We’re almost done with a short series on Fostoria Fairfax, their go-to blank used in the 1930s. I almost didn’t write this post since many of the Fairfax pictures I’ve shown the last few posts have been etched pieces; although Fostoria sold Fairfax as a plain pattern, I’ve had more of the decorated pieces. Although we have photos of only some etches Fostoria used on Fairfax, they are so pretty I can’t resist showing them as a group.
Fostoria Trojan Etched Fairfax
Trojan doesn’t look like much in the pictures, a blah sort of spade design with a lot of empty space. I was stunned by how beautiful it is in person the first time we saw it. The design is exquisite and perfectly fits the shapes and colors. Trojan is one of my favorites!
At one time I had enough to set a small table. This has the lunch plate, salad, footed tumblers and cups and saucers with my Mom’s Rose Point sterling on a white tablecloth.
Another view
Here is the salad plate. Notice that the design is on the rim only, leaving the centers bare.
The footed cup and saucer
I showed the scroll handle bowl here and here is the three-footed flared bowl, very pretty piece.
Fostoria Versailles Etched Fairfax
I was lucky enough to buy several pieces of Versailles, at least one in every color Fostoria used – pink, green, blue and topaz. Let’s go look.
Here is the pink cup and saucer, so pretty. The orange cast on the cup is from my photography, pink is a hard color to get right. Just like Trojan, Fostoria put the Versailles etch on the plate rims only. It’s quite a stylish pattern that always looks more formal than do Trojan or June.
And the pink console bowl, one of the pieces we still have. It’s listed here.
Moving to blue, we had a set of tumblers and bouillon cups.
And green, love the green three-footed candle holders listed on Etsy here.
My sister and I went to a antique store in Ohio that had a large set of topaz Versailles but I didn’t get it. The candle holder is the only piece we had in topaz.
Fostoria June Etched Fairfax
June is probably Fostoria’s most popular etched pattern. Fostoria made it in pink, blue, topaz and crystal. I’ve had all but the pink.
June in blue is stunning! This little bon bon tray is one of those classic shapes from the depression era with its up tilted sides.
The topaz whipped cream bowl is another stunner. You can tell that June was successful just based on these two items. Fostoria did not make special bowls for whipped cream in their poor-selling patterns!
Other Patterns on Fairfax
Fostoria used Fairfax for their Acanthus plate etch and Camden needle etch. Acanthus is a beautiful design of scrolls all the way around each piece, with a larger scroll that dips down into the main part of the piece. It must not have been as popular as the others because Fostoria made it only from 1930 to 1932 and not in as many colors. I saw a console bowl once but not any other pieces.
Camden needle etch has jiggly lines above and below a narrow etched band. Needle etches are less complex, purely geometric, and Camden is typical. I’ve never seen it in person.
I hope you enjoyed seeing more Fostoria Fairfax glass beauties! Our last post in the series will look at some blanks that are often used as go-withs to augment the Fairfax pattern.