- You have probably seen Imperial’s pattern number 725, Molly, if you’ve done any antiquing, as most malls seem to have a few pieces lurking in the corners. I didn’t find much documentation on Molly so this post has many surmises along with the meager facts.
I’ve had a few pieces of Molly, all decorative items like this footed bowl. This is actually one of the earliest pieces I bought – and it took me many years to discover its identity. I was browsing my Hazel Marie Weatherman book and came across this bowl – minus the cutting – and after some work decided this is indeed Molly, line 725.
According to the catalog pictures reprinted in Mrs. Weatherman’s book, Imperial listed this footed bowl as the 10 1/2 inch comport. If my memory serves I sold it as a footed console bowl.
Gene Florence shows Molly in his pattern identification book, volume 1, stating it has at least 10 pieces and that Imperial produced it in the mid 1930s in red, blue, pin, green and crystal. He doesn’t include Molly in any of his other books, even though his massive Collectors Encyclopedia of Depression Glass includes many other Imperial patterns.
Besides the colors Florence lists, Replacements shows Molly in two shades of amber, black, light aqua, yellow and even amethyst. Likely Imperial made it over time in whatever colors they used that year. I’ve mostly seen pink.
Imperial made a few pieces you could use as a dessert set or luncheon service, cups, saucers, salad plates, but Molly is primarily a pattern full of pretty serving pieces and decorative accessories. Mrs. Weatherman’s catalog reprints note 4 or 5 console or centerpiece bowls, 2 candle holders, 7 candy jars (some called covered nut bowls or covered casseroles), a bell, center handled servers, footed bowls, mayonnaise sets, cheese and cracker sets and an ice bucket.
I wasn’t sure at first whether this cake plate was Molly since it has 10 sides instead of the usual 8, but the handles are exactly the same, plus Weatherman’s book shows this piece as an underplate.
I got this 2-handled bowl at the same estate sale as the cut pink bowl at the top. Once I figured one of the bowls was Molly it was easy to see the resemblance!
Take a close look at the handles on the cake plate and the bowl. Notice how they are not quite square, nor do they have the graceful curves of Cambridge square-ish handles. The handles are flatter and have a slight inward curve. It’s quite distinctive. (One of the Central designs has handles that are close.)
Molly has 8 sides – except for the handled pieces which have 10 – and the optic that runs from the center out to the point. The edges are curved between each point. Also the footed pieces are easy to spot; look for the notches as in the cut bowl or the splayed out base on the handled bowl.
This ebony black center handled server is another piece of Molly. The heart-shape handle is distinctive as is the octagonal shape. It’s a gorgeous piece and unusual.
Molly is a lovely pattern and if you find a piece or two in colors you like then go ahead; it is an easy pattern to enjoy!