Leaf Tiers Water Sets

By Lee Markley

Leaf Tiers is a Fenton pattern first appearing in 1914. It was their #1790 pattern line. It is not often seen. In all the years of the Mordini Price Reports only seven sales of marigold pitchers are recorded. Only two complete sets were listed. One brought $600 and the other $900. A six-piece set sold for $450 and a two‐piece for $500. No dark pitchers or sets have been listed in the Mordini guides.

Early writers listed the water pitchers and tumblers as coming in marigold, green, blue, and purple. To my knowledge no green or purple pitchers or tumblers have ever been reported as selling. John Britt only mentions marigold and blue in his tumbler book. The Heart of America Pattern Notebook section on water sets only lists those two colors also. John indicates at the time of his tumbler article that only three blue tumblers were known. There are only a handful reported and only two were listed as selling in Mordini’s price list. One sold for $125 and the other for $550. The one I have came up at a local auction where I paid $75 for it.

As you can see this marigold Leaf Tiers pitcher has nice rich color.

The pitcher is nine inches tall. It has a five and one-half inch top diameter and rests on three twig feet. It is the only water pitcher with that feature. There are three mold lines and the handle is applied. There are four overlapping tiers of leaves. The top rim is fluted and scalloped. There is a collar ring centrally placed within the feet raising it from the surface. It has no pattern. The angular handle has a twig surface like the feet.

The tumblers are similar in design with four rows of overlapping leaves that alternate in each row with those above or below. There are three leaves that alternate in each row with those above or below. There are three twig feet and three mold lines. The tumblers are four and one-eighth inches tall and have a top diameter of three and one-eighth inches. The top rim is smooth, and the collar base ring is un-patterned. This base is one and eleven-sixteenth inches in diameter. Sometimes the marigold is a bit weak. Good dark ones will bring a premium price.

Notice the collar base inside the inner edge of the feet.

Sources:

Britt. HOACGA Educational Series II – Tumblers. Edwards/Carwile. An Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass, 9th edition. Heacock. Fenton Glass: the First 25 Years. HOACGA. Pattern Notebook. Mordini. Auction Price Report 1986 – 2005. Smith. Early Fenton Rarities 1907 – 1938. Thistlewood. The Art of Carnival Glass. Carnival Glass: the Magic and the Mystery. A Century of Carnival Glass. Whitmyer. Fenton Art Glass 1907 – 1939.

Photos courtesy of Seeck Auctions.

This article first appeared in the ICGA Pump in the March 2016 issue and is reprinted with permission.