Tag Archives: Tenton Potteries

Weekend Finds – Spring 2019

It’s been a while since we did a post on our weekend finds. As we advise in prior posts, hit your local thrift stores and flea markets often. The stock rotates constantly and one never knows what one will find.

I found this mint condition Dunbar Tumble Up, also known as the Bedside Water Carafe, at the Goodwill. It was manufactured by the Dunbar Glass Co., Dunbar, WV sometime between 1930 and 1940.

The Dunbar Flint Glass Co. operated between 1913 and 1953. “Flint” was dropped from the name sometime in the 30’s. In the 20’s, they specialized in producing hand blown refreshment sets made of thin pink or green glass – sometimes lightly etched.  The green is an odd almost a pale olive hue.  The colors cobalt, yellow, ruby, amethyst and topaz were introduced to their line in the 30’s. The factory closed in 1953 and the building was lost to fire in 1954.

The base of the tumbler (drinking glass) doubles as the lid to keep dust and debris out of your water at night. This Tumble Up is a later design and is considered more difficult to find due to the factory closing. It incorporates innovative design changes such as the tumbler sliding inside the neck of the carafe rather than over the neck as most sets do.  By doing this, residual water dripped back into the carafe and not onto your deco furniture. Another tweak is the addition of pouring lip to help prevent drips and spills.

Trenton Pottery "Ball and Buttress" or "Crossley" vase.

The Ball and Buttress or Crossley vase (from the author’s collection)

Call it “Ball and Buttress” or “Crossley”, this deco vase came from the Golden Nugget, Lambertville, NJ. It is part of a modernistic line produced in the 1930’s or 1940’s by The Trenton Potteries Co. in Trenton, N.J.  This is a large and heavy piece at almost 7″ across. Some sources indicate George Crossley designed the shape as part of the 1930 “Tepeco” line made by MCM and later incorporated in 1935 as part of the Trenton Potteries line. I can’t find much information on the Trenton Potteries Co.

George Crossley mined clay in the Blue Ridge mountains of Pennsylvania and between Toms River and Whiting, NJ from 1905 through 1950. His company, located in Trenton, NJ, specialized in brick, pottery and terracotta ware. American clay was considered inferior to English clay. Crossley felt that part of the problem was the immediacy that Americans demanded.  English clay took weeks if not months to process and mellow to remove grit. In comparison, American clay,  handled less and processed quickly, results in a grittier texture. He felt that in time, new processing methods would diminish any significant differences between the two.

Possibly from the 1930’s but most likely from the early 1960’s is this Bohemia lead glass basket; part of the Ingrid collection. This piece was another Goodwill find. I believe the design is by Frantisek Pazourek (1905-1997) for the Curt Schlevogt Factory. The lilac glass has a design of a woman holding Cherubs / Putti.

The Czech Republic produces Bohemia lead crystal glass. The terms crystal and glass changes according to the country.  “Crystal” is used by the Czech Republic to denote high quality glass products containing at least 24% lead oxide. Only then will they refer to it as “lead crystal” and be labeled as such.

We have found so much more on our adventures and we’ll share those with you soon. Keep on hunting and remember: Antiquing is the ultimate in reusing, recycling and renewing!

Chris and Anthony                                                                                                                                (The Freakin’’tiquen Guys)

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