Handled with Care: Fenton Glass Baskets
It has been said that the Fenton Glass Company is one of the longest running glass manufacturers in the United States. Founded in 1905 in Ohio, the Fenton company began its work by painting glass banks created by other companies and in 1907, Fenton began manufacturing its own glass. In the late 1930’s Fenton’s glassworks surged in new directions as they experimented with exciting designs including the Fenton basket.
Creating a basket entirely from glass proved both to be an artistic and manufacturing challenge. The artisans at Fenton set to work coming up with new pattern and color combinations while also problem solving their way through how the baskets themselves would be put together. Attaching the glass handle to the base of the basket became one of the most difficult procedures Fenton had ever tackled. The artisan had only 30 seconds to manipulate the hot glass material into its handle shape and attach it to the basket. It was difficult, but possible. Fenton collectors loved them and the baskets were a market success. Then, in the 1950’s, Fenton company President, Frank M. Fenton, and Vice-President, Bill Fenton, developed the idea that each artisan should have his own, unique stamp applied to every basket handle he attaches so collectors could better identify which artisan created which piece. If one looks closely at the basket handle where it meets the base, you can see the mark of the artisan responsible for attaching that handle. Using the official Basket Handler Marks section on the Fenton company website, you can then identify the name of the artisan and his employment dates at Fenton.
