Vaseline Opalescent Slipper by Mosser #052
The Mosser Glass Company was started in 1959 by Tom Mosser who had worked extensively with the Cambridge Glass Company when it was in operation. The Mosser brand is well known for their authentic reproductions of early American slippers and boots using moulds perfected in the 1900s and others designed by Mosser.
Baby Bootie with Silk Flowers #028
This is a white porcelain baby shoe with a blue ribbed top, peach colored stars around the bottom near the sole and dabbed flowers on the sides. It also has a dark blue painted ribbon which goes in and out of a design in the shoe.
It measures 3 3/8″ in length, 2 5/8″ in height and 2″ in width. Perfect condition, with no chips or cracks.
The shoe is decorated with a satin purple ribbon tied in a bow and a purple silk flower with leaves. It has two strands of little pearls sticking out from the flower. It is actually quite cute and fairly well made.
Yong Feng Shangdian is the store in the China Pavillion in Epcot Village in the DisneyWorld Complex in Orlando, Florida. It is the only Yong Feng Shangdian store that I have found on the Internet and there were Florida government papers documenting the formation of this store with a fictionalized name for this specific site. The shoe is assumed to have been manufactured in China.
I have no recall of purchasing this shoe, but our family did visit Epcot in 1986, so it is possible it was a purchase then. My only question is the price. Could this really have only cost $1.50? Actually it probably did. I keep forgetting that 1986 was 21 years ago.
Estimated value now is probably $7.00 to $10.00 on a site like eBay.
Information from interviews and personal papers of BJ and BP.
Antique Baby Bootie, circa 1890 #027
This amber baby bootie is a piece of early pressed glass, manufactured between the years of 1888 and 1900. The maker of this shoe is unknown.
Most of the bootie has a very fine diamond pattern. The vamp is horizontally ribbed as is a 3/4″ vertical line at the center back. This shoe was made in amber, sea green (nearly a blue) and pale green and several other colors. It measures 4 1/8″ long, 2 1/2 ” high and 2″ wide.
On the sole, The toe (lower half in below photo) is hollow and the heel is solid. There are no identification markings or stampings on the sole of the shoe.
A close up of the two flowers, the ribbed pattern to the left (vamp) and the diamond pattern to the right.
This shoe is in excellent condition, showing only the expected minute scratches in glassware this age. It was an acquired shoe of the Lillian P Wood Memorial Collection and was purchased by BP in September of 2000 at Delafield Antique Center in Delafield, WI. Purchase price was $45.00. Estimated value in 2007 is $100.
This shoe, in amber, is displayed on Plate 18, shoe 225 in Shoes of Glass 2 by Libby Yalom, published by The Glass Press, 1998 and is referenced in that book as well as in Collectible Glass Shoes by Earlene Wheatley, published by Schroeder Publishing, 2001 and Collector’s Guide to American Pressed Glass 1825-1915 by Kyle Husfloen, published by Krause Publications 1992. Information also from personal records.
Contemporary Glass Shoe Ornaments # 020 and #021
These two Christmas ornaments are very popular, made from delicate glass, often with lots of color, detail and glittery accents. This ornament has been hand-blown (or is it mouth-blown) and hand-painted.
This ornament, a women’s ‘Victorian slipper,’ is 4 1/4″ long x 1 1/4″ wide X 2′ high. It has a solid painted gold sole.
Its identifying marks are a 1/2″ gold metal heart with inscription in a fancy font, OWC and the letters OWC also marked vertically, covering the gold ornament attachment. OWC is the identifying mark for Merck Family’s Old World Christmas set of ornaments.
This is a similar style ornament, that of a high top sneaker, made by the same company, OWC.
These delcate glasses are hand painted and decorated individually.
Front of attached tag.
Back of tag.
Both of these were given to me in 2001 for Christmas presents by my son and daughter. JE gave me the slipper and JA gave me the basketball shoe (the year he graduated from high school,)
As noted on the tag, these ornaments were purchased in new condition for $7.95. They are both acquisitions for the Christmas Ornament Collection of the Lillian P Wood Memorial Collection. Country of orogin is not noted.
Opalescent Fenton Cat Slipper #013
This cat slipper is a new release from the Fenton Glass Company. Although this is similar in color to the Vaseline glass, it does not have uranium in it’s patent ingredients; it has magnesium. This does flouresce, but very weakly. Some Vaseline collectors include any flourecing item as collectible. In this collection only the Vaseline with a make-up of 2% uranium sulphates is marked as Vaseline.
In 1970 the carnival cat slipper was introduced and all the shoes were marked with a label instead of a pressed sole logo. This is referred to in the Fenton catalog as “Carnival Cat Slipper #5290. This was the third design of the cat (or kitten) slipper to be made; the first was the daisy and button design and the second was the hobnail pattern, as seen on shoe # 012.
The two photos below show more detail of the cat. It’s head at the frot top of the shoe, curling forward and down, and its extended front paws.
Another close-up of the detail.
This is the black and silver Fenton paper label which was used beginning in 1970. It is unusual to have a paper sticker label remain on a gift shoe, and increases the value of the shoe (though not by much.)
This shoe was purchased as a gift acquisition for the collection and was not owned by Lillian P. Wood. It was purchased in Mineral Point, WI in 2004 by the current owner. Valued at $10.00; with label intact, $12.00 to $15.00.
Information from Fenton Glass: The Third Twenty-Five Years by William Heacock, published by The Glass Press, 1994. Other sources were: personal records; Collectible Glass Shoes by Earlene Wheatley, published by Schroeder Publishing, 2001; and Shoes of Glass 2 by Libby Yalom, published by The Glass Press, 1998.
Fenton Cat Slipper in Vaseline #012
This shoe was manufactured by Fenton Glass Company. The slipper is a familiar design of this company called the ‘cat slipper.’ This specific shoe’s manufacturing number is TO #3995, the TO for Topaz Opalescent, the color’s name designated by Fenton. The shoe is a Vaseline glass piece and fluoresces distinctly under a U-V light. It was made from 1939 until 1948 and re-issued in 1962. For an in-depth explanation of Vaseline glass, see
http://theshoecabinet.com/2007/12/12/vaseline-glass-the-magic-glass/
The shoe features a cat on the front, it’s head curled over it’s front paws. It is very difficult to see the features of the cat in this photo due to the hobnail pattern, but a different cat shoe with a good close-up view will be posted soon.
The hobnail pattern refers to the distinctive raised, white ‘bumps,’ reminiscent of a type of nail head called the hobnail. This is a common style in Fenton glassware.
This shoe was an acquisition of the collection of Lillian P. Wood, and purchased at Ramblin’ Rose Antique Mall in Oshkosh, WI in March of 2001 for $24.
The first issue of this shoe is valued at $35.00 to $50.00. The re-issue’s estimated value is $30 to $35. An identical shoe of the collection is currently in storage. Its history is unknown.
Sources of the above information are Yellow Green Vaseline: A Guide to the Magic Glass, Revised Edition by Jay L. Glickman and Terry Fedosky, published by The Glass Press Inc, 1998 and Collectible Glass Shoes by Earlene Wheatley, published by Schroeder Publishing, 2001.
Vaseline Glass – Comparison of Original vs. Reproduction
These shoes are #010 and # 011. Their full write-ups for each shoe are at the following posts. http://theshoecabinet.com/2007/12/12/vaseline-glass-slipper-miniature-011/ and http://theshoecabinet.com/2007/12/12/vaseline-glass-slipper-miniature-010/ on the left in the first photograph, is the original dating pre-1900. #011, on the right, is a re-production dating from the 1960s.
The differences are visibly apparent in all the photos. Above, the original has a clearer, less gaudy color and finer features when compared to the re-production.
This difference in detail and clarity of the glass is obvious. #010 on the right, #011 on the left.
This is a highly detailed and crisp rendition of a daisy and square pattern. Again the original shoe.
This shoe has less depth and sharpness in detail and the glass is thicker. This pattern is daisy and button. This shoe is the re-production.
Information was gathered from personal records, Collectible Glass Shoes by Earlene Wheatley, published by Schroeder Publishing, 2001 and Shoes of Glass 2 by Libby Yalom, published by The Glass Press, 1998.
Vaseline Glass Slipper – Miniature #011
This is a piece of Vaseline glass, a highly specific type of glass and one that is very collectible. To find out about Vaseline glass check out the post at http://shoeboxes.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/vaseline-glass-the-magic-glass/ This is very similar to the slipper #010, but it is a re-production. The details are not as defined and clear, and the shoe is heavier and slightly larger than the original. The color is also a bit deeper than the original shoe.
This shoe features a daisy and button pattern, the buttons being the circles between the flowers. This can easily be seen in the detailed photo below.
This shoe is probably from the 1960s. Manufacturer is unknown. Value is estimated at $20.00. This was an aquisition to the Lillian P Wood Memorial Collection purchased in the late 1990s, unknown purchase price.
For a comparison of the original and re-production shoes, see http://shoeboxes.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/vaseline-glass-comparison-of-original-vs-reproduction/
Information was gathered from personal records, Collectible Glass Shoes by Earlene Wheatley, published by Schroeder Publishing, 2001 and Shoes of Glass 2 by Libby Yalom, published by The Glass Press, 1998.
Vaseline Glass Slipper – Miniature #010
This miniature Vaseline glass slipper measures 3 1/4″ long x 1 3/4″ high. The explanation about Vaseline glass and what it is can be found in the post http://shoeboxes.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/vaseline-glass-the-magic-glass/
This shoe, a typical yellowish-green color, fluoresces brightly under a ultra-violet light (U-V light) confirming that it is indeed Vaseline glass.
It has a solid heel and a solid toe, and is considered a salt cellar by salt collectors. They are often collected in sets of 6 or 8, each cellar a different color.
The shoe is pressed in the daisy and square pattern (most of this style shoe have a daisy and button pattern) and was made circa 1880s by George Duncan & Sons. It is easy to see the daisy shaped flowers and the small raised squares. The other pattern has very distinguishable buttons (circles) instead of the squares. They were originally made in blue, vaseline, crystal and some were ruby stained.
Although some of these shoes have a patent mark on the sole, this one does not. The earliest record of patent registration was October 19, 1886. Shoes made earlier than this have no mark. This particular style of shoe was listed for purchase in trade circulars and catalogs as early as 1884.
The sole is finely hatch marked and there is no overhang over the sole.
This shoe was an acquisition of the Lillian P. Wood Memorial Collection purchased at auction in November, 2007 for $40.00.
There is a second shoe in the collection that is a re-production, # 111, and a post comparing the two shoes is found at http://shoeboxes.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/vaseline-glass-comparison-of-original-vs-reproduction/
Information was gathered from personal records, Collectible Glass Shoes by Earlene Wheatley, published by Schroeder Publishing, 2001 and Shoes of Glass 2 by Libby Yalom, published by The Glass Press, 1998.
Vaseline Glass Baby Bootie #008
This baby bootie is made of Vaseline glass which was discussed in length in the following post. http://shoeboxes.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/vaseline-glass-the-magic-glass/
This shoe is an acquisition of the Lillian P. Wood Memorial Collection. It is 4 1/8″ x 2 1/2″, has a ribbed vamp (upper) and two flowers at the front opening. The rest of the shoe is in a very small, finely cut diamond pattern and their is ribbing on the back.
There are three varieties of this shoe known today. The above shoe, maker unknown, has a very wide round toe and the overall opening is the largest of the three. The original shoe was made circa 1886 by the Duncan Company. It has a point at the toe and the opening is the widest of the three known types of shoes. Some Duncan booties are marked PAT’D. OCT. 19/86 on the sole. This bootie was made in crystal, amber, blue and Vaseline. The second manufacturer known was the Fenton Glass Co. of Williamstown, WV. They made the booties in 1938-39 in several colors including Vaseline. The bootie was made again in the 1950 through 1970s, but not in the Vaseline color.
Detail of the two flowers at the front opening of the shoe. Ribbed back with detailed diamond pattern on the back of the sides. The sole of the shoe has a large open toe with solid closed heel.
Estimated date of manufacture is circa 1930s. This shoe was purchased at Bloomington Antique Mall in Bloomington, IL in July of 2001 for $55. Estimated collector value is $70.
Information from Shoes of Glass and Shoes of Glass, 2 by Libby Yalom, published by The Glass Press, 1989. This book has a very clear description of the three manufacturers of this shoe and a photograph showing the varieties and specifications of the different soles. A photograph of this shoe is on page 74 of Wheatley’s first book.
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