Cherry Blossom Individual Berry Bowls

New individual-sized 4¾-inch Cherry Blossom pattern berry bowls have been reproduced.

Bottoms of the new bowls have very faint detail; bottoms of originals are very sharp. Scallops in the top rim of new bowls are flat-sided, not gently curved like originals. The glass in the berry bowls is much better than other reproductions. Most new glass has a slippery greasy feeling, but not so with the new berry bowls. The new glass has a slightly orange cast to the color and is slightly heavier than original pieces. The best test of age is to study the molded details shown in the close up photos in this article.

The source of the new bowls has not been confirmed. But don't let anyone tell you these new pieces are made from "worn" or "reworked" molds. These pieces are produced in a new mold made specifically to imitate the original.

Fig. 1 New and old Cherry Blossom 4¾-inch individual berry bowls shown side by side. The new bowls are being made in new molds.

Fig. 2-3 The cluster of cherries and leaves on the outside bottom of the new 4¾-inch berry bowl, above left. The upper left and top-center is almost blank glass. Texturing and veining of the leaves is also different from the original.

Fig. 4 The top rim of new berry bowls is scalloped with what looks like flat-sided tabs, about one-inch in width as shown in the line drawings above the photos.

Fig. 5 The scallops in top rims of original berry bowls are gently curved, as shown above, not flat like the reproductions.

Fig. 6 The pattern is placed differently on new and old. The old flower (white arrow) touches the rim and the curved arches (black arrow) almost touch the rim.

Fig. 7 There is virtually no flower showing in the border around the top rim in new bowls; the curved arches stand well away from the rim.