Estate Vase in Smoke: A Learning Experience!- By Don Kime

I recently received a carnival glass auction brochure with 2 Estate Tiny Vases listed in Smoke. One had a Silk City, Beldin, Michigan and the other was plain.  Since I had never seen one in smoke, I planned a mail in bid on both.  Fortunately, I was the only high bidder on the one with the souvenir painted on it.  I might add I paid a premium price for it.

As always, I anxiously wait for my purchases to arrive.  It came and I quickly unwrapped it.  I sort of gasped upon seeing it.  I knew immediately something was wrong.  I usually head for the sink and give my purchases a scrubbing.  I happened to be busy for a couple of days so left it sitting on the kitchen counter.  Each time I went by it, my curiosity was aroused so I headed for the sink to give it a good scrubbing, much to my surprise, SWOOSH, all of the iridescence came off.

Now, I have sort of a copper color vase with the base glass, a fruit jar green that will not wash off.  Perhaps it may have been clear to start with.

I contacted the auctioneer and he said, “Oh! They are all that way; the iridescence is just flashed on.”  He admitted however, that he had never tried to wash any of them.  Before I washed it, the color was like you had poured a cup full of oil in some water, that new look of iridescence.

Hindsight of course is 20/20, but a picture would be worth a thousand  words, Just be aware, if you see an Estate Tiny Vase in smoke listed, probably the iridescence will wash off.  In any case, the iridescence was splished, splashed, flashed or dipped in something that will wash off.

The photograph is after all the color washed off.