October 17, 1998.
I was really surprised one night not so long ago [May '98] when my husband was flipping channels and we landed on QVC and Bill Fenton, 2nd generation, was talking about his line of collectible glassware. I just never thought about all those Fenton Glass Collectors out there today buying Fenton Glass on the QVC Home Shopping Network. Fenton didn't make a lot of different flower frogs, but the September Morn Nymph is one of my favorites. I have a separate collection of September Morn "souvenirs" resulting from the stir caused by the Paul Chabas painting displayed in a Manhattan art gallery in 1913. This is an interesting story in itself; but keeping Fenton in mind, I recently [10/17/98] had the opportunity to visit their factory outlet and museum in Williamstown, West Virginia. The company has been owned and operated by Fentons since its founding in 1905 and they are still making handmade art glass in the time-honored, traditional way. BB. Note: The Fenton Art Glass Company is closing after 102 years due to rising fuel costs and foreign competition. The website and gift shop will remain open. 8/18/07
Fenton Art Glass Company - visit their website.
Glass Encyclopedia / Fenton Glass - read more about Fenton Glass
September Morn Story - see what the stir was all about
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Bonnie in front of the Fenton Factory in Williamstown, West Virginia. October 17, 1998. |
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| Ruby September Morn Nymph, Fenton No.1645, c.1928 | Rose Fenton No.1564 Turtle Flower Block, 1927 | Stretch Glass in Celeste Blue by Fenton No. 2 flower block, c.1922. |
Thanks to the work of Margaret and Kenn Whitmyer, who authored Fenton Art Glass, it is known that the nymph was made in 17 different Fenton colors- Amberina, Aqua, Chinese Yellow, Crystal, Custard, Dark Green, Ebony, Jade Green, Light Green, Lilac, Madarin Red, Milk Glass, Moonstone, Pekin Blue, Rose, Royal Blue, and Ruby.) From the tip of her head to the bottom of her peg base she is 6-1/2" tall. Her peg fits into her own flower block #1234.
The #1564 turtle has 8 holes, is 4 inches long and was made in several colors.
A NOTE ON REISSUES: When I wrote to Frank Fenton in
May of 2000 I was informed that the nymph has been made in 5 different
colors in the 1990's: In 1990 it was made in Rosalene and Peachalene
with opal and black bases for the Fenton Art Glass Collectors
of America; in 1997 Joyce Colella put a Rosalene Nymph on a clear
base in a Burmese decorated bowl; and it was reissued in Dusty
Rose iridized in 1993 and Plum iridized in 1998 for QVC. There
were no plans for a reissue in 2000. They forgot to mention that
in 1995 it was made in Celeste Blue for the Fenton 90th Anniversary.
In 2001 she was reissued in vaseline. Reissues are marked with
the Fenton logo. Original issues are not marked.
Fenton 90th Anniversary reissue (1995) of September Morn Nymph consisting of four pieces: a clear cobalt blue stand, a stretch glass bowl, a clear glass frog, and a clear blue nymph.
Original Fenton September Morn Nymph in Milk Glass.
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