Mary Ann Vase and Loving Cup

By Carl and Eunice Booker

My sincere apology to Roger Dunham for not bringing our three-handled Mary Ann loving cup to the recent ICGA convention display room. It was on his list of wanted items, but for some reason, we just weren’t with it. Roger was told that we would write an article about the loving cup for The Carnival Pump. An article about the loving cup alone would be to ignore its beautiful sister, the two-handled vase. This article will attempt to cover both items.

In Carwile’s writing he indicates that the advertising for this pattern is first documented in an ad by Diamond in 1915. (Credit for this pattern is attributed to Dugan.) Whichever firm created and made the pattern did a wonderful job as the pattern is rather complex and has a lot going for it. It has a stylized flower with stems and leaves on each side with elaborately styled handles. A factory drawing is known to exist.

The loving cup is unique as it has three handles. It is different from the vase as it has a flat top and a round base. It is known in marigold and Carwile reports a price for it in pink (afterglow). We’re sure it would be considered scarce to rare.

The vase comes in two forms. One has eight scallops around the top and base and the other has ten scallops around the top and base. The colors reported are amethyst, aqua, lavender, lime green, marigold, and pink. (Doty does not indicate which form is reported in pink.) We only know of the vintage ten-scalloped version in marigold. The ten-scalloped form has been reproduced and is iridized on the base which the vintage version is not. It is known in different colors including red. We have pictures to show each of the different versions, but no picture of the reproductions.

The photo above shows, from left to right: a marigold eight scallops two-handle vase, a marigold three-handled loving cup, an amethyst eight scallops two handle vase, and a marigold ten scallops two-handle vase. Note that the bases match the top treatment.

Roger, we hope this compensates a bit for not bringing the loving cup to the display room. It would have been good to see it displayed along with all of the beautiful Orange Tree loving cups and the multitude of mugs of all sizes, colors, and patterns.

Sources: Burns, Carl O. Dugan & Diamond Carnival Glass 1909-1931, Identification and Value Guide.  Carwile, Mike. Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass, 12th Edition. Doty, Dave. Website

Photo courtesy of the Bookers.

This article first appeared in the ICGA Pump in the September 2017 issue and is reprinted with permission.