Marigold, clear, white and smoke
Every Carnival maker produced
marigold. It was surely the most popular colour, possibly because it looked good against dark furniture, enlivened
homes and was similar in appearance to some of the more expensive art glass. The crucial and essential
characteristic of marigold is that the base glass is clear. The orange,
or marigold colour was produced by the iron salts (ferric chloride) which were used in
the iridescent spray to give the glass this characteristic colour.
(Standard)
Marigold (includes pale, “wishy washy”
marigold) – do not confuse pale marigold with pastel marigold. Wishy-washy marigold is silvery and pale, with no
other colours in the iridescence.
Pastel marigold – multi-hued highlights shimmer on pastel marigold.
There are limes, purples, pinks, turquoise and more
Pumpkin
marigold – rich, vibrant, deep
tones show in the iridescence: purple, red, orange and more.
|
Sowerby Covered Swan (butter dish), marigold
|
Josef
Inwald Bayleaves vase.
A scarce item in dazzling pastel marigold - an Inwald speciality, indicative of the factory's
high quality work.
|
Northwood Poppy Show plate, pumpkin
marigold
|
The effects of
opalescence
By reheating glass which has a reactive component such as bone ash, the heat-reactive parts turn white. These are
usually on the edges or highest/thickest parts. Many base glass colours become further diversified (or complicated,
if you prefer) by the extra quality of opalescence. Thus we have….peach opal(escent), aqua opal, amethyst opal,
blue opal, red opal and so on.
Peach
opal(escent) – essentially this
is marigold with a white opalescent edge. Note it also shows the same variations in colour as marigold (pale,
pastel, pumpkin, etc).
|
Dugan Lined Lattice vase, peach opal
|
Fenton opalescent Carnival.
Clockwise, top left,
Dragon and Lotus, aqua opal; Dragon and Lotus, vaseline opal; Dragon and Lotus, peach opal;
Peacock and Grape, vaseline opal
|
US Glass Cosmos and Cane tumbler, white
|
|
Imperial Open Rose bowl in blue smoke on a delicate blue-grey base
glass
|
 
Two smoke Imperial vases.
Left:
Imperial Morning Glory, smoke
on light grey base glass
Right:
Parlor Panels, brown
smoke on clear glass
|
Canning Town
Glass Company, England. Detail of a rare
Thistle vase in smoke
|
Clear – no base colour
but with a pastel iridescence
White – clear base glass with a frosty, acid-treated, pastel iridescence
Smoke – the colour “smoke” is quite a complex area in which both iridescence and base colour may
vary. Most smoke is found on clear base glass, however
smoke iridescence can also be found on grey, brown-grey or even blue-grey and milk glass. The iridescence usually
has a predominant “smokey” effect but can vary from smoky yellow and brown effects, through grey to blue-grey and
even greenish smoke effects. Brown smoke iridescence on clear base glass can be quite close to the colour
clambroth.
Research by Joan Doty has shown that the iridescence may have even further variations of colour and
tone.
|