Ruby Stain Newsletter

Volume 1, Issue 1

INVERTED CHERRY
MFR: Cambridge?
YOP: 1910+/-
NAME: By Ed Kleppinger
OMN: ?
REF: None found so far.
This tumbler is souvenired with silver printing which generally indicates 1910or later. It also has the capacity marked on the side, 9.AV.OZ. This is similar to Inverted Strawberry as is the shape of the bottom of the top rim.

BEADED SWIRL
MFR: Geo. Duncan & Sons
YOP: 1890 to ?
NAME: S. T. Millard
OMN: #335
AKA: Swirled Column
REF: Bredehoft; Early Duncan Glassware; 1987.

I have the complete table set. Curiously the butter dish base does not have stained feet. This pattern also comes in amber stain. The two forms that I have seen both have stained feet as the only staining. Amber and ruby staining of this pattern has not been recorded in the literature.

Decorations:

One of the more interesting areas of study is the varying decorating techniques using and used with ruby staining. Of course ruby staining is a decorating technique. Many like to quote the Heisey patent as being the first regarding decorating with ruby staining. Strictly speaking, Heisey was imitating cut glass. Is that decorating?

The Arched Ovals goblet shown earlier is an example. This goblet has an unstained area around the body between two bands of ruby stain. I suspect that this style is simply the first step in creating what I call the whitewashed band decoration which is seen on many patterns: Button Arch, McKee's Gothic and Blocked Thumbprint Band for examples. I'll take this up in a future newsletter.

The placement of the stain is instructive. As labor rates increased and prices dropped apparently shortcuts were taken. Amber stained Leaf and Flower has the incised pattern decorated, while the apparently later ruby staining simply stained the broad top area. Could this be a reason that there are so many plain butter dish bottoms? [Yes I have also made a few plain base marriages in my day.]

The three Hidalgo goblets are instructive. I have not seen the ruby stain on individual blocks. The two ruby stain rings are different from that on the Arched Ovals goblet as seen on Page 2. The upper ruby stain band covers to the top of the goblet. Thus I think that this piece was never destined for the whitewash decor.

Whitewash decor is illustrated on a piece of Blocked Thumbprint Band. Generally it is flanked by two gold bands as illustrated but this is not always the case. I believe that the gold wears off faster and also in some cases it may not have been applied.

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