Fenton Blue Opalescent Carnival Glass Strawberry Pattern Ruffle Bowl

This is a vintage Fenton Art Glass bowl featuring the classic 'Strawberry' pattern, characterized by embossed strawberries, leaves, and vines emanating from the center. The item exhibits a striking blue opalescent base glass over which a carnival iridized finish has been applied, resulting in a vibrant play of color including pinks, golds, and greens across the interior surface. The bowl features a deeply crimped or ruffled edge, a hallmark of Fenton craftsmanship that provides a dynamic silhouette. Measuring approximately 8 to 9 inches in diameter, the piece sits on a collar base. The glass shows a milky opalescent quality at the translucent ruffled rim, which contrasts beautifully with the deeper blue-purple hues of the bowl's body. The craftsmanship is high, with clear mold definitions on the fruit and foliage. While no visible chips or cracks are apparent in the image, the surface maintains a lustrous patina typical of early to mid-20th-century carnival glass. This specific combination of the strawberry mold and opalescent iridized finish is highly sought after by collectors of American pressed glass from the 1910s-1920s era.

Based on my examination of the provided documentation and imagery, this is a genuine piece of Fenton Art Glass in the 'Strawberry' pattern, dating from approximately 1911 to the early 1920s. This specific combination—a blue opalescent base glass topped with a carnival iridized finish—is significantly rarer than standard marigold or amethyst glass. The 'electric' quality of the iridescence, showing strong pink and gold highlights against the milky opalescence of the crimped rim, indicates a high-quality strike and superior kiln conditions during production. Given the diameter of 8-9 inches and the collar base, this bowl represents a premier example of American Pressed Glass. The market for carnival glass has seen a consolidation; however, rare color-treatment combinations like blue opalescent strawberry bowls remain high-demand items for specialized collectors, consistently outperforming common variants. The value is predicated on the item being free of 'flea bites' or internal heat cracks, which are common in these ruffled edges. Important Caution: This appraisal is based on visual data only. A physical inspection is required to check for 'souvenir' reproductions or late-period re-issues by Northwood or Mosser. Full authentication would require verifying the presence of specific mold marks (or lack thereof, as early Fenton was often unmarked), weighing the piece to ensure consistency with period lead content, and using a loupe to inspect the surface for 'capping' or modern chemical coatings. Provenance documenting the item's history within a specific collection would further solidify this valuation.