Fenton Makes New Opalescent Castor Insert

Fenton Glass made a new opalescent swirl pickle castor insert. White opalescent swirls running counter clockwise in a clear glass body, 5″ tall, 3¼″ dia.

Unlike other Fenton products, the new insert was not permanently marked. It was sold with only an easily removed "Fenton" paper label. The new Fenton insert was available separately for $20 or could have been purchased with a new metal frame for $55 for both pieces.

The top rim of the new insert was ground very flat with obvious grinding marks remaining in the glass. The rim has a distinctive drab, gray chalky appearance. Top rims of original Victorian pickle castor glass inserts virtually never show such coarse grinding marks. Most originals have at least some polishing, some are even fire polished (the edge was rounded over by reheating in the furnace).

Fig. 1 New Fenton opalescent swirl insert, right, and new metal pickle castor frame, left.

Fig. 2 Top rim of new insert is cut and ground flat. The rim has a very gray, chalky look.

Fig. 3 Close up of top rim showing obvious grinding marks. It is very unusual to find obvious grinding marks on original Victorian glass inserts.