Victorian Patterns Copied in Vaseline Glass

Pieces made to resemble two of the most popular 19th century patterns – Three Face and Croesus – have just been released in new vaseline glass.

All "Three Face" salt dips (Fig. 1) are reproductions. No original Three Face was ever made in a salt dip shape. The salt dip shape is one of a number of non-original Three Face shapes made by L.G. Wright Glass Company in new molds. The Three Face salt dip mold was among 700 Wright molds sold at auction May 27, 1999. It was purchased by Rosso Wholesale Glass which has put the mold into production.

The mold has been reworked to include Rosso's mark, an R in a keystone, embossed in the bottom. However, the mark is very faint in some pieces and the piece fluoresces under long wave black light.

The other new piece in vaseline is a look-alike Croesus covered butter dish (Fig. 2). This piece is also made from a new mold, this one made for Summit Glass. The new Croesus is unmarked; it does fluoresce under long wave black light.

Original Croesus were made only in amethyst, clear and green; and never vaseline. You can also identify the new Croesus by looking at the large C-shaped curls in the pattern. In the original, the pointed ends of the C curve back and form a nearly closed loop. In reproductions, the ends do not curve back into a loop.

Wholesale prices are $3.75 for the salt dip; $19.50 for the butter dish.

Original Three Face was introduced by Duncan Glass (Duncan & Sons) in 1878. Croesus was first made by Riverside Glass Works in 1897.

Fig. 1 New vaseline glass "Three Face" salt dip. A salt dip shape was never made in the original pattern.

Fig. 2 New vaseline glass "Croesus" covered butter dish. Original butter dishes were never made in vaseline.