Welcome to Tablescape Thursday. Here is a special table for you with stunning blue purple etched Tiffin Fontaine Twilite plates and stemware. We only have a few pieces but you can see how special even a small table is when you use stunning glassware like this.
Tiffin Glass Fontaine Fountain Etched Twilite Blue Purple Tablescape
Fontain sounds like “Fountain”, doesn’t it? I don’t know why Tiffin decided to use the French word for fountain – maybe they thought it gave their pattern a cachet – but if you remember that Fontain equals Fountain you’ll know everything you need to about this glass.
Tiffin Glass Fontaine Fountain Etched Twilite Blue Purple Tablescape
Let’s see a close up so you can spot the tinkling fountain and the two birds ready to sing for joy.
Tiffin Glass Fontaine Fountain Etched Twilite Blue Purple Tumbler
What color does this look to you? Blue or purple? To my eyes it’s a blueish purple although the camera shows it more blue. Some glass authors and websites call this purple but most refer to it as blue. Tiffin called it Wistaria but glass authors and collectors call it Twilite. It is an entrancing color by any name, one that has a lot of life and makes you smile just to see it.
Tiffin Glass Fontaine Fountain Etched Twilite Blue Purple Tablescape
We were fortunate enough to find a few pieces at an antique store this summer when we went antiquing while on vacation. Normally this pattern is costly and over my budget to buy for resale, but we were very lucky and they had a few pieces that were not damaged and affordable, even for me to purchase for our store.
Tiffin Glass Fontaine Fountain Etched Twilite Blue Purple Tablescape
Are you curious about the pattern? Tiffin Glass made Fontaine from 1925 to 1931, mostly in bicolored combinations of crystal bowls and green or the blue-purple stems, plus solid green, this exquisite Twilite blue purple and a little pink. Tiffin was known for their two-colored glass and had many striking combinations. I have seen the other colors only in photos – this is not the most common pattern you’ll find antiquing – and like the green and Twilite the best.
Tiffin Glass Fontaine Fountain Etched Twilite Blue Purple Tablescape
Although collectors and books call this color Twilite, it is not quite the same as the Twilite that Tiffin made from 1949 to 1980. The later Twilite formula contained the rare earth element neodymium that causes glass to look pink with a tinge of purple in some lights and gray blue in other light. To my eyes this Twilite Fontain looks a little more bluer under very bright light but it is not the same color change as with neodymium glass, there is no pinkish or grayish tone. Fontaine Twilite is just a gorgeous rich blue purple that sparkles and looks wonderful in a table setting.
If you like this please be aware that Tiffin re-used the Fontaine pattern name in the 1960s for a completely different design. If you buy online always always check the photos first.
Thank you for visiting today and thank you to Susan of Between Naps on a Porch for hosting this fun event each Thursday.
Shopping information: We carry Tiffin Fontaine Twilite etched sherbets, tumblers and plates in our store Cat Lady Kate’s Elegant and Depression Glass. Shopping with us is like antiquing with your best friend.