Northwood Strawberry Smoke PCE Bowl

Did you ever wish you could have just one more conversation with a friend who has passed away? Just one more story to share? Well, today I got my wish when I came across an email from my friend, the late Fred Stone.

I bought this Northwood Strawberry smoke pie crust edge bowl at a 2013 Reichel Auction. It had belonged to Fred, who was living at the time, and he kindly offered to tell me its history in and how it nearly escaped him! He thought I would enjoy it becasue provenance is important to me, and he knew I would be putting this bowl on Showcase at some point so he jotted down the story and emailed it so it wouldn't get lost. Here it is. A special "Thank you" to Fred.

As written by Fred Stone

for Carnival Glass Showcase

"Richard Jarnig was a dealer/collector who attended many conventions we also went to - especially HOACGA.  In 1999 we were at the Heart of America convention with it being Ann's first year as secretary.  We were given the room across from the two elevators on the second floor in the southeast corner.  Across the atrium in the opposite corner there were two more elevators.  If you went back a short hall behind all the rooms facing the atrium there was an almost hidden room.  That was where Richard was set up - kinda hidden, easy to miss.

I found his room and immediately fell for a 24.5" Rustic Funeral Vase with electric iridescence and bought it.  There was also the smoke PCE Strawberry which I recognized for its rarity and wanted but couldn't afford. Richard made me a deal to pay for it over time and he would send it to me.

Just after I sent the final payment, Richard passed away suddenly. The check arrived along with all the other mail and was set aside. Eventually his wife discovered it and called. She said she didn't want to sell any of Richard's glass, but since it was the last piece he ever sold she would send it to us. It arrived about a month later and that's the story of the Strawberry. When I decided to keep just a few of the Strawberries it was the last one I decided to sell. It was a tossup between Smoke and Lime Green and since we have had so few over the years in Lime Green...." ~ Fred Stone

Smoke is a very rare color for Northwood. Very few pieces of smoke exist made by this company as it was not a production color. I collect it whenever I find it and so far, besides this bowl, I have five smoke Grape & Cable pedestals and one complete punch bowl in the smallest size. I think the delicate iridescence makes "smoke" the new pastel. It is as delicate as ice blue, ice green, white, and pastel marigold.

This bowl measures 8 1/2" wide. It's also iridized on the exterior or  back, which is smooth and has no pattern at all.

The Christina Katsikas Collection