Challinor, Taylor & Co. Double Crossroads Amethyst & Green S&P Shakers

If these Double Crossroads salt & pepper shakers look familiar it is because they graced the cover of the 12th Edition of the Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass written by Mike Carwile. These have also been reffered to as Crossroads Double.

They once belonged to Mike's friend and fellow collector, Gary Vandevander, who had two pairs of these special shakers. Each set collected included one amethyst and one green shaker.

They're 3 3/8" tall to the top cover and are iridzed on the bottoms and have ground tops. They were made by Challinor, Taylor & Company, who produced glass in Tarentum, Pennsylvania from 1866 to 1891 in crystal and other colors. They were part of the United States Glass Company.

Mike Carwile took this picture of a display, showing both sets of shakers, when he visited Gary at his home in 2009. He had spent the whole day there photographing several pieces of glass for his future book. Both sets are in the middle of the display; one middle left and one middle right. Mike had taken the ones on the right down from the shelf, photographed them in his photo tent, then returned them on the shelf. He was really pleased when Gary gave those to him as a gift knowing how much he really liked them.

The other identical pair was sold at the February 11, 2017 Tampa Bay convention auction featuring the collection of Gary & Sharon Vandevander and was purchased by shaker collector extraordinaire, Scott Beale, who says he has waited years to purchase these after he missed them on eBay years ago. Scott remembers when they sold. He says they were offered as a set of two amethyst in one auction and a set of of two green in another. He even saved the photos on eBay and has offered them here. Thank you for the photos Scott. These are great!

So Mike Carwile owns two and Scott Beale has managed to collect the other three which totals the five known reported iridized Double Crossroads shakers. Here are Scott's in all three different colors known in this pattern that are iridized.

From left to right they are Lavender, Green & Amethyst.

Also, Scott Beale has written many articles including this one about Early Carnival Shakers: Exceptional Colors.  Then be sure to visit this one he also wrote on David Doty's website called Collecting Carnival Glass Salt Shakers. They are both excellent and extremely interesting reads!

Here is an interesting article I found showing this pattern in amber and blue shakers, although not iridized. It was written by Bob Bruce for the Antique Glass Salt & Sugar Shaker Club.

The Mike Carwile Collection

The Scott Beale Collection

--Article written by Christina Katsikas