Cranberry Glass Display Brightens Grist Mill In January

December 29, 2011

On the gray winter days of January, when dancing sugar plums have been carefully wrapped and tucked away in the recesses of our minds and the anticipation of spring is just too distant to warm us, the opulence and fire of cranberry glass can brighten even the dreariest mid-winter day. Grist Mill Antiques Center, 127 Hanover Street, Pemberton, New Jersey, is celebrating the beauty and elegance of cranberry glass this month in our special display. We invite you to come in and see the splendid selection we have in our showcase. Adding cranberry glass to your tabletop this season will bring light and life to the darkest days of winter and will stir up the hope of new life that is just a few months away.
While the birth date of cranberry glass is in dispute, and everyone from Italians to Germans to Bohemians lay claim to its creation - some experts say the Romans found a way to add a pale pink blush to their glassware by putting a copper oxide in the molten glass. Still many others insist that true cranberry glass was developed when British glassmakers in the mid-eighteenth century discovered that adding gold chloride to their mix would turn the glass the beautiful shade of deep pink. But whoever first created it, no one can argue that cranberry glass embodies both mystery and sophistication. It became wildly popular during the Victorian era, when everything from beakers and wine glasses to cruets and candlesticks graced the tables of gentry throughout the world. So popular was this desirable shade of glass that even novelties such as bells, shoes, and rolling pins were made of it! In the 1940s and 1950s, both Fenton and Pilgrim glass factories recreated cranberry glass, not as reproductions, but as a revival of the collectibles from a bygone era. Though the pieces were “new,” that didn’t mean the same care and craftsmanship wasn’t put into their production. In fact, Fenton’s manufacturing process required no less than 26 artisans to create a single piece!
Today cranberry glass is a rare and valuable treasure and can be found in many patterns: hobnail, coin dot, daisy, diamond, and ruffled are some of the most popular. Adding opalescence and hand-painted flourishes attracts even more admirers. Even those who aren't collectors love having pieces of this beautiful art adding warmth and elegance to their décor.
Our multi-dealer shop is open seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with extended hours until 8:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and our friendly dealers will be happy to assist you in finding whatever special treasure you’re searching for. Don’t forget that we offer a 20 percent discount on all items $6 and over, with 25 percent off something different each week! For more information, and to find out about all the great events we have each month, check out our website at www.gristmillantiques.com, or give us a call at (609) 726-1588.

 

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