The
Fenton Art Glass
Company Cactus pattern was inspired by the old "Greentown" pattern No.
375 which was produced in the early 1900s. This "Greentown" pattern
has been called both "Cactus" and "Panelled Agave," with "Cactus" being the
name preferred by collectors since the 1930s when J. Stanley Brothers coined
the name "Cactus" when he was writing for HOBBIES magazine. Most of
the original Greentown Cactus pieces were made in Chocolate Glass. The term
"Greentown" refers to items made by the Indiana Tumbler & Goblet Company
which was located in Greentown, Indiana. Fenton introduced Cactus in January
1959 in the Milk Glass and Topaz Opalescent colors. Topaz Opalescent did
not sell as well as the Milk Glass. Fenton discontinued production
of most of the Topaz Opalescent items at the end of 1960, but continued producing
the Milk Glass pieces by the end of 1960 with a few exceptions. All of the
items in Milk Glass were discontinued by the end of 1962, except for the
3450-MI Bud Vase which remained in the line through 1964. These early
items are not marked, as Fenton did not start using the Fenton logo until
1972.
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All of the Fenton Cactus pieces wre produced from new moulds made
by Fenton mouldmakers. Fenton's early Milk Glass color was relatively
translucent. Beginning in 1959, Cactus became one of the first patterns in
which Fenton used their new denser more opaque white color of Milk Glass.
The 3445 10 oz. Goblet was also made in Colonial Amber, Colonial Blue, and
Colonial Pink in 1962. The Fenton Cactus pattern has been documented
in the book
"Fenton
Glass: The Third Twenty Five Years" by William Heacock and edited by
James Measell, Historian for Fenton Art Glass Company. According to
James Measel, "quite a few of the Fenton Cactus pieces were created by making
different items from the same mould."
Fenton also produced and
distributed certain pieces from their Cactus moulds as the "Desert Tree"
pattern in their "Olde Virginia" line. which was a completely separate glass
line that was produced by Fenton and sold to wholesale houses and organizations
which sold through catalogues.
TheDesert Tree pattern is documented in the Olde Virginia Glass
section of the book "Fenton Art Glass Colors and Hand-Painted Decorations
1938-1980."
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Levay Distributing Company,
owned and managed by Gary & Dodie
Levi, marketed a 400 set limited edition seven-piece Pitcher Set in Aqua
Opalescent Carnival in 1980. These sets, which were made by Fenton,
consisted of a large pitcher and six 10 oz. goblets. In 1982, the Cactus
pattern reappeared in Red sunset Carnival and Chocolate. The 3480 Cracker
Jar was made in Chocolate as part of an assortment that Fenton produced for
Levay. A Topaz Opalescent Cactus Water Set was offered as part of the
limited edition Collector's Extravaganza series for 1988. The set was
comprised of six 10 oz. goblems and a large water pitcher which varied from
10 1/2" to 15" in height. All of the 1988 items have the Fenton oval
logo.
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The 3488 Candy Box (which
is the same item as the 3408 Covered Sugar Bowl) was reintroduced in the
line in 1995 and was still being made as late as 1997 in Fenton's popular
Dusty Rose color. The candy box was also made in Spruce Green for the
1995 Holiday Season. Fenton made the 3429-PQ Champagne Satin Comport
in 1997 which is one of the pieces never produced in Topaz Opalescent. The
most recent Fenton Cactus item made was in 2000 when Fenton produced the
Ice Blue Iridescent 9" Basket.
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Fenton Cactus in Topaz Opalescent
is one of the most collectible patterns among Vaseline glass
collectors.
Fenton Art
Glass |
