SHIRLEY TEMPLE PITCHERS

Q: I would appreciate any information about these two blue pitchers with the picture of Shirley Temple. We think they came in a box of oatmeal.


A: During the 1930s, General Mills commissioned the Hazel Atlas Glass Co. to produce a breakfast set with the picture and signature of Shirley Temple. A set consisted of a bowl, a mug and a 4 1/2-inch milk pitcher. They were made of cobalt blue honeycomb pattern glass with white decals of Shirley Temple. Some pieces were decorated with the picture of a very young Shirley, others used a picture of Shirley in her 1936 Captain January costume. The pieces were given away as premiums for Wheaties and Bisquick from 1934 to 1942. Hard to spot reproductions have been made. In good condition with an intact decal, original Shirley Temple milk pitchers are worth about $75.

LONE RANGER BOWL

Q: I have a white glass bowl with a red picture of the Lone Ranger on it. I can't find out anything about it. Can you help?

A: The first radio program featuring the Lone Ranger was broadcast on January 30, 1933, in Detroit. By summer the show was a huge hit. Several times a year the program would make special premium offers of Lone Ranger items. They cost only 10 or 15 cents, plus a box top from cereal boxes. Your bowl was part of a set offered as one of those premiums. It was probably made by Hazel-Atlas Glass Co. (1902-1964) of Wheeling, West Virginia. Hazel-Atlas made jars, tumblers, and tableware made-to-order for companies as advertising premiums. The Lone Ranger set also had a plate, cup, and saucer. They are worth $15 to $25 each.

CM MARK

CM Mark

Q: I have a glass vase with the mark CM with a crown over the letters. Can you tell me what company made the vase?

A: This mark was used on Crown Milano glass made by the Mt. Washington Glass Co. of New Bedford, Massachusetts. When it was first made, Mt. Washington called it Albertine and pieces were marked with a paper label. In 1893 Mt. Washington patented the name Crown Milano and the CM mark was introduced. The opaque white glass has a satin finish and is often decorated with flowers and large gold scrolls. Some designs are raised or beaded. Vases, bowls, cracker jars, perfume atomizers, pickle castors, pitchers, shakers, sugar and creamers, toothpick holders, and many other pieces of Crown Milano glass were made. Mt. Washington Glass Co. merged with Pairpoint Manufacturing Co. in 1894.