Northwood’s Pillared and Ribbed Vases

Gary Sullivan

Vases in photo are (left to right): Fine Rib in Blue; Four Pillars in Sapphire; Thin Rib (ribs end short of top) in Amethyst; Thin Rib Mid-size in Blue; Thin and Wide Rib in Citrine; Thin Rib (ribs extend beyond the top) in green; Thin Rib Squatty in Green and Thin and Wide Rib in Ice Blue.

Fine Rib is found as the exterior pattern of vases ranging from 6 to 18 inches depending upon how swung they were. The only base size is 3 ½ inches. The Fine Rib pattern covers the entire exterior of the vase, ie there is no blank space between the individual ribs and the ribs go from the base to the very top of the vase. The individual ribs are of equal size. Many have the Northwood mark so you can usually distinguish them from similar Fenton vases. Easily found in Marigold, Amethyst, Green and Blue but can also be found in Ice Green, Lime Green and White.

Four Pillars is easily identified has having just that, four pillars that extend beyond the base to form “toes’ and beyond the rim to form “points”. Four Pillars comes in two base sizes: 3 1/8 inch and 2 7/8 inch. Ranging in height from 9 to 12 inches, they are easily found in Green, Amethyst and Marigold. This is one pattern that Aqua Opal is found in abundance thus the attribution to Northwood. Other colors include Vaseline, Ice Blue, Ice Green and Sapphire.

Thin Rib (Standard) is an exterior pattern on Northwood vases that typically carry the Northwood mark. However there are two variations. Each standard Thin Rib vase has nine ribs that extend up into nine “flames” at the top of the vase, however in one variation the rib stops short of the top while in the other the rib extends beyond the top to form a point. The space between each rib is in fact blank. Some standard Thin Rib vases have the tops formed into the Jack-in-the-Pulpit shape. Thin Rib is found in many colors and can thus one can create a small collection of various Thin Rib vases.

Thin Rib (Mid-size) is named the same as the standard size, however, it is a different vase as there are only eight ribs that extend up into eight flames at the top of the vase instead of the nine on the standard vase. The base diameter is 4 3/4 inches and typical heights range between 12 and 15 inches. Like the standard size, the mid-size is found in many different colors.

Thin and Wide Rib vases are often listed by auctioneers as Thin Rib, but the vase is very different. The ribs on this vase alternate between a thin rib and a wide rib. The entire surface of the exterior is covered by ribs. The ribs start at the base and extend up stopping just short of the rim.