Indiana Glass Company’s No. 171 Pattern Spooner

Today’s Museum Monday treasure from the Museum of American Glass in WV is the spooner from a four-piece table set in Indiana Glass Company’s No. 171 pattern, known to collectors as Rosette with Pinwheels. We also have the creamer and sugar bowl – the latter is missing its lid. We still need a butter dish to complete the set. Does anyone have one they’d like to donate?

This pattern was introduced in 1925 and made into the early 1930s, so it is worth noting that the Victorian table set definitely continued to be popular long after what is currently recognized as the Early American Pattern Glass (EAPG) era, which is usually cut off around 1910 to 1914. The fact that this was just one of many other Indiana patterns (as well as those from other companies) with pressed imitations of cut glass that were brought out in the 1920s points out how arbitrary it is to try to limit EAPG to a finite time period. But that’s a soapbox for another occasion. And, in fact, Rosette with Pinwheels was originally named by Minnie Watson Kamm (and who is going to argue with her?), so it can be found in most EAPG references, including the wonderful EAPGS database.

Rosette with Pinwheels was a full pattern. We also have a water pitcher in the collection, and there were various size bowls, a salver, comports, and a covered honey dish, making this a great pattern to collect.