Star and File - Imperial
Star and File can be identified by its large 6 or 8-pointed star in a hexagonal shape with file columns between each star. Apparently a popular pattern in its day as it was made in so many shapes. However, the only shapes to come to market regularly are the celery vase and the rosebowl. Star and File pieces are typically only found in marigold or occasionally in a lighter marigold called clambroth. Only rarely will a piece be found in smoke. Star and File was identified in old Imperial catalogs as mold number 612.

Below are the many shapes Star and File is found in.
Above left are four pieces that each come with two handles. In front is a bonbon and a relish dish. Behind is a celery vase and a stemmed bonbon. The celery vase is 5 1/2 inches tall. The two handled stemmed bonbon is 4 3/4 inches tall including the handle, has a 4 3/8 inch base and is 5 1/2 inches across the bowl.

In the photo to the right is a standard water pitcher and two sizes of tumblers. The taller tumbler is 4 3/4 inches tall and would be referred to as a lemonade. The standard size tumbler is 4 1/4 inches tall. The lemonade tumbler is very rare.
On the left is a wine set complete with a wine decanter and stopper, six 4 inch tall wines and a undertray. The undertray is not iridized which is typical. The stopper used on the Star and File decanter is the same as used on the Octagon decanters. While the wines are 4 inches tall and quite available, 3 1/2 inch tall cordials also exist but are a bit harder to find.

To the right is a "Tall Stemmed Ice Cream" and a "Jelly". Both sit on a six inch small plate which has an inset in the center. Both the jelly and the stemmed ice cream are scarce. It is easier to find the underplate than the pieces that sit on the underplate. Four other pieces were also sold with this underplate: the standard tumbler and the very rare ice tea tumbler, as well as, the goblet and the low sherbert (two pieces for which photos are not available). Note that the jelly has an 8-pointed star while the tall ice cream has a 6-pointed star.
Star and File plates are found in only two sizes. A 6 1/4 inch underplate is shown above with the Tall Ice Cream and the Jelly. These are scarce but are found on occasion. The other size is a smaller 5 7/8 inch plate. Both plates have the pattern on the exterior. While the overall sizes of these two plates are very close, you can easily tell the difference by looking at the collar bases (second photo above). The small plate's collar base is only 2 inches across and there are 6 stars and 6 files in the pattern. The underplate's collar base is 3 1/4 inches across and there are 8 stars and 8 files in the pattern. The interior of the larger underplate has a recessed area, seen in the first photo above, for another piece to sit and thus its large base. The small plate does not have such a recessed area. It is interesting to note that while the underplate is slightly larger, it only has a 6-pointed star while the smaller plate has an 8-pointed star.
Star and File is also found in 7 inch tall compotes that are found with both round or ruffled tops. Breakfast Sets, consisting of a creamer and a sugar, are fairly easy to find.
Juice tumblers are 4 inches tall. They are very rare. Pictured above to the left are two juice tumblers. The one on the left is unmarked and therefore considered old, however, the one on the right is marked with an IG on the inside bottom. They appear to be identical. The marked contemporary juices were actually made to go with the reproduction wine decanters and sold as sets. The contemporary wine sets are very rare.

The two photos to the right are close-ups of the wine on the left and the cordial on the right. Wines are 4 inches tall and have an 8-pointed star while cordials are 3 1/2 inches tall and have a 6-pointed star. Auctioneers will sometimes list a wine or cordial incorrectly and not give the height. If you are not presented with the height of the stemmed piece, you can still tell if it is a wine or a cordial by counting the points in the star.

While most Star and File shapes have an 8-pointed star, the Tall Ice Cream, the Cordial, and the underplate have 6-pointed stars.
Several medium sized bowls were made in Star and File. They all appear to have been made from the same mold, just shaped differently. Above are a rosebowl, a square bowl, a flared bowl, a ruffled bowl, a round bowl and a nut bowl The collar base on each is 2 7/8 inches across and the bowls would range from 6 to 8 inches across the top depending upon the shaping.

Several other shapes may have been misidentified as Star and File over the years and thus may be included in the various pricing guides. These include goblets, ruffled goblets and footed vases. All of these items are probably Star Medallion pieces. Although goblets are presented in an old Imperial catalog, no photos of these pieces in Star and File have ever been presented. Until a photo of these items is published, these shapes do not exist in Star and File. A photo of a low sherbert is found in an old article written by David Ackerman, called Star and File Rarities, but these pieces must be extremely rare. In addition, John and Lucille Britt wrote an article on Star and File wines and cordials and included a photo of the extremely rare Star and File cordial.
The ad to the left is from an old Imperial catalog. It shows two patterns; Star and File and Flute #393. The items are advertised in Rubigold which today we would call marigold. Several Star and File pieces shown in this ad are extremely hard to find. The first three items on the left in the top row are a cordial, a wine and a goblet. While the wine is relatively easy to find and the cordial is extremely rare, no goblets have yet to be found. The short sherbert is also very rare but is shown in the article mentioned above. The custard or punch cup on the left in the bottom row is also not yet found in carnival. As such, there are no known photos of carnival glass goblets or custard cups in the Star and File pattern.