Hi Denise,

Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.

Carnival glass emerged in the early 20th century, primarily in the United States, as an affordable alternative to luxury iridescent art glass made by firms like Tiffany. Introduced around 1907, it was mass-produced by companies such as Fenton, Northwood, Imperial, and Millersburg. The shimmering surface was created by spraying metallic salts onto hot glass, producing an oil-slick iridescence over pressed patterns.

Originally marketed as “iridescent ware”, it was often given away as prizes at fairs, carnivals, and movie theaters—hence the later nickname carnival glass, which manufacturers themselves disliked. By the 1920s, tastes shifted and production declined in the U.S., though it continued in Europe and Australia.

Culturally, carnival glass reflects the democratization of decorative art in the industrial age. Once dismissed as kitsch, it was rediscovered by collectors in the mid-20th century and is now appreciated for its bold color, pattern variety, and role in everyday domestic history.

Because most carnival glass was mass-produced pressed glass, and manufacturers focused on pattern recognition rather than branding. To keep costs low, pieces were almost always left unmarked.

Having said that, the butterfly and berry decorative motifs are quite distinctive and note this to be a piece made by Fenton, who occasionally placed a raised "F" in a logo, after the 1950s. Because of the pressing process for making carnival glass, this mark is often very hard to see but I'm pretty confident this tumbler is by the Fenton Art Glass Company, which was founded in 1905 in Ohio by brothers Frank and John Fenton. It became one of America’s leading art glass makers, pioneering carnival glass, hand-painted wares, and colorful decorative styles. Fenton remained family-run until closing in 2011.

I can't tell from the photos how large (height, diameter at top) this piece is so have valued it broadly. If it's fairly small, an individual tumbler or juice glass would be worth $10-15 at auction while if its a larger celery glass or spillvase, it would be worth $40-50.

Based on the photos and information provided, and subject to examination, this is:

A vintage iridescent blue carnival glass vessel
in the Butterfly and Berry pattern, attributed to Fenton, mid 20th Century
Of circular section, the tapered cylindrical body with impressed hexagonal panels alternating with raised butterfly or berry decoration, on a circular molded foot. Possibly marked.
(DIMENSIONS)
CONDITION: this appears to be in good condition
PROVENANCE: Inherited
$10-50*
*represents a fair-market value for auction purposes; retail or asking price may vary.

Please let us know if you have additional items to appraise, or questions/concerns, and thank you again for using Mearto.
~ Delia