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Many of today’s animal figurine collectors started out as children, collecting small glass or bone china animals. In fact, glass animals have become something of a cultural icon: consider the famous Tennessee Williams play, The Glass Menagerie. This nostalgia value and the enduring human interest in animals, birds, fish, and insects combine to give Fenton glass figurines a singular collecting appeal.

At the same time, Fenton figurines aren’t the delicate, spun glass imagined for the Williams play. Fenton figurines are solid glass, in models small enough to occupy limited display space but heavy enough to serve as paperweights.1 Fenton figurine forms run to the whimsical and stylized and are sometimes molded in anthropomorphic positions in which no real animal would ever be found (e.g., the “Daydreaming Bear” model in Chapter 1).

Occasionally, Fenton animal models are found attached to round glass bases by a short, thin column of glass. Known as “bust-off bases” or “fonts,” these were part of the manufacturing process, meant to be broken off and re-melted for other uses, with the break-off point on the base of the animal being polished smooth.2 Animals found with the bust-off bases still intact, which make the animals look like they are sitting on little pedestals, were sometimes sold in the Fenton Gift Shop or made by request for Fenton glass clubs and are especially prized by collectors.

What Makes Fenton Art Glass So Special?

Perhaps the most distinctive aspect of Fenton glass, including its figurines, is the riotous variety of its colors and decoration. Fenton made animal and bird figurines in a surprising number of individual species and probably would have covered the entire animal and bird kingdoms if it hadn’t, unfortunately, been forced to close its major glass-making operations in early 2011. (Fenton is still in business, but its production today is restricted to glass beads.)

Fenton Art Glass was unrivaled in the palette of colors it used. It made many very distinct colors and glass treatments, including the rediscovery or revival of older treatments such as Burmese and chocolate glass that its chemists had to experiment with over long periods before coming up with the right formula to recreate an older glass whose production records had been lost to posterity. At the same time, Fenton tones within a basic color scale were sometimes subtle, so it can be very difficult to distinguish between one shade of Fenton rose or green and several others made in the same color field. Just as one example, Fenton’s 2003 catalog noted that it had more than 60 different formulas for various shades of blue glass! Various shadings of white in Fenton, including milk glass, white satin, opal satin, ivory satin, custard satin, and cameo satin can all be arranged along a continuum that more or less progresses from the stark white of milk glass to the creamy color of custard to the clam broth color of cameo satin. These white and ivory tones were often used as base palettes for hand-painted decorative treatments, which showed off well against them.

Fenton made most of its animals, birds, fish, and butterflies in both decorated and undecorated forms of the same color. In many cases, though, Fenton’s color formulas were so striking that they seemed to need no further decorative enhancement. For example, Fenton has long been credited with the invention of what has come to be called carnival glass, and the various shimmering colors in the iridescence of this glass have always seemed to me to make further painted decoration superfluous. Still, I’ve found that painted decoration even on these surfaces grows on me - perhaps because it is so lushly over the top. Fenton’s skill in glass

decorating is apt, considering that the company actually began in 1905 not as a glass manufacturer but as a glass decorating shop.3

Fenton designers, beginning with the renowned Louise Piper, have always prided themselves on their ability to invent new decorations for glass surfaces. While the animal models were sometimes made as decorative accents for sets of a pattern made in other glass shapes such as vases and bowls, some were used only for a specific animal – the more whimsical and improbable, the better: the mouse “Stylin’ Stella” with her red dress (model #5148 BU, designed by Kim Barley) and the reclining foal decorated with solar system planets (#5057 4A designed by Robin Spindler) are just a couple of examples. Generally speaking, the designers developed the glass decorative treatments and sometimes even the shapes of Fenton glass. The decoration was usually applied by another set of Fenton artists called decorators, and it is the decorator’s name that forms the signature on hand-painted Fenton, including its figurines.4 The decorator’s name is most commonly found on the underside of the base, but sometimes it can be found near the base on a visible part of the figurine.

Certain glass treatments, such as the three Fenton Burmeses5

(where artisans can only control to a limited degree how much pink will show up in any given example and where) and the opalescent and iridized glass colors (where the iridescence or opalescence is unique to each piece) effectively result in one-of-a-kind figurines. Likewise, the hand-painted and hand-applied decoration mean that no example of a Fenton decorated glass pattern is ever exactly the same as any other of the same model in the same pattern. This “one-of” quality of each figurine also enhances their appeal to collectors.

Varied Collecting Opportunities

In addition to its own open line, the Fenton Art Glass Company produced many special-issue figurines at the request of particular groups and retail companies and available only through those organizations. Fenton reproduced the Heisey mold figurines, for instance, at the request of the Heisey Glass Collectors of America. Fenton also made special items for its own glass clubs, such as the Fenton Art Glass Collectors of America and the National Fenton Glass Society and regional clubs such as the Pacific Northwest Fenton Association. Sample items and “preferred seconds” were also offered for sale exclusively through the company’s own Gift Shop. Beginning in the late 1980s, Fenton’s fruitful collaboration with the QVC shopping network also led to the production of models solely for QVC. Sometimes, Fenton made glass for other glass distributors operating under their own names, such as Rosso, for whom Fenton made several figurines in topaz

Introduction

Figure 0.1 - This photo of two Fenton birds in Barely Blue Satin model #5163 BB (left) and Blue Satin #5163 BA (right) shows but two of the differences in Lladró’s many shades of blue; these two were the primary blue shades used for satin treatments. The darker blue satin was used for undecorated models, and the lighter blue mostly as a canvas background for decorative treatments such as Blue Roses. It is unusual to find an example of an undecorated Barely Blue model.

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and topaz opalescent glass, and the Levay Company, for whom Fenton made all manner of glass shapes and forms that included figurines, most notably the Alley Cat (model #5177). It also made glass for other well-known gift and retail companies such as Lenox and Sears Roebuck.

There are several ways to organize a Fenton figurine collection without going broke:

* Collecting by glass treatment (e.g., only decorated milk glass, or only satin glass, or only Burmese or Rosalene – or, as in my own case, some limited combination of these);* Collecting by particular animal species (e.g., Fenton bears, cats, dogs, elephants, or mice, to name a few of the more popularly collected species);* Collecting by particular model shape (e.g., only Alley Cats or only Stylized Cats or only Seated Bears);* Collecting by period of production (say, only figurines made in the late 1970s and early 80s); * Collecting by distribution point (e.g., only available to Fenton collector clubs or only sold in the Fenton Gift Shop or only through QVC or Rosso); * Collecting by glass color or shade (since Fenton has made so many shades of pink, blue, green, white, and so on).

Any one of these options for specialization could provide the basis for a substantial collection.

Other Animal Figural Models and Non-Animal Figurines Made by Fenton

I have not included in the catalog tables of this book so-called “figurals,” functional items such as covered dishes, fairy lights, eggcups and the like made in the shape of animals or birds. That would require a whole additional book! Wherever possible, though, I will include “Figural Alerts” in the chapter text to flag functional items made in animal or bird forms.

In addition to the animal, bird, and insect forms shown in this book, Fenton also made a substantial number of figurines in clothing-related themes (shoes, boots, and hats). Fenton made only a few human figurines, including a ballerina form modeled on one of the Fenton children (“Natalie,” model # 5270), a Bridesmaid (model #5228), a Southern Belle (model #5141), a model called “Little Sister” (model #5238), pairs of Praying Children and Kissing Children, and several clowns (model #s 5111 and 5216-5219). Angels and Santas were also made in many models and sizes, with the angels forming an especially large subcategory. Fenton has also produced a substantial number of gorgeously hand-painted glass eggs and even a few Christmas trees in various sizes. Again, these non-animal figurines are beyond the scope of this book and are mentioned here only for information purposes.

Notes on Glass Treatments

Fenton’s process for creating its glass treatments sometimes changed over time, either in response to environmental concerns and regulations or to resolve other production problems such as unacceptable levels of kiln breakage or to alter certain glass concoctions, such as an original formula for Rosalene, so corrosive that they literally ate through production vats.6 Perhaps the treatment subject to the most evolution over time was satin glass, which is non-glossy and matte, with a feel similar to matte

porcelain. Also like matte porcelain, it is subject to black surface marks if it’s been “knocked around” too much. In most cases, these marks can be removed with a bit of dampened baking soda, which serves as a mild, non-destructive abrasive that removes the marks without damaging the finish.

Originally and throughout the 1980s and early 90s, satin glass was made by a process that used corrosive chemicals to produce the finish. By the mid 90s, the finish was produced by the far more environmentally friendly process of sand-blasting. Then, shortly before the company’s closing, I bought a frog model in sky blue satin that came with a note that the finish had been “achieved by coating it with a natural finish protectant normally used on leather, rubber, vinyl, and plastic.” Apparently, this finish is subject to wear (and the notice implies that even regular cleaning may be enough to constitute “wear”) that has to be restored by “gently wiping the surface with a clean cloth lightly sprayed with the protectant,” which the note goes on to say can be acquired in any automotive supply or hardware store. It is unclear to me whether this “protectant” is a feature of that particular glass color or whether it is characteristic of all late Fenton Satin Glass.

To be on the safe side then, the baking soda cleaning method is not recommended for this recent-issue satin, and the extra steps to be taken in maintaining it are enough, it seems to me, to prefer the earlier satins. However, if a collector loves the look of a particular recent satin finish (as, for example, I’m partial to Sky Blue Satin), a few of these newer satins may creep into a collection. Collectors are simply advised to avoid, as much as possible, normal wear and tear on later satins that may not be as easy to clean as earlier versions of satin glass.

A Word About Values

Generally speaking, items made in special glass treatments such as Burmese and Rosalene run higher in secondary market value, in a range of $45-$65 depending on when they were retired. Decorated (hand painted or fritted [ground glass]) satin glass (a

Figure 0.2 - “Stylin’ Stella” (model #5148 BU), designed by Kim Barley, is pretty much the height of whimsy as well as fashion!

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matte, opaque glass that is silky to the touch) runs generally in the $30-$45 range, though harder to find glass treatments such as Raspberry and Lavender Satin may run higher. Items with intact bust-off bases can also command a premium. Decorated crystal (transparent) glass in various colors runs in the $20-$30 range. Undecorated crystal and transparent glass in common colors are the least expensive of the figurines, in a range of $15-$25. These values assume pristine condition; unless the item it extraordinarily rare, a chipped or cracked piece of glass is essentially worthless for resale purposes.

All bets are off, however, on the values of special or one-of-a-kind figurines, e.g., those painted by Louise Piper, Fenton’s First Lady of Decoration. Anything that came from her hand is likely to exceed, to a breath-taking degree, the value estimates above.7

Another factor that affects value is the difficulty in making a given model or color treatment, which may result in only a few items coming off the line before the model or color is discontinued. As shown in the various chapters of this book, these would include, for example, the hand-blown Cranberry glass bear, for which collectors had been clamoring but which proved simply

too delicate to make, and the Chanticleer in Periwinkle Blue, whose intricate feather pattern likewise made it too vulnerable to production damage. The latter is so lovely but so scarce that it will set a collector back several hundred dollars!

Rarity for reasons other than production problems will also drive price. An item made in limited quantities will obviously be worth more than an item made in the many thousands. However, in the case of Fenton, where so many of the processes involve hand-working, it must also be said that production will be inherently limited by the amount of a given model that can be hand-decorated within any time period. This reality offers us some perspective on the term “limited edition.” The concept of a “limited edition” is a late 20th century retail invention that became widespread throughout the collectibles industry, and it may be aptly described as a the general collectibles industry’s attempt to boost sales using an appeal to exclusivity. Consider, however, that there are an estimated 1,000 members of the national Fenton Art Glass Collectors of America – i.e., hard-core Fenton collectors willing to ante up an annual dues fee for the privilege of gathering with those of like mind. If we can assume

Figure 0.3 - With this decorative treatment of planets floating on a foal (model #5057 4A), we’ve left terra firma and entered the realm of the cosmic! Still, there’s something inherently appealing about that incongruence. The base color on the model is Indigo Blue. [Photo by the author courtesy of Ben and Linda Bensinger of Hedge House, Dublin, NH]

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this represents at least a bare majority of the country’s most avid Fenton collectors, a limited edition of, say, 5,000 really isn’t all that limited. Consequently, the lowest possible numbers in a limited edition are considered the most desirable, and editions limited to 100 or less are considered more desirable still.

Finally, it should be noted that several of the items in Fenton’s 2011 catalog never actually made it into production before the company was forced to close its major glass production, and other items from 2011 were made in very limited quantities. Because Fenton’s latter-day animals were so well executed and so finely painted, they have been popular among collectors. This means that items from Fenton’s final year of production are likely to be scarce and to appreciate in value faster than late issues of a collectible normally would.

Other than giving these general guidelines for value, I have not attempted to price individual figurines featured in this book since the guidelines alone should assist readers in judging approximate values. Readers should be aware that there is no such thing as “absolute” value, and even “book” value (e.g., from price guides) is often more fantasy than fact. Ultimately, and speaking strictly from a monetary perspective, what any given item is worth to a seller is what a buyer would be willing to pay for it.

Layout for This Book

This book gives a history and description of each mold, along with at least one representative photo or group photo of that mold wherever I was able to take a photo of the model. (Except as indicated when collections featured in the book belong to someone else, photos were taken by the author from the author’s own collection.) Each chapter ends with a table of all glass treatments in which the models in that chapter were known to have been made – although, despite my best efforts to be inclusive, I’m sure I’ve missed some along the way! Where there were production difficulties in particular colors or forms, this fact will also be noted.

Photography is notoriously unfaithful in reproducing original color, which adds to the challenge of color identification. Every effort has been made to make the photography in this book as faithful to actual color as possible. The color nuances within particular color ranges, however, may remain a problem for collectors trying to distinguish them (e.g., when shopping) without benefit of side-by-side comparisons of actual items.

I should also mention some deliberate omissions from the tables. “With one exception to be explained later in the book, I have not included items that were decorated by artists outside the Fenton company.” Occasionally, outside decorators bought Fenton blanks and decorated them in their own designs that were usually not imitations of designs in the regular Fenton line. However, I have also seen some examples of the popular Violets in Winter pattern on Fenton non-figurine items that I did not believe were done by Fenton artists. Likewise, a Santa Bear (model #5151) has allegedly also been found decorated by artists outside the company in colors very close to the Fenton version. (After all, there are only so many ways you can vary a Santa suit!) Whether or not they are done by Fenton decorators, these items are generally signed with the artist’s name, so, if you have any doubt about the authenticity of a decoration, it’s always a good idea to check the roster of known Fenton artists to be sure the person who signed yours was an authorized Fenton decorator. A list of Fenton decorators can be found on the very informative “Fenton Fanatics” website, www.fentonfan.com.

I have also deliberately eliminated from the tables any item I thought was absolutely one of a kind since there is no realistic opportunity for collectors to acquire any given unique item. If I

couldn’t verify that it had at least a limited production run, if only as a few sample items in the Fenton Gift Shop, I have not included it in the tables.

Finally, I have not included in the tables any glass treatments applied by other companies to Fenton blanks, most notably the Rueven treatment applied by the Nouveau Art Glass Company in the 1980s and 90s to crystal Fenton blanks.8 If the item wasn’t made entirely by Fenton, I have not included it in this book.

Tables follow each chapter, with chapters arranged by animal type. The tables, in turn, are arranged by model type (mostly alphabetically, though in some cases, I have boosted to the top of the table a model name that I consider to be the “core model” for that Fenton grouping) and by alphabetical glass treatment title within those model types. I trust this arrangement of the book, along with the table of contents, will fulfill most or all of a reader’s specific navigation needs within the book. Although I generally prefer to include a paginated alphabetical index in the back of my own collector books and find the lack of such an index frustrating in collector books written by others, an alphabetical index in this particular case seems superfluous since it could do little more than list what is already alphabetically available in the tables and since individual chapter content and photo references can be easily enough accessed using the Table of Contents.

Something I did think would be a “value added” addition to the book, however, is an appendix of photo “swatches” of some of the more popular Fenton Glass decorative treatments that would help collectors identify specific decorations. I have not included every possible decoration, but I trust I’ve included enough of them that readers will find this appendix useful.

Finally, I decided to include some representative photos after each chapter to illustrate items featured in the chapter, with each “photo gallery” titled in the name of the animal group for that particular species. Hence, readers will find not only a flock of birds and a gaggle of geese but, just for example, a sloth of bears and a gaze of raccoons. So have fun: I did!

Figure 0.4 - A late introduction to the Fenton color line, the Sky Blue Satin of this frog model #5274 F4 has a special finish that doesn’t take well to traditional satin glass cleaning with a light abrasive such as baking soda. Gotta love that color, though!

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Notes

1For this reason, I have included in the book at least one fish model specifically identified by the company as a paperweight, as it is often difficult, on the basis of sight alone, to tell the difference between a Fenton paperweight and a purely decorative figurine.

2The lack of pontil marks on the base of its products is, in fact, one of the things that distinguishes Fenton glass from glass made in the Victorian era, where the pontil marks remain rough and visible.

3William Heacock, Fenton Glass; The First Twenty-five Years (Marietta, OH: The Glass Press, Inc, 1978), 8.

4Occasionally, one is lucky enough to find an item painted and signed by one of the Fenton designers.

5After Fenton chemist Charles Goe’s rediscovery of the formula to make the lovely yellow-and-rose shade of Burmese glass from the Victorian era, Fenton went on to develop two new kinds of Burmese: Blue Burmese, in which the rose tinged a base color of gray-violet and Lotus Mist Burmese, in which the base color was a pale green. The rose shading was the common denominator in all three types of Burmese and was achieved by

subjecting the edges of the heat-sensitive base color to additional firing. The effects are unique to each piece and depend upon the vagaries of the fire so that the rose highlight can range from nearly obscuring the underlying color to being almost entirely swallowed up by the base color. Whether a collector prefers more or less of the highlight color in the glass is a matter of individual taste and can generally be met by the varying degrees of rose that will be found in each production of Burmese glass.

6See William Heacock, Fenton Glass; The Third Twenty-Five Years (Marietta, OH: The Glass Press, Inc., 1994), 45 for an interesting description of this Rosalene production problem in an extended quote from Frank Fenton.

7I confess that, despite its wild popularity, Piper’s work on figurines is not always my cup of tea.” Piper often used the primary colors in her paints, which, when applied to glass treatments with a more pastel affinity, such as Burmese glass, can give her work a gaudy, over-the-top appearance. Still, there’s no denying the collectability of her work, and if you’re lucky enough to have any of her mostly one-of-a-kind work in your collection, other collectors would be Jade Green with envy!

8Rueven was a species of iridescence or satinization that resulted in a swirling color that I can only describe as “muddy” – sort of akin to the color of the used water in a watercolors paint set. A substantial number of Fenton crystal blanks were subjected to this treatment at Nouveau Glass, and they must have been popular because that company kept the Ruevens in production for several years spanning two decades. Nevertheless, I consider them, for purposes of this book, to be the corporate equivalent of blanks decorated by individual decorators outside the company and, therefore, as beyond the scope of this book.

Figure 0.4 - I confess I have no earthly idea what specific color to attach to this alley cat (model #5177). Among the several possibilities of pink iridized glass in which this model is known to have been made are Dusty Rose Carnival (made for QVC), Petal Pink Iridized (made for QVC), Country Peach Iridized (AKA Pink Transparent Iridized and made for Levay), and Velva Rose Stretch (made in-line and considered rare because less than 200 were made). Unless I saw all four colors together with official color-identification labels attached to each, I’m quite sure telling one from the other is beyond me!

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Although Fenton made some figural items (hens on nests, for instance) prior to 1960, there are few actual Fenton figurines (i.e., purely decorative shapes with no functional purpose) that date before the late 1960s. The first purely decorative figurines, come out as early as 1917, in a company inventory list of several dozen small butterflies. In his book Fenton: The First 25 Years, William Heacock shows a photo of these butterflies, which were made in the dozens and which Heacock suggests may have been “giveaways” with purchase of other glass.1 Although Fenton Art Glass Collectors of America (FAGCA) notes a 1928 mosaic glass pig,2 this item was a one-of-a-kind “whimsy” made by a Fenton employee at the end of a glass run.3 (Off-hand glass was typically made from the remnants of glass batches at the end of a turn or shift in order to use up this extra molten glass, so there would have been many of these unique or prototypic “one-ofs” throughout Fenton’s history. These also earned the tongue-in-cheek name “lunch box specials” because they often went home with the workers who had made them.) In the early to mid 1930s, Fenton made a Fish (#306) and a novelty Bulldog (#307).4 The dog was also made in very similar mold by at least two other glass companies, Westmoreland and Lancaster; the Fenton version is distinguished by a pencil-width hole in the base, which the dogs made by the other two companies do not have.5

The first in-line Fenton figurine (that is, a model produced for direct sale to its own customers) was the Happiness Bird (#5197), made from a Paden City mold and first sold to Fenton customers in milk and ebony glass in a relatively short window between 1953 and 1956. After that, the model doesn’t reappear in the line again until 1968.6

The heyday of high volume production of Fenton animal models didn’t really begin until the early 1970s and extended to the company’s closing of its giftware and collectibles lines in 2011. That’s more than 40 years of figurine production, with each mold being produced in multiple glass treatments, which means lots of collecting opportunities today. Innovation came occasionally from the issue of new models but more often from a seemingly endless parade of new glass colors and new templates of hand-painted and applied decoration. It was this prolific creativity of Fenton color chemists and designers that has kept collectors coming back

for more versions of the same molds.Each Fenton item, including figurines, has its own model

number, with the first four digits signifying the mold style and the second two (which may consist of two letters, a letter and a number, or two numbers) signifying the particular glass color or decorative treatment. Given the sheer volume of glass colors and decorative treatments developed for the Fenton line, these codes can occasionally be confusing, and are not necessarily the best indicators, taken by themselves, for identifying an item. The DC code, for example that had formerly belonged to the Daisies on Custard treatment of the 1970s was also used in the 2000s for the “Dewdrops” line, an entirely different motif.

Mostly, Fenton used its own mold designs, but it also bought molds from defunct glass companies such as Paden City, Verlys and Tiffin. Fenton versions of these older glass molds can be distinguished by Fenton marks (for items produced beginning in the 1970s, when Fenton began marking its items with an embossed name logo) or by the use of Fenton colors never seen in the originals (e.g., Fenton made its Heisey mold animals in colors not used by Heisey itself). There are other telltale mold differences as well between Fenton items and what might on the surface appear to be the same items made by other companies. One of the things that has made Fenton so popular with collectors is the integrity of this family-owned company, which has always been careful to distinguish its own work from that of its contemporaries among early 20th century American glassmakers within the mold-

Chapter 1- An Overview of the Fenton Bestiary

Figure 1.1 - The Happiness Bird model, made from an old Padin City mold, was the first figurine to be produced in Fenton’s regular retail line. It was made in ebony and milk glass in the early 1960s, but then dropped out of the line and didn’t appear again until Fenton began making it in crystal glass in 1968. This Blue Satin version of the Happiness Bird first appeared in the line in 1971.

Figure 1.2 - This Daisies on Custard bunny (model #5162 DC) appeared in the Fenton regular line between 1978 and 1981. The design was produced using a combination of hand-painting and white glass frit (ground glass). The decorative code is the letter or letter-number combination that appears after the model number, but Fenton would become so prolific in its decoration that this DC code was recycled for another treatment that came out in the 2000s, Dewdrops on Opal Satin.

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acquiring and mold-imitating culture of the general decorative glass industry.

As Fenton designers prided themselves on coming up with new and innovative design patterns for all the company’s glass, so Fenton decorators (i.e., painters) prided themselves on their work – and, in fact, the base of each decorated piece, including figurines, is hand-signed by the painter. For in-line items made for general distribution, production quota pressures meant that none of the animal patterns could be too elaborate. Over the years, though, Fenton painters got better and better at their work so that the painting tended to become finer and finer even within fairly simple patterns. It’s sadly ironic that, by the time its main production furnace went dark in 2011, Fenton’s artists, both designers and decorators, were producing some of the finest work in the firm’s long and illustrious history.

Notes

1William Heacock, Fenton Glass; The First Twenty-five Years (Marietta, OH: The Glass Press, Inc, 1978), 78.

2As cited by LaVeria McMichael, “Fenton Animals (Part I, II, and III)” in Caught in the Butterfly Net; A Collection of Articles Gathered from The Butterfly Net (Marietta, OH: Fenton Art Glass Collectors of America), 12.

3Heacock shows an actual photo of this item, a highly stylized item with a bottle-shaped body that looks like nothing else ever made in Fenton glass: Heacock, 28.

4McMichael, 13.

5Tara Coe McRitchie, Fenton Glass Cats and Dogs. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 2002), 99.

6McMichael, 13.

Figure 1.3 - This Heisey mold elephant was made by Fenton as a special order for the Heisey Club of America (HCA) in 1987. When Fenton used the molds of other companies, ether as a commission or because Fenton had bought the molds of defunct competitors, it differentiated the Fenton versions by using colors, in this case French Opalescent, not used by the original company. Fenton was also careful to mark its products to differentiate original-company glass from its own glass using that company’s mold. The center base on the reverse side of this elephant has embossed lettering that says HCA, and, at the rear of the elephant near the base, there is an embossed oval with the scripted letter F to identify it as a Fenton version of the mold.

Figure 1.4 - A Lenton Rose on Burmese polar bear (model #5109 FJ) was one of the last items issued in the regular Fenton line, Christmas 2011. The decoration is exquisitely painted, as were many of the 2011 decorative treatments. While the Lenton Rose and the Christmas Rose are technically different subspecies, the names are often used interchangeably, and Fenton often used a Lenten Rose motif on its Christmas issues. As such, the decoration is more versatile for year-round display than is normally the case with Christmas décor.

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Chapter 2- The Bears

Bears were among the most popular of the Fenton animal figurines, and of these, the model most frequently produced was the Seated Bear, also known as Sitting Bear Cub (model #5151). The model first came into its own with production of decorated and undecorated satin glass models beginning in the late 1970s. There are two ways to make decorative glass: pressed glass (made by pouring liquid glass into a mold, much as porcelain slip is poured into a mold) and blown glass (either freely off a blowpipe or blown into a mold). Fenton did both pressed and blown glass, and glassblowers have enjoyed an esteemed position among Fenton artisans. Some shapes, colors, and forms, however, do not lend themselves to blown glass treatments.

Most Fenton figurines, for example, are mold-poured, which results in a heavy, solid glass – with certain rare exceptions. Fenton has always been very responsive to the needs and interests of collectors, who had been clamoring for a Seated Bear model in cranberry glass, one of Fenton’s most popular and famous glass colors. Trouble was that cranberry is a blown glass color. Never a company to be deterred by a challenge (as we’ll see throughout this book), Fenton made the attempt and produced a few of the Seated Bear in cranberry glass. These proved impractical for large-scale production, as they were predictably delicate and brittle.1

Blown glass bears were made in at least two other Fenton colors in addition to the Country Cranberry mentioned above: Royal Purple and Wild Rose Overlay. The latter two colors were produced for the 1998 Convention Special Room of the Fenton Art Glass Collectors of America, with some of the Royal Purple also making their way into the Fenton Gift Shop.2 We should also consider the blown glass Seated Bears designed by Dave Fetty in his famous Hanging Hearts pattern. These were made in chameleon green with black hanging hearts and in milk glass with red hanging hearts. Only 50 of these were made in each color. Any blown Fenton figurine, of whatever model or designer, should be considered rare.

Another glass color that had production problems was True Blue, which was intended to be a cobalt slag. A Seated Bear was also attempted in this color (model #5151 IK). The color is considered rare today because, in whatever shape or form it was attempted, the cobalt would not fuse easily with the milk glass, and many items simply broke apart in the kiln. A similar problem arose when Fenton tried to make the bear in Spruce Green Slag;

the green color simply would not fuse well with the milk glass, and very few of these made their way out of “sample” status.

A particularly clever and popular retail seller for the Seated Bear model was “Pumpkin Head Bear” (model #5151 QL), produced for Halloween 2006 when Fenton decorators noted that the rounded shape of the bear’s head made a perfect jack-o-lantern. The bear was also a natural for a Santa model.

Fenton made a miniature version of the seated bear, Mini or Baby Bear (model #5251). These were occasionally sold in sets that included a standard-size Seated Bear. This was a relatively late-arriving model on the Fenton animal scene, with the first items being made in year 2000.

It was perhaps inevitable that Fenton should produce a Polar Bear (model #5109) given the popularity of this (sadly threatened) animal. The model itself was arguably the most naturalistic in its resemblance to an actual bear in comparison to the teddy bear style of the other Fenton bears. Most decorated polar bear models were made for Christmas release and are painted with

Figure 2.1 - At left is a rear view of the Seated Bear in the Berries ‘n Blossoms on Opal Satin decoration (model #5151 RK) made from 1984 to 1986, at right a front view of Victorian Roses on Opal Satin (model #5151 VJ) made from 1987-88. [Photo by the author, courtesy of Ben and Linda Bensinger, Hedge House, Dublin, NH]

Figure 2.2 - This is one of the very few blown glass bears that was ever produced in the #5151 mold. Collectors had been clamoring for a cranberry glass bear; cranberry glass, however, is a blown glass treatment that doesn’t lend itself to the mold glass treatments that are typical of Fenton figurines. Game for anything, Fenton tried blowing the glass into the mold, but the items produced proved too delicate and brittle for large-scale production, and this item is today considered rare. [Photo by the author, courtesy of Ben and Linda Bensinger, Hedge House, Dublin, NH]

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Christmas themes although the Lenten Rose and Royal Lenten Rose decorations for Christmas are also suitable for year-round décor.

Normally, Fenton animal models tend more to the whimsical than the naturalistic, and perhaps none of its animals are more whimsical than Reclining Bear (model #5233) and Day Dreaming Bear (model #5239). Both models adopt poses that make them look like they’re enjoying a day at the beach (and, in fact, Fenton decorators couldn’t resist a “Beach Babies” version of the Reclining Bear, complete with bikini bathing suit, beach towel sold separately). Generally speaking, these two models don’t seem to have been as popular with collectors as the Seated Bear and the slightly more realistic Polar Bear. For all its popularity, however, the Seated Bear was appearing less frequently in the regular retail line by the first decade of the new century as Fenton began experimenting with newer animal models in other species.

Notes

1In his Fenton Glass Compendium 1985-2001 (Schiffer Publishing, 2003), page 185, John Walk has a photo of this item, whose caption gives it a value in considerable excess of other models without explaining the price discrepancy. A painted version of this blown Cranberry model is also featured in Walk’s Fenton Rarities, 1940-1985 (Schiffer Publishing, 2002), where Walk explains the value as being commensurate with demand for an item produced in low numbers for a short period. Walk calls the color treatment Ruby Overlay, which is in fact what Fenton called it much of the time, but most collectors still refer to it as Cranberry because, when you hold one of these Cranberry items beside any item produced in Fenton’s true ruby colors, there is a distinct difference. According to the Fenton Fanatics Animals Database (www.fentonfan.com), a blown form of this bear was also attempted in crystal, as a special order about which no further information is available. That item may be apocryphal, as I find it mentioned in no other source. I did, however, find evidence of some Dave Fetty “Hanging Hearts” treatments in a blown glass version of this bear model.

2Found, with photos of items and bases, in Fenton Fanatics web pages, www.fentonfan.com.

Figure 2.3 - “L’il Punkin” on Opal Satin (model #5151 QL) and “Happy Santa” on Opal Satin (model #5151 NS). The Seated Bear model lends itself very well to these clever holiday decorative treatments.

Figure 2.4 - This model #5251 is a miniature version (2.5” H) of the regular Seated Bear model (4” H). This particular model was made as part of a three-item set made for Fenton’s Yahoo E-Group in a treatment called Purple Roses on Lotus Mist Burmese, that consisted of a regular Seated Bear and this and another miniature bear, the other with eyes closed. Only 241 of the sets were made.

Figure 2.5 - A grouping of Fenton polar bears for Christmas, counter-clockwise from far left: “Snowflake” on Opal Satin (#5109 DB) for Christmas 2001, “Hot Toddy” on Opal Satin (#5109 V4) for Christmas 2002, “Blizzard (Let It Snow)” on Opal Satin (#5109 WX) for Christmas 2003, Royal Lenten Rose on French Opalescent Iridized (#5109 FJ) for Christmas 2002, and Lenten Rose on Burmese (#5109 NK) for Christmas 2011. [Photo by the author, courtesy of Ben and Linda Bensinger, Hedge House, Dublin, NH)

Figure 2.6 - This Blue Burmese Bear Set, left to right Reclining Bear (model #5233), Seated Bear (model #5151), and Daydreaming Bear (model #5239), with the bears wearing little sundresses and decorated with flowers and ladybugs, is typical of the almost outrageous whimsy of many Fenton animal models. One imagines it must have been a great deal of fun to be a Fenton designer! The set was made for QVC.

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A Sloth of Bears

Sloth.1 & 2 - Front and rear views of Berries ‘n Blossoms on Opal Satin, model #5151 RK.

Sloth.5 - Trellis on French Opalescent (#5151 DX) is a bit of an oddity in its nomenclature, as there’s no trellis evident on the piece, whose decoration consists of a floral in a delicate pink color.

Sloth.6 - A group of Christmas bears, left to right: “Happy Santa” on Opal Satin (#5151 NS) from Christmas 1990, Opal Mist decorated with red sweater and holly (#5151 5E) from Christmas 2006, and PJ Babies on Opal Satin (#5151 3R) from Christmas 2006. The PJ Babies was a series of various Fenton animals done in green frit pajamas (3R) and red frit pajamas (3H). [Photo by the author, courtesy of Ben and Linda Bensinger, Hedge House, Dublin, NH]

Sloth.7 - Opal Satin Bear decorated with hand-painted face and toes and wearing original red and green striped ribbon around neck (#5151 NX) was in-line in 1984 and ‘85. Fenton made a number of bears in Crystal, Opal Satin, and French Opalescent with these ribbons around their necks. It is said to be rare to find them with the original ribbons intact. Personally, I’m not sure what difference it should make one way or the other, since the ribbon is not an organic part of the figurine.

Sloth.3 - This cobalt blue bear with delicate white daisy floral (model #S515 VT) was developed for Open House and Fenton Rep Events held at local Fenton dealerships. [Photo by the author, courtesy of Patty Whiteneck]

Sloth.4 - Fenton made countless items, among them a number of animal and bird figurines, for sale on the QVC shopping network, a partnership that proved felicitous for both companies in a relationship that lasted more than 20 years, from 1988 until Fenton ceased major glass production in 2011. Among the most popular Fenton items featured on QVC were these “Birthstone Bears,” one for each month, with a different colored rhinestone necklace to correspond to the stone associated with that month. The July example shown here (model #C5151 AG) has its original hang tag and dates from the mid 1990s.

Sloth.8 - Another of the “ribbon bears” is Icicle Kingdom on Frosted Crystal Satin (#5151 VI). The bow is a maroon felt, and the gold star is integral to this treatment. The ribbon on this treatment is actually attached, unlike the other ribbon treatments where the bow is merely tied on. This bear was in-line for Christmas 1994-95. [Photo by the author, courtesy of Ben and Linda Bensinger, Hedge House, Dublin, NH]

Sloth.9 - In Fenton figurines, some glass treatments are best viewed from the back. This pattern is called Morning Mist on Milk Glass (#5151 CG), with white dewdrops painted on a pattern of pale blue foliage. Milk glass provides a wonderfully bright white canvas, even for subtle pastel tones like this.

Sloth.10 - Another glass treatment viewed most fully from the back is Lilacs on Milk Glass (#5151 PJ). [Photo by the author, courtesy of Ben and Linda Bensinger, Hedge House, Dublin, NH]

Sloth.12- Baby Girl Bear on Opal Satin (#5151 BP) was painted in delicate heart pastels. A Baby Boy version was also made; the two are distinguished by the pink footpad on the Baby Girl and the blue footpad on the Baby Boy. Otherwise, the heart colors on the two models are the same. This bear was part of a number of opal satin items with pastel colors made as baby gifts. [Photo by the author, courtesy of Ben and Linda Bensinger, Hedge House, Dublin, NH]

Sloth.11 - Pearly Sentiments on Opal Satin Iridized (#5151 PT) has always struck me as an especially improbable decorative treatment for some of the animal models, but it works well enough on the Seated Bear model with its teddy-bear form, and customers must have liked it well enough, too, because it was in the Fenton line from 1988 to 1993. This treatment has a pink ribbon and pink porcelain rose with green porcelain leaves around the animal’s neck. The rose was also occasionally produced in blue with a blue ribbon or yellow with a green ribbon. [Photo by the author, courtesy of Ben and Linda Bensinger, Hedge House, Dublin, NH]

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Sloth.17 - “Inspirations” on French Opalescent Reclining Bear (#5233 Q4) is made in an interesting color gradation in which the glass shades from top to bottom in light green to blue to the cloudy white mix of regular French Opalescent.

Sloth.18 - Holly Berry on Opal Satin Reclining Bear (#5233 HL) was made for Christmas 1988.

Sloth.19 & 20 - Front and rear views of a “signature treatment” for QVC that was called Daisies on Burmese Satin (C5239 4N). Fenton made several animal and bird models in this treatment exclusively for distribution on QVC in 1998. Check out the little paw pads in the rear view of this model.

Sloth.21 - A group of PJ Babies (left to right, #5151 3R Seated Bear, #5239 3H Daydreaming Bear, and #5233 3R Reclining Bear). These and other animal models were each made in red and green versions of the PJs, which are made of colored glass frit (ground glass). Animals with the red PJs also had a green holly spray with red berries painted on top of the head. Years of production for PJ Babies were 2005-06. [Photo by the author, courtesy of Ben and Linda Bensinger, Hedge House, Dublin, NH]

Sloth.22 - This is the miniature version of the Seated Bear, about half the size of the regular version. This one is done in Pink Chiffon from the “Hugs for You” series (#5251 N5). On the rear of the bear, “Friends Forever” is painted in gold. Years of production were 2001-02.

Sloth.24 - Polar Bear in Topaz Opalescent (#5109 TO) made for Rosso glass. Topaz Opalescent and, later, Chameleon Green were signature colors for this glass distributor, with which Fenton had a long-standing relationship. This model was made in 2002. Fenton’s Topaz color variants were made with uranium as one of their elements; as such, they will fluoresce under blacklight.

Sloth.23 - Icicle Kingdom on Opal Frost Polar Bear (#5109 VI) has the maroon felt ribbon and gold star characteristic of this particular decoration.

Sloth.14 - French Opalescent Bear with original red polka dot cloth ribbon (#5151 FO) appeared in-line in 1986. Lose the ribbon (as often happens with these animals with ribbons tied on) and what you have is a plain French Opalescent bear – and that’s not bad, either! The opalescent edges of the glass are different in every example made of this color.

Sloth.15 - The glass treatment for this Reclining Bear is Daybreak on Fern Green (#5233 DY) in-line for 2005. [Photo by the author, courtesy of Ben and Linda Bensinger, Hedge House, Dublin, NH]

Sloth.16 - Rose Garden on Opal Satin Reclining Bear (#5233 EG).

Sloth.13 - This Seated Bear in Glistening Woods on Opal Satin (#5151 6I) was part of a suite of animals made in this glass treatment for Christmas 2007. The treatment is characterized by soft airbrushed color accents over the opal satin and then covering the whole in glass glitter. [Photo by the author, courtesy of Ben and Linda Bensinger, Hedge House, Dublin, NH]

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Known Versions of Fenton BearsModel and # Glass Treatment Made For Yrs of Production1

Seated Bear5151 JY Arbor Blossoms on Petal Pink In-line 1993

5151 Asters & Butterflies on Opal Satin Cracker Barrel Unknown

5151 KF Aubergine, undecorated Rosso 2006

5151 NE Aubergine Carnival, limited to 388 Rosso 2007

5151 AM Autumn Gold, undecorated In-line 2005

5151 Autumn Leaves on Opal Satin In-line 1985

5151 Autumn Leaves and Berries on Opal Satin A Collector’s Paradise 2002

C5151 AZ Azalea on French Opalescent Iridized QVC 1995

5151 BP Baby Boy Bear on Opal Satin, decorated with mauve, blue, and yellow hearts, blue right foot pad

In-line 1998-2000

5151 BP Baby Girl Bear on Opal Satin, decorated with mauve, blue and yellow hearts, right foot pad

In-line 1998-2000, illus. p. 24

5151 PE Balloons on Shell Pink Iridized FAGCA convention 1991

5151 VC Beach Babies on Opal Satin, painted with bikini bathing suit and sunglasses on top of head2

In-line 2007

5151 Bearylicious, Frank Workman blown bear design in a light opaque lilac color threaded with milk glass

NFGS 2010

5151 LH Bellflowers on Ice Blue In-line 1999-2001

5151 RK Berries ‘n Blossoms on Opal Satin In-line 1984-86, illus. p. 13 & p. 24

5151 Birthday Bear on Opal Satin, decorated with birthday cake and colored confetti Abbey Press Unknown

C5151 Birthstone Bear in Crystal with crystal heart in color for each month QVC 1988-93

C5151 Birthstone Bear on Iridized Opal Satin, with birthstone necklace for each month in rhinestones

QVC Several years beginning in 1993, illus. p. 24

5151 Black Bear, entirely hand-painted with brown accents on ears, nose, pads of feet, sold in a set with Baby Bear #5251, set of 50

Collector’s Showcase 2002

5151 UB Blue Burmese Glossy, undecorated Fenton Gift Shop 1984

5151 UE Blue Burmese Satin, undecorated Fenton Gift Shop 1984

5151 Blue Burmese, decorated with small flowers and ladybugs, part of a set of 3 that also included Daydreaming Bear and Reclining Bear

QVC February 2006, illus. p. 14

5151 KK Blue Royale, undecorated In-line 1998-99

5151 Blue Satin, undecorated Fenton Gift Shop c.1972

5151 Boysenberry on Blue Burmese decorated with floral and scripted word “Boysenberry” on leg, limited edition of 75

Fenton Gift Shop 2006

5151 HPB Bunny Bear on Opal Satin, decorated with bunny ears, blue tie with white polka dots, and holding Easter basket with eggs, limited edition of 250

QVC 2009

5151 BE Burmese Gloss, undecorated Fenton Gift Shop and Rosso 1995 (Rosso 2008)

5151 BR Burmese Satin, undecorated (considered rare) In-line 1986

C5151 6A Butterfly on Black (part of a set of two that included Mini Bear #5251) QVC 2001

5151 PQ Champagne Satin, undecorated In-line Unknown

C5151 86 Charleton on French Opalescent, decorated with roses and gold accents typical of older Charleton decoration

QVC Dec-02

C5151 CK Chocolate Glass, decorated with strawberries QVC Aug-06

5151 CK Chocolate Glass, undecorated In-line 2006

5151 HR Chocolate Roses on Custard Hershey 1983

5151 Circle of Love Bouquet on Burmese Gloss Mary Walrath/Joyce Colella 1999

5151 Circle of Love on Rosalene Gloss Joyce Colella 2002

5151 Circle of Love on Rosalene Satin Joyce Colella 2002

S5151 VT Cobalt, decorated with delicate white floral and inscribed with signature of Shelley Fenton

Open House/Rep Events hosted by Fenton dealers

2004, illus. p. 24

5151 CO Cobalt, undecorated In-line 1995

5151 NK Cobalt Marigold (carnival) In-line 1983-84

5151 KP Copper Roses on Black In-line 1990-93

5151 Coralene on White Satin (considered rare) Unknown

5151 FT Cottage Roses on French Opalescent In-line 2002-03

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5151 CC Country Cranberry, blown glass, decorated and undecorated (considered extremely rare)

In-line 1994, illus. p. 13

5151 CY Crystal, undecorated In-line 1984-86, 1988-95

K5151 HPB Crystal, decorated with fuchsia floral FAGCA 2009

C5151 CY Crystal, decorated with pink cloth bow QVC 1984

5151 Crystal, decorated with red and green cloth ribbon and two gold bells on neck In-line Christmas 1990

5151 DQ Crystal, decorated with red felt scarf with green pom-poms at ends, from Holiday Pets series

In-line 1991-93

5151 Crystal Velvet, satinized crystal In-line 1984-85

5151 Crystal shot with cobalt Puget Sound Fenton Finders Club and Fenton Gift Shop

1986

5151 CU Custard Satin, undecorated In-line 1978-81

C5151 4N Daisies on Burmese QVC Apr-98

5151 DC Daisies on Custard In-line 1985

551 UC Daisy Lane on French Opalescent In-line 2001-02

5151 DC Dewdrops on Opal Satin, decorated with floral and a Swarovski crystal

5151 DN Dianthus on Custard In-line 1983-84

5151 GB Dotted Swiss on Willow Green Opalescent In-line 2002

5151 DK Dusty Rose, undecorated In-line c. 1990

5151 Ebony, decorated with pink heart-shaped nose and butterfly on arm FAGCA 2002

5151 Ebony, decorated with white flowers and green butterfly Fenton Gift Shop 1996

C5151 6A Ebony, decorated with green vest with black polka dots and white floral QVC Nov-01

5151 ES “Elizabeth,” decorated with delicate blue floral on milk glass In-line 1990-92

5151 CP Empress Rose, undecorated In-line 1998-2001

5151 FV Favrene, undecorated FAGCA 1997

5151 PI Field Flowers on Champagne Satin3 In-line 1997-98

5151 Floral on Burmese Fenton Gift Shop; part of a set of 3 including Reclining and Daydreaming Bears

c.1998

5151 Floral on Opal Satin, pink ear accents Pacific Northwest Fenton As-sociation

1996

C5151 ST Floral on Rosalene Satin QVC 1994

5151 XP Floral on Violet Satin In-line 1999

5151 TA Flying Ace, crystal bear with cloth flag-motif ribbon around neck, part of Desert Storm series

In-line 1991

5151 Forget-Me-Not on Rosalene Gloss Joyce Colella 2002

5151 Forget-Me-Not on Rosalene Satin Joyce Colella 2002

5151 French Opalescent, dressed in a knitted cap and scarf Fenton Gift Shop VIP Party 11/8/2003

5151 FO French Opalescent (AKA French Cream), sold with a polka dot red ribbon around neck In-line 1986, illus. p. 25

5151 French Opalescent Iridized, decorated with coral tulips QVC 2007

5151 FA Frosted Asters on Blue Satin In-line 1984-85

5151 6I Glistening Woods on Opal Satin, entirely covered with “glass glitter” In-line 2007, illus. p. 24

5151 NS Happy Santa on Opal Satin4 In-line Christmas 1990 only, illus. p. 14 & 24

5151 FX Heart Foot Bear Cub, crystal bear with red heart-shaped crystal on bottom of foot, from Last of the Red Hot Lovers series

In-line 1991

5151 EW Heart Eyes Bear Cub,5 crystal bear with red heart-shaped crystal eyes In-line 1991

5151 HC Heart Eyes Bear Cub, crystal bear with red heart on chest6 In-line 1991

5151 FH Hearts and Flowers on Opal Satin Iridized In-line 1988-93

5151 ZD Heaven ‘n Nature Sing on Opal Satin, decorated with musical notes and felt red scarf with green pom poms

In-line 1986

5151 Holiday Happiness on Opal Satin, decorated with fringed red and white scarf and holly sprays, “Holiday Happiness 2005” painted on back

Abbey Press Christmas 2005

5151 Holiday Theme Sets on Opal Satin, including both Seated Bear and Baby Bear, made in several holiday and occasional themes (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, Wedding, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day)

Collector’s Showcase 2004

5151 Honey Bear in Opal Satin, decorated with honey dripping from paws, part of a set of two that also included a Baby Bear #5251

National Fenton Glass Society (NFGS)

2003

5151 75 Hyacinth, decorated with dianthus floral, from “It’s a Colorful Life” series In-line 2009