Northwood’s Cactus in Blue Opalescent

Harry Northwood’s Many Cactus Colors

A member reports a recent purchase of a known shaker in a rare color. Northwood’s Cactus in known in many colors but has never been pictured in Blue Opalescent Stripe. The member reports that one was seen at Brimfield about 15 years ago but the dealer wanted over twice the price of a beautifully decorated Mt Washington egg shaker. Not knowing the rarity of it, it was passed. However, the search has been ongoing since, only to finally be found in 2004 in an Antique Mall. The price was still higher than others of comparable quality but that no longer mattered. It is now pictured below, followed by many other Northwood Cactus shakers.

HARRY NORTHWOOD’S CACTUS SHAKERS

Harry Northwood produced some of the finest colored pattern glassware of the Victorian era. Normally the salt shakers were associated with a pattern. One shaker that is not, is the Cactus shaker. It was produced in more colors and glass types than any other shaker known. There are at least twelve different shakers.

1 Cranberry Opalescent
2 Blue Opalescent
3 Canary Opalescent
4 Pink Cased (two tints)
5 Blue Opalware (two tints)
6 Light Green Opalware
7 Pea Green Opalware
8 Cased Green
9 White Opalware (w & w/o decoration)
10 Clear Amethyst
11 Clear Apple Green
12 Clear Electric Blue

This shaker can probably be found in Pink Opalware = 13. If you assume 13, and accept that the dark pink and slag type blue are different from the other respective colors, then the total number becomes 15. Counting decorated and undecorated milk, then the number becomes an unbelieveable 16.

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