Stories from the Past and Present: Fenton Baskets

As we experience the warmer temperatures and sunshine of what we hope will be the spring season, our attentions turn towards the bright colors of flowers and the smell of fresh soil. In our store, Past and Present Home Gallery, we are excited to see all of the new spring items start to arrive—like our amazing, found-object garden art and cast-aluminum statues. This year something else has caught our attention as well: Fenton art glass.

Fenton art glass has been one of the many staple items in our store and we love hearing the stories from long-time collectors and other customers who appreciate the beauty of art glass. Recently, we stumbled upon a very interesting piece of information about Fenton and the artisans responsible for creating one of their most recognizable pieces: the glass basket.

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.

This basket handle was most likely attached by Robert Oliver, Sr. who worked for Fenton for almost 40 years.

Robert Oliver, Sr. 1957-1995

Yes, we ran around the store and matched as many of the handler marks we could. The process gave us an even greater appreciation for the dedication of these artists and their work. Come in and browse through our collection of Fenton as well as our other beautiful glass pieces including stained glass lamps!

Can't wait to see you at Past and Present Home Gallery, the antique store with character!

Meet the Characters: Pantograph Stencils

It’s no secret that Past and Present Home Gallery has hosted some very interesting antiques and rare finds over the years. Everything from jail doors to giant, cast aluminum pigs have been in our show room. You can browse for hours in the Man Cave and discover all sorts of odd and unique treasures, not to mention the prettier treasures you can find in the Diva Den. Everything has a story and we’ll be the first to admit that finding a vintage item with an interesting story grabs our attention like a child picking up a shiny penny. But what if the history behind a rare find is supposed to be secret?

The Secret of the Symbols: A Vintage, Pantograph Stencil Set

Earlier this year we discovered something truly unique. We knew it was for printing and we knew it was interesting, but that was about it. After several hours of researching and re-researching, we unearthed part of a story: this little wooden chest with its numerous pull-out trays was actually a pantograph stencil set.

The pantograph stencil method of reproducing an image or document can be traced all the way back to a man named Christopher Schiener in 1603. It is a simple method that uses a compass-like contraption with one needle and one pen. The needle traces the lines of a stencil while the pen traces the same image onto a piece of paper in a smaller or larger scale. This type of reproduction was used throughout numerous crafts and trades including sculpture and creating currency as well as the creation of official documents.

By AlphaZeta - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16115008

The pantograph stencil set at Past and Present Home Gallery was probably used for the creation of certificates and includes one rather unique stencil that depicts the compass symbol used by the Free Masons and the three links symbol used by the Odd Fellows. As odd as that may seem at first, the more research we did into the simultaneous use of the symbols, the more we learned that it is common that both Fraternities appear together. The Free Masons and Odd Fellows are founded on complimenting values and principles which often led to members of a community being a part of both organizations. This gave way to the paring of symbols and, in some communities, even the sharing of lodges and halls.

While we may never learn which lodge or hall this specific stencil set was used in, if it was used officially or for an individual, or even exactly how old it is; we are glad to have shed some light on its rich history.

Come in to Past and Present Home Gallery and discover this, and many more unique treasures throughout our store. Also going on now is our bedroom furniture sale. We have a large selection of vanities, chests of drawers, and dressers on sale—some up to 35% off! Can’t wait to see you at Past and Present Home Gallery, the antique store with character!

Stories from the Past and Present: the Hamm's Bear

As the holidays wind down and we settle back into our daily routines some of us may turn our attention to the football playoffs. While the Vikings are sadly not playing in the post season, it’s hard not to look forward to the Super Bowl and the many iconic traditions we find; including the commercials. Some family members watch for the game and some watch for the commercials. But how did the Budweiser Clydesdales and Campbell’s Chunky Soup become official sponsors of the National Football League? Well, it all started with a little bear from Minnesota:

The Hamm’s Bear: Pioneer of Sponsorship

At the dawn of the 1950’s, the Theodore Hamm’s Brewing Company, founded in 1865, was quickly becoming a household name. To properly promote the thriving brand, company president William Figge hired the Campell Mithun Advertising Agency based in Minneapolis, Minnesota to create an advertising campaign like non-other. During one of their lunch meetings, a sketch was drawn on a napkin of a bear. Campell Mithun account manager Cleo Hoval loved the idea of a bear being the brand’s spokesperson and the concept was accepted. Several variations of a bear were developed by the in-house artists, but it was the version drawn by Hoval’s friend, Ray Toffelson, that was finally chosen to be the official character design.

The Hamm’s Bear was first introduced to the public in 1953 and was an instant hit as well as a pioneer in advertising. He was the first animated spokesperson used for a beer brand and as the company continued to grow, became one of the most recognizable and best loved figures in advertising. The founder of Campell Mithun stated:

“We believe the legend of the Hamm’s bear, like that of Paul Bunyan, will grow greater and greater as time goes on.”

The Hamm’s beer brand continued to thrive and create new advertising opportunities. Hamm’s along with the Hamm’s Bear was one of the first companies to create official sponsorship advertising for college and professional sports. With breweries in California, Texas, Maryland, and Minnesota, the Hamm’s Bear rooted for teams like the Vikings, the Twins and Chicago White Socks, the San Francisco 49ers, and Dallas Cowboys. The campaigns had proved to be so successful that in 1964 Hamm’s claimed to be the largest sponsor of college and professional sports.

The Hamm’s Bear has become an official Minnesota icon. So much so that in the year 2000, the St. Paul Pioneer Press listed him as of the “150 Most Influential Minnesotans of the Past 150 Years.”

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So, it seems that we can thank pioneers like the Hamm’s Bear for all of the Super Bowl commercials. But for now, come in and check out some of the “new” vintage Hamm’s memorabilia at Past and Present Home Gallery. Our selection includes glassware, signs, and various new-old stock pieces. Not that into Hamm’s? Check out the Man Cave for other brand memorabilia and advertising items. Can’t wait to see you at Past and Present Home Gallery, the antique store with character!