Challinor, Taylor & Co. Beaded Oval Mirror Vaseline & Dark Green S&P Shakers

Challinor, Taylor & Co. made a few patterns in square-shaped salt & pepper shakers with iridescence including this very rare set called Beaded Oval Mirror in Vaseline (left) and dark green base glass. 

Other patterns by Challinor include Horseshoe & Astor, Seashell, Crossroads Double, and Square S and P. There are possibly others. These are all very rare and only a very few are known that I am aware of. They all measure 3 3/4" tall on average. Each of the patterns mentioned feature the same pattern on all four sides of the shaker.

In addition, Challinor shakers generally come in opaque and slag colors and are not too hard to find. They also made transparent colors, such as those used to make this Beaded Oval Mirror set seen here,  but are very rare and seldom seen, iridized or not.

The general opinion by most collectors is that the iridized shakers are produced by Challinor, Taylor & Co. However, there is really no hard proof of that so there is a difference in opinion. Read on...

One noted carnival glass researcher and author, Bob Bruce, had this to say about the Challinor shakers: "Challinor Taylor was one of the member factories of the U.S.Glass Co. combine. By 1900 Challinor Taylor was no longer operating. Their moulds were transferred to other U.S.Glass member factories still in operation. The first carnival glass was not introduced to the market until 1907 (by Fenton). The U.S. Glass Co. also made iridescent ware and more of theirs was produced in the 1910-1920 period, at their Glassport, PA plant and at the Tiffin plant. Any carnival glass examples of Challinor Taylor patterns and pieces were made there and not by Challinor Taylor themselves." Bob Bruce was a vast wealth of knowledge for me as I learned about shaker collecting. I will forever value the advice, education, and comments that he gave me and he is certainly missed. 

The interesting thing about carnival glass salt shakers is that some of these shakers seem to show up in patterns (Victorian era patterns) by manufacturers that we thought never made carnival glass. That really makes you think--where did these shakers come from and when were they really made? Were they made prior to the real production of carnival glass as we know it, from 1907 to around 1920 or so? Or were these patterns made again by another manufacturer during the carnival glass period who may have acquired the moulds through glass company consolidation?  Then even the possibility exists that some of these pieces were iridized later on in their lives. 

The Scott Beale Collection