Imagine, you've had a day out at the local carnival. You had a great day, eating until you felt like you could burst, going on the rides, and playing the various sideshow games. You are particularly proud of your winnings at the sideshow games. You know it isn't much, after all you never win anything expensive at a carnival, but the little glass cup is still beautiful, gleaming with different colours as the light hits it. All in all not a bad day out.
When I showed the children this carnival glass cup they were surprised to hear that something which today seems so precious and expensive was actually given away as prizes at carnivals, shows or fairs. The children are all familiar with sideshow games, and with what is usually won when playing them. They enjoy the prizes, but they are all too aware that they are usually cheap toys or games and they don't last long. 'You only get a decent prize if you get a really good score on the game' they told me, so to hear that in the past such beautiful glass was given away as carnival prizes was amazing. They also thought prizes in the 'old days' were much better and obviously lasted longer than the modern sideshow prizes.
Although there are many very old pieces of glass with a luminous sheen on the surface, most of these are created over time, by being exposed to sun and other elements and a chemical reaction is responsible for the appearance. Other pieces were created by companies like Tiffany's in the late 1800's, but were far too expensive for the average family to own, let alone to be given away as prizes and bonuses! Inexpensive carnival glass with its colour and sheen was only created in the early 1900's. The American company, Fenton Art Glass was probably the first to produce carnival glass, though at the time it was not known as carnival glass. The reason why the glass was so inexpensive, making it possible for more people to own it, was that it was actually created in a mould. After the glass was removed from the mould a layer of metallic salts was applied to it and this is what gives it the shiny, lustrous finish it is famous for.
At first, although it was inexpensive compared to the glass made by companies like Tiffany's, carnival glass was very popular and was actually sold at stores like Woolworths (in America). At the time it was known as 'Poor Man's Tiffany', lustre glass or Imperial Jewels and came in several colours. It was only later, as its popularity began to taper off that it became known as 'carnival glass'. As less people actually bought carnival glass, it began to be given away as part of promotions. For example, you might be given a free sugar bowl if you bought enough sugar! Then it began to appear at fairs and carnivals as side show prizes, hence the name carnival glass. If you would like to learn more about carnival glass click here.