Paden City Ardith, that’s what. Recently Lynn posted a comport asking for help. It is such a pretty piece, square-ish shape with pretty flowers etched on each corner, and in a soft clear topaz yellow glass. For some reason Paden City’s glass is not as well known as that from Cambridge or Fostoria. Paden City was in business all through the Great Depression in the 1930s that ended several other glass companies. It lasted until 1951, which means it closed down the same decade as did Heisey and Cambridge.
Paden City is best known for their Peacock and Wild Rose and Cupid etchings, both very pretty and often quite costly. (You can read about my Peacock and Wild Rose vase in this post.) Ardith is less well known but you can see by the photo how graceful it is. I love how the flowers are clustered together then individual stems arch out and around the edge of the piece.
Paden City made Ardith in the usual colors of the depression era, green, light yellow, a soft pink they called Cheriglo, crystal, amber, plus a few pieces in cobalt blue, ruby red, even solid black. I’ve seen it at glass shows and a few antique malls. Even people who don’t recognize the pattern know it’s special and the pieces are usually on the expensive side. Yellow, pink and green are the most common.
Paden City did make a full luncheon set with Ardith etch but the only pieces I’ve seen in person or online have been accessory or decorative items – bowls, candle holders, servers, vases. None of the books I have mention any stemware either; perhaps Paden City meant this mainly as a gift ware line.
The best reference book for Paden City is the Encyclopedia of Paden City Glass: Identification and Values by Carrie and Jerry Domitz. The authors researched Paden City patterns and collected pieces in almost every pattern. One time I had a rather rare Aster etched plate, a pattern of which they had only one photo in their book and asked for readers to send information about other pieces, which I did and got a kind reply. The book is well illustrated with several photos in almost every pattern. (Aster was the exception!)