Volume 32, Number 5 Page 3

Morgantown Continental Line By Dick Ladd The Morgantown Continental crimped. In the case of the Jennie the line is considered by most measurement is from handle collectors to be the best there to handle. Finally, we have is in Morgantown. While the queen of the Morgantown Morgantown never used that baskets, the Ashley. term, most collectors use it, so it has become one of those terms added on after the fact. It includes baskets, several types of vases and Italian The next in difficulty is the footed pieces. It is indeed a Patrick treat to acquire one of these wonderful pieces. Baskets. A Morgantown bas- ket is very easy to distin- guish. At the point where the This is the only footed bas- handle was affixed to the ket and is really a fantastic basket, it was finished with a find. “mint leaf” prunt. All of these baskets came in a wide variety of colors, which to me is the fun part of col- lecting Morgantown. They also made a few variations This basket comes in the such as an applied crystal sizes; namely 6”, 8” and 10”. rim. When Jerry Gallagher in his book, A handbook of Old

Morgantown Glass, listed sizes he referred to the width Italian Footed Pieces. If it doesn’t have that, back of the rim, and not the height away; it most likely isn’t of the basket. Because the The purists will be on me a Morgantown. baskets were hand made, the little for calling these Italian dimensions will vary. Next footed pieces. Technically it I have ranked the baskets by are the 10” Irene and isn’t a foot, it’s a base. Any degree of difficulty in find- Italian footed piece is hard to ing. This is from my experi- find. They made them with ence although you may dis- four feet although it’s surpris- agree. The baskets I see most ing to me they didn’t make often are the 10” Clayton, them with three feet. They would have set more evenly on a table with three feet in- stead of four so some of your the 5” Jennie. Italian pieces might rock back and forth a little. Who cares?

which some refer to this as having a canoe shaped rim, and the 9” Trindle, which has a similar base but the rim is (Continued on page 4) Volume 32, Number 5 Page 4

Morgantown Continental Line

(Continued from page 3) Finally, I have shown the 6” more. Jupiter.

Last, but certainly not least, Morgantown made an 11” El Greco, a 12” Romana and a There are other Italian footed 14” Toreador. Jerry Gallagher pieces I haven’t shown but said in his book “To date, that’s because I don’t own none of the three has been The Naples is 12” tall. It has one. It gives me something to seen, and ‘colors’ are un- the same body as the Electra keep looking for. known.”. I have put the red “Do you know vase which I have shown 11” El Greco and the 14” why we have later. Next are the 6” Nea- amethyst Toreador in the same picture. I wonder if I ’s balls? “ politan and the 8” Ziegfeld witch’s balls. I put them in will ever find the 12” Ro- the same picture to show the Vases. mana. big difference a 2” measure- ment makes. I mentioned the 10” Electra vase above. I would be glad to hear your comments. You can reach me through the NDGA or at [email protected].

Happy hunting.

Do you know why we have witch’s balls? They are used to get rid of witch’s in your house. The witch is attracted by the sparking glass and goes inside the ball. Once inside Note it has the same body as she gets confused and can’t the Naples, but has a foot and find her way out. If you have a pair of twisted reed handles. a witch ball you might check I did see an Electra with one to see if you have a witch in- handle and a lip on the other side. side which made it a pitcher. I have only seen one but its surprising they didn’t make