Cube with Fan Salt Shaker
A collector reports that he has just found this relatively rare shaker, “Cube with Fan.” It did not appear in the Lechner’s series of books. It did appear in Peterson but under the name of Czarina, a misnomer.
There has been a lot of confusion as to the name of this shaker. It has been called Czarina and Pineapple & Fan as well as a few lesser known names. Czarina is a Fostoria pattern and differs in that the area between the diamonds is pointed whereas on this shaker they are flat. We thank Gary, noted Fostoria researcher and collector, for this important information.
Please continue below to see photos of both Cube with Fan and Czarina and to read more about the similarities and differences between them.
Comparison of Czarina and Cube with Fan: According to Kamm (Book 5), because of the popularity of cut glass in the “Strawberry Diamond and Fan” pattern, (introduced at the 1893 World’s Fair) pressed glass patterns were made to capitalize on that popularity.
Two of these patterns are very similar, especially in the salt shaker shape. One is Czarina. It was a Fostoria Glass Company design introduced in 1895. (aka no. 444). The other is Cube with Fan. (Heacock Book 5). It is a U S Glass Company design, their no. 15041 pattern. (Y.O.P. unknown but it appears to be around 1895 also).
The Cube with Fan shaker has of course been erroneously but understandably called Czarina. In fact, the Montgomery Ward catalog shown in Kamm, shows both patterns side by side. However, in a catalog reprint the subtle differences in the shaker are not obvious. It has also been called “Pineapple and Fan”. But Heisey has a pattern line with that name.
Although the differences are significant when compared side by side, it is clear why one has been frequently mistaken for the other. The major significant differences are: 1) the diamonds are pointed on Czarina while the diamonds are flat on Cube with Fan; 2) Czarina has a ring neck; 3) although not obvious from these pictures, the base of Czarina (above left) is ground flat.