The Fenton Art Glass Company has been in operation for more than 100 years and has produced thousands of quality art glass products from lamps to collectible animal figurines.  Over the years, many cat lovers have found their 2nd or 3rd love among Fenton's collection of cat figurines, which multiplies and diversifies as time goes by.  Because there are so many Fenton cat shapes and designs currently available on the eBay market (or at the flea market), it is sometimes difficult for the figurine enthusiast to understand what pieces he/she owns or is buying and selling.

(For more information on collecting/buying and selling Fenton pieces, please see my other guides: Fenton Glass Bells and Glass Shoes and Slippers.)

Is That Cat A Fenton?

How do you know if the cat you are looking at is a Fenton?  One of the easiest ways to tell is the presence of a Fenton sticker label either on the bottom or the back of the cat.  (See examples of two (2) Fenton labels in the photos below.)

Unfortunately, sometimes stickers are removed from a piece and so the moulded Fenton logo must be sought out in order to identify the cat.  (Be aware, however, that the moulded Fenton logo was not added to pieces until circa 1973.)  Normally, this small logo is moulded into the cat near the bottom and back of the figurine.  Caution:  Use a magnifying glass to seek out this logo because it is extremely small and difficult to read.  (An example of the moulded Fenton logo is shown below.  The logo is difficult to photograph, but it is basically a raised oval with the name "Fenton" inside.) 

Along with the Fenton label, you can often find at least one signature on the figurine.  Normally, the person who handpainted the cat will sign the figurine on the bottom or backside.  This signature may be accompanied by the signature of a member of the Fenton family.  If the cat is of a limited edition, the figurine may also be hand numbered.  (See two examples of signatures below.  The first figurine has been signed on the bottom and the second figurine has been signed on the backside directly above the tale.)  

What Do I Call My Fenton?

In order to identify a Fenton cat shape and design, the Fenton cat lover must understand that Fenton cats are produced from moulded glass.  Fenton has a limited number of mould designs and each mould design determines the cat shape.  Each mould design has its own number, and it is difficult to determine the approximate collector's or manufacturer's price of a Fenton cat figurine without knowing the mould number along with additional identifying product characters (which will be discussed later).

Some of Fenton's mould numbers are listed below with a brief description of the mould design:

5165:  Cat or Burmese Cat (3-3/4 inches tall)
5119:  Kitten (crouching posture, 4 inches long)
5365:  Kitten (standing posture, 3 inches tall)

5044:  Playing kitten (playing posture, 3 inches long)
5177:  Alley Cat (11 inches tall)
5277:  Happy Cat (6-1/4 inches tall)
5074:  Grooming Cat (4 inches tall)

5243:  Curious Cat (3-1/2 inches tall)

5064:  Sleeping Kitten (3-1/2 inches long)
5065:  Stylized Cat (5 inches tall)

5361:  Cat Ringholder Box (4-1/2 inches tall)

5291:  Scaredy Cat (Scaredy cat posture with tail raised, 4-1/2 inches tall)

C1463 (QVC #):  Birthston Cat In A Bag (Made for QVC, Cat peeking out of bag, 3-1/2 inches tall)

403303A:  Fenton Cat Lenox (New mould, made for Lenox, standing cat, 4-1/2 inches tall) 
 
Mould #5165 is used to create one of the more common Fenton cat shapes which is the burmese cat (or simply "Cat") .  (See an example of #5165 in the photo shown below.  The cat shown is a #5165TS from the Winter Rose line produced only for Christmas 1989.)

Cat figurines produced from mould #5165 were first introduced in the year 1979. 
 
An interesting aside: Even though #5165 appears to be the most common shape, it was not the first cat produced by Fenton.  Rather, the first Fenton cat was produced using a mould aquired by Fenton Art Glass Company from another art glass company in the 1960s.  This cat, #5177 or the Alley Cat, was introduced in 1970 and differs greatly in shape from Fenton's other cats (with the exception of #5277 or the Happy Cat).  
 
In 1999, Fenton introduced the stylized cat created from Mould #5065 which is a more sleek, modern and sexy version of the Cat (#5165).  (See an example of #5065 in the photo below.  The cat shown is #5065FT Cottage Roses on translucent French Opalescent Glass.  This cat appears in the 2002 and 2003 issues of the Fenton Catalog.)

          
One of Fenton's more recent designs is the Grooming Cat produced from Mould #5074.  (See an example of #5074 in the photo below.  The cat shown is #5074FV and is part of the True Blue on Milk Glass line.)

  
Knowing the cat shape will normally give you the first four (4) digits of the cat product number.  However, you may need a little more information (including the line or design designation) to determine pricing. 

With due respect, the Fenton Art Glass Company has demonstrated pure genius in its marketing and product designs.  With its many moulds, designs and lines for products, the Fenton catalog is a mix-and-match collector's paradise.  For example, a Cat #5165 can be aquired in glass of any color of the rainbow.  Fenton doesn't stop there, however, and will use special production techniques and additives to develop "special effects" within the glass itself.  In addition, many #5165 cats are produced in a line of other Fenton pieces with the same glass and hand painted design.  Some of these designs are produced only for one year or one season, as was the case for the #5165TS cat shown in an earlier photo.  The more rare the piece, the more valuable the piece, typically.  

The "Spring Splendor on Pink Chiffon" cat, shown below, is an example of a cat which was produced as part of a "line" or collection.  This particular cat was part of a collection which included a glass elephant, bell, vase and various other pieces.  All pieces were made with the same glass design (pink chiffon opalescent) and handpainted design (blooming crocus).  The cat product number, #5165X9, identifies it specifically as being moulded from the 5165 mould and as being part of the "Spring Splendor on Pink Chiffon" collection. 

How Do I Determine My Cat's Complete Product Number? 

One of the best ways to identify a cat is to invest in a collector's book.  Fenton Glass: Cats and Dogs by Tara Coe-McRitchie is an excellent book for Fenton cat collectors which provides history, product numbers and a pricing guide for hundreds of  Fenton cat pieces.  There are also many other Fenton Glass Collector's Books available through the Fenton Art Glass Company or on eBay.  A collector's book is often the most helpful in identifying an item because these books usually provide information on pieces that were produced for special occasions and pieces that did not appear in the Fenton catalog.  Examples of these pieces would be items produced for QVC and trade shows.  (Newer items produced specifically for QVC can be found through the QVC website or through a link provided on the Fenton website under "catalogs".

If you need quick information or are looking for relatively new pieces, another great place to investigate is the Fenton Art Glass website.  This website includes online catalogs from the year 2000 to present and online pricing guides.  When using this online catalog, it is important to understand that (with the exception of the "Calendar Cats" and "Hugs for You" collection) Fenton cats will not be shown lumped together in a single exhibit.   Most cats will be found with their associated line of pieces which may include lamps, bowls, ring holders, etc.  Therefore, if you do not know the name of the collection or the year of production, you will need to browse each entire catalog to find your cat.   

Once you do browse the catalog, you may find yourself feeling that you can't have just one Fenton cat and you may even want to share this new affection with other Fenton enthusiasts.  If so, there are a few Fenton Art Glass clubs which exist for the education of Fenton collectors including:  The Fenton Art Glass Collectors of America, The National Fenton Glass Society, and The Pacific Northwest Fenton Association.  Each of these clubs also has a website with instructions on how to become a member. 

How Much Is My Fenton Worth? 

Collector's books and catalogs can generally give you good guidance on the value of a piece.  Another excellent way to determine value is to monitor eBay for auctions on similar pieces.  Fenton glass cats can be found in a few different catagories.  Listings for the cats are sometimes under "Pottery and Glass" and also "Collectables".  When searching eBay, keywords such as Fenton Glass Cat entered under "All Categories" are normally specific enough and, yet, general enough to bring up the most listings.  These keywords will also find Fenton's other popular cat pieces which are the glass cat slippers or shoes.  These slippers feature the delicate head of a cat on the front top of the slippers.  Similar slippers are also manufactured by other art glass companies including Boyds.      

If a cat that you own or would like to own shows up for auction you may choose to "Watch" the item before deciding to buy (or sell) to get a feel for the overall popularity of the piece.  After all, the real monetary value of a piece depends on how much someone is willing to pay for it.  But, as most of the eBay community knows, prices and demand vary from week to week and certain factors influence the ultimate price such as:

Quality 

Fenton does release factory seconds which present a production flaw.  These less-than-top-quality pieces are typically marked with a boxed F or a star in order to identify them as seconds.  Also, the moulded Fenton logo may be missing from a factory second.  (As stated earlier, the moulded Fenton mark or logo was not added to pieces until circa 1973 and, therefore, its absence will not always signal a factory second.)  These pieces are not as highly valued by collectors as the highest quality pieces.  Before purchasing a piece, it is best to ask about indications that the piece may be a second.

Condition 

Identification of the condition of a piece is critical in determining its value.  Cats that are not chipped, scratched, or worn are much more valuable than those that have obvious wear.  If a seller does not state the condition or specifics about the condition of the cat, ask the seller to give more details well before the auction is over. 

The capability in the eBay community to correspond is really a benefit to both buyers and sellers.  Buyers can gain confidence when asking questions and sellers can learn what their customers need to know before making a purchase.  Sellers also have the ability to add to their product description after first posting an item and they may choose to add information sought out by potential buyers to their existing product description.  Note:  Additions to a product description after the initial posting are tagged by eBay as being added so that buyers can be aware of product specification changes.

Signature

The presence of a signature can also add value to a piece, especially if that piece has been signed by a member of the Fenton family.

Conclusion

Whether you are a cat lover, or just a Fenton Cat lover, each cat is highly prized regardless of its monetary value.  Have fun collecting your menagerie and remember "You can't have just one!" 

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