturing catalogue and it shows a Fenton enamelled water set in the Cherries and Little Flowers design on blue Carnival Glass. It’s described in the catalogue thus: “This exquisite 7 piece Lemonade or Water set contains one extra large size massive 3 ½ quart pitcher and six full size tumblers to match. Made of strong royal blue glass in iridescent finish; richly hand painted.” The set was a free “premium” to Lee’s agents and they would receive it when they submitted an order of $10 or more.

Fenton’s Carnival became a familiar sight all over the world. Not only did they use marketing companies within the USA (such as Butler Brothers and Lee Manufacturing) to distribute their ware, they also exported widely. Here’s a 1928 list of “branch offices and sample rooms” that we found while researching at the Fenton factory in the mid 1990s:

Fenton are also credited with the first known ad for Carnival in 1908 (a “Golden Sunset Assortment” in the Butler Brothers September issue of that year). Trade ads for Fenton’s Carnival also appeared in the British Pottery Gazette through to the 1920s; while in Australia, Fenton’s Carnival was on offer with coupons collected with Bushell’s Tea.

There can’t be many Carnival Glass collections around the world that don’t include an example of Fenton’s glass. Familiar patterns such Peacock & Grape, Dragon & Lotus and Diamond & Rib or their delightful “embroidery” designs like Persian Medallion and Captive Rose are loved and collected by many. Some unusual Fenton patterns and colours are found more often in some countries. For example, the Peter Rabbit pattern seems to turn up in the UK as does the rare Fenton colour, celeste blue. 

Carnival production by Fenton continued into the 1920s (in the early years of which they made their famed red Carnival), tailing off at the end of the decade.

In the 1970s they re-introduced their Carnival Glass often using their original moulds (see Fenton old and new), but clearly marking the re-issues (see “A Century of Carnival Glass” for further information and illustration).

Fenton are unique among the Classic Carnival producers in that they are still in production at the time of writing (2009).

Visit the Fenton picture Gallery