Folding Fan Compotes and Plates
By Dr. Larry Keig
Folding Fan is an exceptionally satisfying non-representational pattern. It was made by Dugan from about 1910 through the remainder of the years Thomas and Alfred Dugan designed, crafted, produced, and marketed carnival at the glassmaking operation near Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, that is, until July 1, 1913, when ownership of the glassmaking firm changed hands.
Outside the one-inch floral center of the interior surface are interlocking diamonds of gradated sizes, tiny near the flower, larger and larger as they extend toward the outer edge of the compotes and plates (yes, plates) on which they are found. The thin-rayed floral medallion has a teeny open disk directly above the stem and base. The vessel’s exterior, short stem, and three and one-half inch base are unpatterned.
A selection, including the Absentee Folding Fan, from the author’s collection, shows a variety of edge treatments.
The Conventional Folding Fan
This stunning Folding Fan compote is curtesy of Ingrid Spurrier.
Conventional Folding Fan compotes range from about six and one-fourth to six and three fourth inches in diameter and range from three to three and one-half inches tall. They are available in at least three shapes: tightly crimped ruffled, tightly crimped non-ruffled round, and tightly crimped banana shape (with opposite sides folded in).
They have been reported only in peach opal and amethyst/purple, the latter usually very dark in base color. The peach opal are highly variable in color quality. There are pretty ones with rich marigold from outer edge to the center and abundant opalescence on the exterior. However, there are also those with marginal color, decent enough around the outer edge but clear or washed out elsewhere. The peach opal are easy to find.
The amethyst/purple are usually oxblood or fiery amethyst on the amethyst/purple spectrum. Nearly all that have been reported have beautiful iridescence, different in color treatment as they are. They change hands infrequently. There are probably dozens of peach opal for every oxblood and fiery amethyst. In shape and edging, all are apparently a tightly crimped ruffled.
Neal Becker’s tightly crimped edge piece shows the short stem.
Above left is the Wroda folding Fan piece mentioned below. Ingrid Spurrier’s piece is on the right.
The tightly crimped peach opal plates measure from six and one-half to six and three-fourth inches in diameter and stand from two and one-half to two and three-fourth inches tall. None have been reported as having sold on the Hooked on Carnival database even though an item pictured there that sold for $85 on a Wroda auction in late May, 2015, looks like a plate. The one illustrated, above right, is from Ingrid Spurrier’s collection. Another is owned by Neal Becker.
The Absentee Folding Fan
The Absentee Folding Fan piece is shown below. It has a unique edge treatment.
The Absentee Folding Fan is the plainest possible of plain patterns. It is patternless on both interior and exterior. Nonetheless, it is identifiable because its short stem and three and one-half inch base diameter are identical to the conventional Folding Fan shape. The Absentee has been reported in a tightly crimped banana shape and in a ruffled round with an unusual edging which might be described as Dugan’s version of ribbon candy. It has been confirmed only in peach but might possibly also have been made in a dark purple.
The Absentee Folding Fan would have been a viable candidate for decoration, but no examples have been reported under the Folding Fan name. It’s possible, though, that some might be out there described as Plain or in some other way.
This article first appeared in the ICGA Pump in the December 2023 issue and is reprinted with permission.