| Torquay Condiment Sets
One of the most beautiful and rare Consolidated condiment sets
is in the Torquay pattern. Torquay is also a popular Victorian pattern
glass. From the pictures, you can see that sets were made in two
different shapes.
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Pigeon Blood -note orange color on base |
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Satin Pigeon Blood -note orange
color on base
Although both of these pigeon blood sets are extremely rare, the
satin version is the rarest |
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Decorated Opalware |
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Satin Condiment Salt, Opal,
Pigeon Blood, Opalware Stand Alone Salts |
The two larger sets are in
what is now called pigeon blood glass. We do not know the origin of this
term but it is widely used, and sometimes misused. The glass seems to be
a thin lightly colored ruby glass. When pigeon blood glass is viewed
through the light it has a unique orange cast to it. It has been said
that this Nicholas Kopp created glass was used in railroad lanterns, as it
resulted a
much brighter light than other red lanterns. Calling it ruby glass may be
somewhat controversial, however we have purchased shakers where one is
much darker than the other. The darker is considered ruby, the lighter
pigeon blood.
The pigeon blood condiment sets are very rare and because of their
beauty, collectibles and rarity are the most sought after in this
article. Torquay is also known in decorated cobalt. We suspect that a
condiment set exists in cobalt but since the condiment sets in general
are hard to find, it would be extremely rare. We have never seen a
single Torquay shaker nor a single condiment shaker in cobalt blue.
The smaller set is decorated opalware and is a smaller set than the others. Pieces
of the Torquay pattern in decorated opalware came in flower decorations
and different colors on the stripe. Since the pattern is also known with
maroon stripes, light blue stripes and yellow stripes, we would assume
condiment sets in these colors could be found.
Beaded Crosstie Condiment Set
A condiment set that is likely a Northwood product is the Beaded
Crosstie set. It is being a little brave to call it Northwood. However,
the colors match other Northwood shakers and items. We know of no other
maker that has produced the cased green color of the Northwood Cactus
Shaker, Flat Flower, Quilted Phlox, Swirl and Leaf, and Crocodile Tears.
In addition, the shade of the cased pink color of
Beaded Crosstie and those patterns match. We had originally assumed it
was Northwood based upon the cased green color and were later excited to
find a Beaded Crosstie shaker in the same color and shade of cased pink as some of
the other shakers. On the other hand, there is no condiment set with a
glass base attributed to Northwood. The set looks much like the sets
made by Consolidated. As mentioned above, Beaded Crosstie is also known
in cased pink. It is likely that a pink cased condiment set can be found
although we have only seen the shaker. Homogenous colors are also known
and shakers are all shaped for condiment bases.
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Opaque Green, Cased
Pink, Cased Green, Cased Green Darker |
Maize Condiment Sets
The Libbey Glass Company made the Maize pattern.
The pattern is known in opaque white, a pale
yellow color called custard by some collectors, and an iridescent crystal. The
condiment set shown is white opalware. Also shown are the shakers for
the other types. We could not resist putting the rare iridescent shakers
in the opalware base for a photo. To our knowledge a base for the iridescent
is not
known but will undoubtedly appear. The opalware set is rare and either
of the others in a complete set is extremely rare.
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White Opalware Maize Set |
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Iridescent Shakers in
Opalware Base for Photo |
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Maize Condiment Shakers (aka
Bulging corn) |
| White Opalware, Iridescent
Crystal, Custard, Stand Alone Maize Shaker |
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