Jain Vase - Diamond Heart Vase - Daisy Drape Vase
- Diamantes Vase -  Orbit Vase - Panji Peacock Vase - Dimples Vase - Helen's Star Vase -

The Carnival Glass of India, Part 4

 

Indian Carnival Vase ID Guide:
"Bulbous" or tear-shaped vases

by curculiosglass

Jain Diamond Heart vase
photo courtesy of *treasurehunter*

           This is Part 4 of a seven-part guide on Jain and other Indian carnival glass.  This section is an ID guide to Jain's "bulbous" or tear-shaped vases.   Parts 2 and 3 of this guide also feature Indian carnival vases; to visit other sections of this guide, see the Table of Contents at the bottom of the page.   This guide was made possible by the many E-Bayers who contributed photographs to this project.  Please leave feedback by clicking the button at the bottom of the page.

Introduction

          According to the Standard Companion to Non-American Carnival Glass, bulbous vases were issued by Jain Glass Works in the 1930's.  Glen & Stephen Thistlewood, authors of A Century of Carnival Glass, at p. 179, write that "bulbous" or tear-shaped vases, such as the Diamond Heart vase shown above, represent a category of Indian carnival vases that are made of thick glass and feature ribbed necks and ruffled tops.  Such vases tend to run between 5" and 8.5", and they appear most often in marigold.  The bottoms of the vases' bases are iridized.  This vase category includes 9 documented patterns:  Daisy Drape, Diamante Stars, Diamantes, Diamantes Leaves, Diamond Heart, Dimples, Helen's Star, Orbit and Panji Peacock.   This guide offers a pictorial gallery of these patterns to aid collectors in Indentifying Jain's bulbous vases.   

    

Diamantes Star and Helen's Star vases
photo & drawing courtesy of curculiosglass

Diamantes Star.  As shown above left, this pattern consists of a background of raised small diamonds; in the foreground are four panels, each of which is decorated with four raised large diamonds joined together in a diamond-shaped configuration.  Two long intersecting lines divide the large diamonds, and four shorter vertical lines bisect them.  The vases are found in two sizes -- 8.5" and, less commonly, 6.5".  They appear in marigold and Jain blue.  Diamantes Stars vases are referenced in the Standard Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass, 11th ed., at p. 75.  The Diamantes Stars pattern is very similar to the Helen's Star pattern shown above right.

Helen's Star.  This pattern, like Diamante Stars, features a background of raised small diamonds, and four panels, each containing four raised large diamonds that fit together in a diamond shape.  In this pattern, however, the lines bisecting the large diamonds intersect, forming a geometric four-pointed star.  A photograph of a Helen's Star vase can be found on p. 140 of  the Standard Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass, 11th ed., where the vase is referenced.  The vases have appeared in marigold only.

Diamantes vase
photo courtesy of curculiosglass

Diamantes.  Like Diamante Stars and Helen's Star vases, Diamantes vases have a background of small raised diamonds.  In the foreground are panels containing small diamonds that join together to create barnacle-like raised star designs.  The vase shown above is 6 1/4" tall.  Diamantes vases have been found in marigold only.  They are featured in the Thistlewoods' A Century of Carnival Glass at p. 179, and are mentioned in the Standard Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass, 11th ed., p. 75 (no photograph provided).  The Diamantes pattern closely resembles the Indian carnival pattern known as Shalimar; an example of a Shalimar tumbler can be viewed at the website tumblerworld.com.

Diamantes Leaves pattern
 drawing courtesy of curculiosglass

Diamantes Leaves.  According to the Thistlewoods' A Century of Carnival Glass, there are only two known examples of this pattern.  Like the three patterns featured above, the Diamantes Leaves pattern features a background of small raised diamonds.  In the foreground are panels adorned with large raised triangles separated by raised dots.  Both known examples of this pattern are found in Jain blue base glass with a marigold lustre, and both vases are 8.5" high.  A photograph of the vases is featured in A Century of Carnival Glass, p. 179.  The pattern is also mentioned in the Standard Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass, 11th ed., p. 75 (no photograph provided). 

  

Daisy Drape Vase,
with detail of Daisy pattern
drawing & photos courtesy of curculiosglass

Daisy Drape.  This delicate pattern is difficult to photograph, and hence hard to discern in pictures supplied in currently available carnival glass guides.  The pattern features three bands of drapery that run around the vase under the neck ring.  The drapery gives way to a quartet of flowers that circle the vase.  At the bottom of the vase, just above the base, is a geometrical border of interlocked triangles and diamonds.  The above vase is 6" tall.  Daisy Drape vases are found in marigold only.  They are featured in the Standard Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass, 11th ed., p. 72.

Diamond Heart.   This vase pattern is shown at the very top of this guide page.  The Diamond Heart pattern consists of four upside-down hearts decorated with a lattice pattern.  Within each heart is a series of diamonds set within each other and forming the point of each heart.  A flower motif adorns the bottom of the vase.  Diamond Heart vases are referenced in the Standard Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass, 11 ed., p. 77.  The SECG notes that the vases have been found in marigold only, but they may exist in other colors as well.   The vase featured at page top is 6" tall.  The vases also have appeared on E-Bay in a 5" size.  An additional photograph of a Diamond Heart vase can be found at David Doty's website (ddoty.com/panji.html).

Dimples pattern
drawing courtesy of curculiosglass

Dimples.  This is an unusual pattern that features leaf-shaped panels containing circular designs resembling fish eyes.  The circular designs each contain a depressed circular center.  The bottom of the vase is decorated with geometric star patterns, and the rest of the vase's surface between and above the panels is unpatterned.  The vase has been found in marigold only.  It is featured in the Standard Companion to Non-American Carnival Glass, p. 92, and in the Standard Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass, 11th ed., p. 81.

Orbit pattern
 drawing courtesy of curculiosglass

Orbit Vase.  This is by far the most elaborate of all of Jain's bulbous vases.  Orbit vases have rows of beading, bands of ribs and a pattern of raised, bubble-like decorations.  The vases are 9" tall and found in marigold and in blue.  They are referenced in the Standard Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass, 11th ed., p. 201, which remarks that "Orbit is one of the prettiest of all Indian patterns".

A Panji Peacock Eye Vase
photo courtesy of curculiosglass

Panji Peacock.  Also called Panji Peacock Eye, this vase shows a series of peacock eyes in a band around the center.  Above and below them are layers of shapes that resemble the tips of feathers.  A band of parallel ribs circles the bottom of the vase, just above the base.  Panji Peacock vases are found in two heights; 8-8.5", and a smaller size of about 6.5".  The vase shown here is 8" tall.  This vase pattern is referenced in the Standard Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass, 11th ed., p. 205.  An additional photograph of a Panji Peacock vase can be found at Dave Doty's website (ddoty.com/panji.html).

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To continue to another part of this guide, click one of the links below:

      ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

1. General Information on Jain            2. Goa-style Vases              3. Hand & Animal Vases     

       4. Bulbous (Tear-shaped) Vases              5. Etched Vases and Other Vases          6. Cobalt-blue Fish Vase Fakes

   7. New Pitcher Patterns      8. New Tumbler Patterns - A            9. New Tumbler Patterns - B
              

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          Many thanks to E-Bayer  *treasurehunter*  for generously contributing photographs to this part of our guide.  Rights to all photos belong to the photographers, and pictures should not be used without their permission.  Text and drawings are (c) 2008 curculiosglass, all rights reserved.  To locate any E-Bayer whose name is mentioned here, or to visit his or her store, simply click on "SITE MAP" on the bottom of your screen, and then click on "Feedback Forum" on the right top corner of the screen that next appears.  Type or copy the E-Bayer's name into the search blank.  To see our other guides on glass, click on GUIDE INDEX.   If you found this guide helpful, please leave feedback by clicking the button below. This makes the guide rise in the E-Bay index so that it is easier for other E-Bayers to locate.