by Julie Noyas | Dec 17, 2020 | Bowls & Centerpieces
Item Number: 260
Approximate Size: 13″ D; 3″ H
Production Dates: 1939-1974
Born from the mould of a 10″ bowl, the Shallow Fruit Bowl is a beautiful item from the American 2056 line. It is a very large and versatile piece, and is strikingly handsome. The actual height of the bowl is approximately 3 inches, with sides that flow gracefully outward and upwards.
One thing worth remembering, especially if you are a new collector, is that Sellers will sometimes incorrectly describe items. It is not uncommon to see the Lily Pond piece being described as the Shallow Fruit Bowl. There are differences, but with a quick glance – they might not be so noticeable. Just remember that the genuine Shallow Fruit Bowl is the larger of the two pieces. The Lily Pond is smaller; it is approximately 12″ in diameter and about 2¼″ in height. The Lily Pond has edges that go straight up and slightly inward – as it usually holds water.
The Shallow Fruit Bowl is just that – shallow. That is one of the big differences between it and the many other American nappies and bowls. Since the diameter of the bowl is large, one can display a large amount of fruit on it. Even if you don’t want to use it as a fruit display, the Shallow Fruit Bowl is multipurpose. It is excellent as a cake stand, a bread basket, and even as a display piece to uplift and hold a floral arrangement. I use mine every year to hold my holiday centerpiece, with great results!
Any type of fruit bowl needs to allow for good ventilation, which allows the fruit to stay fresher longer. With shallow sides and a large diameter, the Shallow Fruit Bowl can hold quite a bit of fruit while still providing adequate air flow. It is also aesthetically pleasing to look at.
As an eBay Partner, I may be compensated if you make a purchase on eBay. The following link shows available Shallow Fruit Bowls on eBay.
by Julie Noyas | Dec 9, 2020 | Nappies
Item Number: 495
Diameter: 4½”
Production Dates: 1915-1982
Fostoria Glass made a large variety of Nappy dishes in their American pattern. Of all the regular Nappies, this 4½” Nappy is the smallest. It is also one of the select few that was lucky enough to be in production from the time the line debuted in 1915 until the glass factory closed. Therefore, it has a long and proud life.
This particular Nappy is about 1¾” in height, 4½” in diameter, is round in shape, and is without a handle. It is the “regular” Nappy. This regular Nappy is special; however, as it was also offered in a beautiful green color. While it was mainly produced in clear crystal, there was a brief period of time in 1925-1926 when it was available in green as well. Every now and again you will see this 4½” Nappy in another Fostoria color, other than green. These harder-to-find colors are either samples, whimsies, or one-of-a-kinds. The only Nappy color that was officially produced by Fostoria in a regular production run (though limited) is the green color shown on the right.
After the Fostoria Glass Factory closed in the 1980’s, Dalzell Viking produced pieces in a Blue Gray and Cranberry Mist color. These items are hard to find too, and in my opinion, lack the luster and silky finish that the original Fostoria Nappies had. The Dalzell Viking pieces were produced sometime between 1986 and 1998.
Nappies are considered little bowls, and you can use them for a multitude of purposes. Luckily for us, Fostoria Glass made a wide assortment of them in the American pattern! As an eBay Partner, I may be compensated if you make a purchase on eBay. The following link shows available 4½” Nappies on eBay.
by Julie Noyas | Nov 18, 2020 | Bowls & Centerpieces
Item Number: 602-CP
Approximate Size: 9½″ D; 3⅝″ H
Production Dates: 1935-1982
The Fostoria American Centerpieces are absolutely beautiful. Different styles and sizes were produced, each bringing their own style of elegance to the table. The 9½″ Centerpiece began its life in 1935 and was a popular piece for many decades. It has a bigger sibling, the 11″ Centerpiece. Both are styled the same way, and their only difference is their size.
It is very easy for collectors to confuse the Centerpieces with the punch bowl bases. While the two pieces are basically the same item, there is one distinguishing difference between them. The true supports for the punch bowls (whatever the size) will not have a rayed center in their glass base. The 9½″ and 11″ Centerpieces all have rayed bottoms, and that is the easiest way to tell whether you have a Centerpiece or a Punch Bowl Foot.
The 9½″ Centerpiece is a nice size, and I like that it is not too tall – making it an ideal choice for great visibility around the table. Flowers, fruit, candy, and other food items will display beautifully in it. A Centerpiece can also be decorated for different seasons – such as using mini-pumpkins, pine cones, and acorns for an autumn display. Even everyday food items like lemons and limes look stunning in this piece of glass!
As an eBay Partner, I may be compensated if you make a purchase on eBay. The following link shows available Centerpieces on eBay.
by Julie Noyas | Oct 28, 2020 | Other Serving Dishes
Item Number: 370
Diameter: 5¾″ D – 3¼” H
Production Dates: 1938-1970
Fostoria Glass Company produced an item in their American line that was called the “Cheese and Cracker”. It consisted of two individual pieces – the Footed Cheese, and the Cracker Plate. When these pieces were produced, you could either buy the two-piece set together – or you could buy the Footed Cheese and/or the Cracker Plate independently of each other.
The top of the Footed Cheese is flat, with edges that curve up gracefully. It is footed, supported by a shapely stem. While this piece was made to fit on top of the Cracker Plate, it can also be used independently.
The Fostoria American Cracker Plate has a raised retainer ring in the center to accommodate the Footed Cheese. The retainer ring helps to hold the Footed Cheese in place so that it does not slip around on the plate. Since the Footed Cheese was also sold separately, you can really use it anywhere – and with anything.
As an eBay Partner, I may be compensated if you make a purchase on eBay. The following link shows available Footed Cheeses on eBay.
by Julie Noyas | Oct 21, 2020 | Other Serving Dishes
Item Number: 105
Size: 3¼” Sq. – 1¼” H
Production Dates: 1918-1927; 1934-1943; 1957-1958
The Individual Appetizer is another piece in the Fostoria American line that had two lives. It first joined the pattern around 1918 as the “Handled Ice Cream”. It was part of the Ice Cream Set, which included the 10½” Oblong Tray and six of the Handled Ice Creams. It was taken out of production in the late 1920’s, and reintroduced in 1934 as the Individual Appetizer. This versatile piece was in and out of production a couple of times throughout its life.
No matter the year made, or its name at the time, this piece always had the option of being used as a set with the Oblong Tray. Even so, the piece was also available for purchase by itself – with it’s own Fostoria ID number. It can be used with, or without, the Oblong Tray.
If you use this piece as an Individual Appetizer, small portions of meat, cheese, veggies, crackers and/or fruit, would be most appropriate. If used with the tray, you could fill up each tray with something different – such as berries, nuts, dips, etc. Your choices are endless!
If you are lucky enough you might stumble across an Amber colored set … or perhaps one with a silver-overlay! As an eBay Partner, I may be compensated if you make a purchase on eBay. The following link shows available Individual Appetizers on eBay.
by Julie Noyas | Oct 7, 2020 | Covered Containers
Item Number: 362
Approximate Size: 5¾″ D; 8⅞″ H
Production Dates: 1915-1928 Cracker; 1933-1944 Pretzel; 1957-1970 Cookie
When this piece of glass was first introduced into the American 2056 line, it was called the Cracker Jar & Cover. Later in years, circa 1933, it was reintroduced as the Pretzel Jar & Cover. It remained so until 1944, when this item was discontinued. It would reappear later, around 1957, as a Cookie Jar & Cover.
These pieces can vary by about ¼″ in height, and most of the time that can be attributed to the size of the clear band of glass seen at the top of the jar. The jar opening has a diameter of approximately 5¾″, with a smooth (non-serrated) rim. In years past, the bottom jar piece was sold to other companies that fitted them with wooden tops and other accessories to be sold as cigar and Tobacco Humidors.
After the mid-to-late 1980s, the mould for this piece was in the hands of different glass companies – Dalzell Viking Glass, etc. Since the Fostoria Glass factory had already closed down, Dalzell Viking was contracted to produce a variety of American pieces from original FA moulds. The Cookie Jar & Cover was one such piece. Dalzell produced it in a Blue Gray color (seen here) and a Cranberry Mist color. This piece can also be seen in other colors as well, including White Milk Glass – which is especially rare.
As an eBay Partner, I may be compensated if you make a purchase on eBay. The following link shows available Cookie Jars on eBay.
