Think your unsigned vase is Tiffany Favrile? Think twice. It might be Trevaise.

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Trevaise glass from the collection of Frank W. Ford

Trevaise glass from the collection of Frank W. Ford

Vases exist that look an awful lot like Tiffany Favrile glass, with good reason. Here’s the story.

This Tiffany Favrile vase has a button pontil

This Tiffany Favrile vase has a button pontil

The Alton Mfg. Co. of New York bought the old Sandwich Glassworks, which had closed in 1888. They hired a talented gaffer, James H. Grady, who had worked at Tiffany Studios in Corona, NY, to come to Sandwich, MA, to head a team to produce “High Class Glassware”, to be called Trevaise. Production began sometime in May 1907, but stopped by the end of the year when the glassworks was closed for extensive repairs. Work was supposed to resume after the holidays, but never did. In February, 1908, C.F. King, the president of Alton Mfg. Co. disappeared with the proceeds of the company. He was later arrested and convicted of 27 counts of larceny. The Alton Mfg. Co. permanently closed. Therefore Trevaise glass was only made for a few months, from mid-May, 1907, to the end of the year.

Another Trevaise vase from the collection of Frank W. Ford

Another Trevaise vase from the collection of Frank W. Ford

Here are some characteristics of Trevaise glass. Mostly vases were produced without handles. The vases always have button pontils and they are never signed. Of course, there have been unscrupulous people over the years who’ve decided it was easier to sell these vases with Tiffany signatures, so some of them are found today with spurious signatures. The glass is usually thicker than authentic Tiffany Favrile vases, so they’re often heavier than similar examples from Tiffany.

Many thanks to Frank W. Ford for his assistance in the preparation of this post.


Click on this image to buy tickets

Click on this image to buy tickets

Our next show is approaching quickly. We’ll be in Glencoe, IL, for the Garden, Antique & Design Show, at the Chicago Botanic Garden, starting April 15th. It’s a beautiful show, with both antiques and gardening, that you’ll absolutely enjoy. We only have two remaining shows in the greater Chicago area, so come and say hi!

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