Fenton's Polished Top Vases
During the Contemporary Era of carnival glass, Fenton produced various vases from older molds. The one thing that these vases have in common is that they all have polished tops. These tops can be referred to as ground, finished or polished. They are typically large and heavy vases and each vase is typically found in one or two colors. The vases were blown-molded and thus the top was connected to metal rods used to blow air into the mold. These rods were then broken off creating a rough edge that would have been ground or polished down to create a smooth top.

Fenton made these pieces from old molds that it may have acquired as some of these vases can be seen in old Butler Brothers ads from the 1920s. Because Butler Brothers did not say who the manufacturer was in its ads at the time, it is not clear who the orignal manufacturer was. In the 1920's these vases were not made in a carnival galss treatment but in colored or clear glass. The clear glass may have been decorated with paint to highlight the floral or bird designs.

Butler Brothers Ads - Three vases are advertised in the ad to the left, although only two are pictured, an embossed grape design and an embossed rose design. The same two vases are again advertised in the ad to the right. But notice that the vases are 95 cents a dozen in the first ad but $3.75 a dozen in the second ad. That is because the first ad is from 1915 while the second ad is from 1925.
This red Orchid vase is 9 3/4 inches tall. It is also available in amethyst. This piece is not marked but may have had a Fenton sticker at one point.

Butler Brothers Ads - The ad on the left is from 1925 and the ad on the right is from 1929.
These three vases are known as Peacock on the left, Parrot in the center and Bird of Paradise on the right. Peacock in green and is 14 3/4 inches tall. Parrot is in green and is 12 inches tall. Bird of Paradise is in a light amethyst and is 9 3/4 inches tall. Tropical Bird can be seen in the Butler Brothers ad to the left. Of these three vases, only the Bird of Paradise is marked. It has an etched capital "F" on the bottom and a Fenton sticker.

These three vases are known as Grapes on the left, Lovebirds in the center, and Dogwood on the right. Grapes is green and 7 1/4 inches tall. Lovebirds is in black amethyst and is 6 1/4 inches tall. Dogwood is in blue and is 7 inches tall. The Lovebirds and Grapes vases are unmarked although they may, at one time, have had a Fenton sticker. The Dogwood vase is marked on the bottom with "Fenton" in an oval. This mark notes that the mold was made by Fenton.
These three vases are known as (from left to right) Art Deco, Rose Medallion and Mayflower. Mayflower is in blue and is 9 1/4 inches tall. Rose Medallion is in green and is 12 1/4 inches tall. Art Deco is in green and is 9 1/4 inches tall. Art Deco can be seen in a Butler Brother ad above. The Mayflower has a Fenton sticker and both the Mayflower and the Art Deco have an etched capital "F" on the bottom. Rose Medallion looks similar to the 15 inch tall vase in the ad above.


Above are four photos of the ground tops of these vases in various colors.