St. Clair Joe St. Clair
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GLASS<br />
ST. CLAIR<br />
JOE ST CLAIR<br />
ANIMAL<br />
COVERED <br />
DISHES*<br />
IDENTIFICATION GUIDE<br />
*CHICKENS NOT INCLUDED<br />
<br />
JENNIFER PATTON
ABOUT ME<br />
Hi! My name is Jen and this is a little bit about myself. First, I must say this project was a lot of fun.<br />
Like a book from my gradeschool years lol. I don’t know if children today still do book reports, but when<br />
I was in school, they were required and boy did I dread reading the assigned books then having to<br />
summarize them! I loved reading books that interested me and hopefully this will interest you. I created<br />
it for anyone that needs help with identification. For the novice glass collectors that buy animal covered<br />
dishes because they fall in love with the way they look or the type of animals they are, or simply for<br />
their colors. For the avid collectors who enjoy buying a few of each animal regardless of the maker. For<br />
the veteran collectors who may have hundreds of glass dishes who never cease to amaze me with their<br />
beautiful collections. For the people that have inherited or purchased someone’s entire collection or<br />
part of a collection and need help to identify things. For the people like me that are meticulous about<br />
every detail needing to label things and just absolutely need to know the whats, whens, whos, hows and<br />
whys of the animal dishes they own. For me, what started with one Asian yellow stained glass bunny on<br />
a nest, has flourished into a full blown collection of hundreds of mixed and matched animal covered<br />
“candy” dishes of all glass types and colors. No particular glass maker, just everything I can’t live<br />
without. LOL. Anyone that knows me would tell you that I stop at nothing, studying book after book<br />
searching for answers about my own glass animals until I find them. I have never been satisfied with a<br />
mystery….unless it involves me watching Columbo, my lifelong favorite television program! I am a<br />
mystery solver... a true detective. I get this from my Mother, Cindy -Sultana- Wheatley. I need to get to<br />
the bottom of a piece of unidentified glass. It drives me bananas not to know everything I can about<br />
each piece that I own. Next, I will tell you that the monetary value of my glassware means nothing to<br />
me. I collect it because I love it. However, unique and rare is always a find! Sure, like every collector, I<br />
love a bargain and have had to pass up many pieces that I could not afford. Ooooh the ones that got<br />
away. They haunt me. I can assure you that when I get a new addition to my collection, it has found its<br />
forever home. Someone before me and usually possibly before them owned these animal covered<br />
dishes making a kind of history that I can only imagine in my mind, its importance to each person. There<br />
is a reason behind every single glassware in every single dwelling. Glass symbolizes many things. It is<br />
proudly displayed. It is important to the person who owns it. I enjoy seeing the happiness glassware<br />
brings to people, especially these animal covered dishes. Who doesn’t love animals? I also enjoy seeing<br />
my collection knowing these pieces of history live on and hope that when I am long gone, they will be in<br />
other homes. My glass brings me peace; most peaceful in the evenings when the cabinet lights are on<br />
and the glass does its natural thing; what it was intended to do since the day it was made...look pretty! <br />
To me, it is reminiscent of having a year round Christmas Tree. Glass is AMAZING! I am a country girl<br />
through and through. I love all things nature. I am an avid bird watcher and an all around animal lover. I<br />
live in the beautiful state of Kentucky with my husband and our two dogs, Monkey and Johnnie, who by<br />
the way, is named after my all time favorite singer, Johnny Cash.
Glass Animal Covered Dishes © Jennifer Patton<br />
glass animal covered dishes<br />
by Jennifer Patton:<br />
<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong><br />
joe st. clair<br />
copyright © 2022 by Jennifer Patton<br />
All rights reserved. No parts of this work may be reproduced without<br />
written permission from the copyright holder.<br />
No parts of this work may be reproduced for financial gain by anyone<br />
other than the copyright holder.
© Glass Animal Covered Dishes by Jennifer Patton<br />
Page 1<br />
<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> Glass Company<br />
<strong>Joe</strong> <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong>'s art Glass company<br />
<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> House of Glass company<br />
<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> Glass Company began in 1938 in Elwood, Indiana. <strong>Joe</strong> <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong><br />
began the company and his 4 brothers and father, John "Pop" soon<br />
joined in. <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> pressed animal covered dishes from 1962-1971.<br />
During these years, the acds weren't marked until 1971. Mark was ST<br />
CLAIR (block letters). <strong>Joe</strong> sold <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> Glass Company in 1971 and went<br />
into retirement. In 1974, <strong>Joe</strong> created <strong>Joe</strong> <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong>'s Art Glass, where he<br />
continued to press glass novelties until 1977. He died in 1980. Russ<br />
Vogelsong of Summit Art Glass purchased the animal covered dish<br />
molds from <strong>Joe</strong> in 1978. From 1974 on, the animal covered dishes were<br />
marked Joseph <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> (script letters), or <strong>Joe</strong> <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> (block and script<br />
letters). <strong>Joe</strong>'s brother Bob <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong>, also left <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> Glass Company and<br />
started his own business with wife Maude; <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> House of Glass which<br />
is still in business today. After Bob died, <strong>Joe</strong> Rice took over the<br />
company. It is still <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> House of Glass and they specialize in hand<br />
blown art glass paperweights.<br />
Website:<br />
thehouseofglassinc.com<br />
Through combined efforts between <strong>Joe</strong> <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong>'s Art Glass and <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong><br />
House of Glass, the brothers helped each other.<br />
Animal covered dishes were:<br />
Dolphin covered dish 1967-1971, 1974-1977. Mold was reproduced<br />
using an original Greentown mold. <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> had new molds made.<br />
Robin covered dish 1967-1971, 1974-1977. Mold was reproduced<br />
from an original Greentown mold. <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> had new molds made.<br />
Base differs from original.<br />
Pony covered dish 1962-1971, 1974-1977. Mold was purchased from the<br />
Ferguson's, who poured the pony in Indiana 1930's-40's. Ferguson's<br />
pony was a copy of the original Mckee pony. This information came<br />
from a 2005 newsletter addressed to Dealers of Summit Art Glass,<br />
signed by Russel Vogelsong himself.
© Glass Animal Covered Dishes by Jennifer Patton<br />
Page 2<br />
<strong>St</strong> clair dolphin<br />
joe st clair dolphin<br />
ST. <strong>Clair</strong> (operated by <strong>Joe</strong> <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong>) Dophin Covered Dish first appeared in 1967. <strong>St</strong>.<br />
<strong>Clair</strong> had a copy made of an original Greentown mold, but a tooth broke off. Their<br />
version only has 19 teeth rather than Greentown's 20: 9 on one side, 10 on the<br />
other. # of teeth is a quick identifier. <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> rear tail fins are larger and sit lower<br />
to surfaces than the originals. The fish finial is wider than Greentown. Both<br />
dolphins have deep body cavities into the tail. Both have smooth lids. Overall,<br />
Greentown presents better details. After 1970, the Dolphins were marked ST<br />
CLAIR. Dolphin productions ended by 1971 when <strong>Joe</strong> <strong>St</strong> <strong>Clair</strong> sold his company and<br />
productions resumed again in 1974 when he began his new company, <strong>Joe</strong> <strong>St</strong>.<br />
<strong>Clair</strong>'s Art Glass Company. These new Dolphins were marked JOE ST CLAIR in block<br />
or script style and were produced through 1977. In 1978, the mold was sold to Russ<br />
Vogelsong. All <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> Dolphins were sawtooth. <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> did not produce beaded<br />
rim. Early Dolphins unmarked, later marked ST. CLAIR in a ring inside body cavity.<br />
Later Dolphins, 1974 through 1977 marked <strong>Joe</strong> <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> inside body cavity.<br />
7 1/2" long.<br />
Reproduced by Russ Vogelsong of Summit Art Glass. Vogelsong purchased the<br />
Dolphin mold from <strong>Joe</strong> <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> in 1978. Most are marked V in a ring but some<br />
are unmarked. Made in sawtooth rim with 19 teeth. Also made in beaded rim.<br />
Deep cavity to tail. Large rear tail fin. Smooth lid. Summit colors make good<br />
identifiers when unmarked.<br />
ST. CLAIR COLORS:<br />
Marigold Carnival* (limited quantity) 1967<br />
Crystal 1970<br />
Dark Amethyst, almost Black 1970<br />
Chocolate 1970<br />
This Chocolate glass was not successful.<br />
The bases did not take and the lids were<br />
a very muddy color. Not many produced<br />
JOE ST. CLAIR COLORS:<br />
Chocolate Slag (odd looking slag, 1974<br />
appears in shades of Blue and Brown)<br />
Chocolate (great quality)<br />
1974-'77<br />
Cobalt Blue Carnival<br />
1974-'77<br />
Green Carnival<br />
1974-'77<br />
*Robert Hansen signed ONE Marigold Carnival...Signed by Robert in 1996
© Glass Animal Covered Dishes by Jennifer Patton<br />
Page 3<br />
ST CLAIR DOLPHIN<br />
JOE ST CLAIR DOLPHIN<br />
<strong>Joe</strong> <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> Cobalt Blue Carnival Photos by:<br />
www.ebay.com/usr/fentonwoodandmore<br />
I had no other examples to share. Cobalt Blue Carnival is the<br />
most commonly found color in <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> and <strong>Joe</strong> <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong><br />
Dolphins.
© Glass Animal Covered Dishes by Jennifer Patton<br />
Page 4<br />
<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> (operated by <strong>Joe</strong> <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong>) Pony Covered Dish was produced<br />
between 1962-1971 and did not mark the Pony with ST CLAIR until 1971,<br />
their last year in business. In 1974, <strong>Joe</strong> opened a new glass company, <strong>Joe</strong><br />
<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong>'s Art Glass, and produced the Pony between 1974-1977. <strong>Joe</strong> <strong>St</strong>.<br />
<strong>Clair</strong> acquired the Pony mold from a family named Ferguson. The<br />
Fergusons produced their Pony in Indiana factories 1930's-1940's from an<br />
original Mckee mold. I try not to speculate in this book, but I can only<br />
assume the Ferguson Pony was unmarked and poured in White opaque<br />
(milk glass). Otherwise, we would have recognized them by now. <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong><br />
Ponies were made from an original Mckee mold. Beware of marriages. <strong>St</strong>.<br />
<strong>Clair</strong> Ponies sit atop split ribbed bases, but are interchangeable with all 5<br />
1/2" ACD bases. <strong>Joe</strong> <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> marks can be found inside the lid, inside the<br />
lid rim or inside the base in block letter style: ST CLAIR in a ring, JOE ST<br />
CLAIR in a ring, or JOE ST CLAIR . May be unmarked. 5 1/2" long.<br />
Summit Art Glass reproduced the Pony in many colors, including Cobalt<br />
Carnival, and Chocolate. Unmarked <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> Ponies in mutual colors can be<br />
mistaken for unmarked Summit Ponies. They are identical. Russ Vogelsong<br />
bought Pony mold from <strong>Joe</strong> <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> in 1978 and made them from 1980-2005.<br />
ST. CLAIR COLORS: 1962-1971<br />
Bronze colored Carnival<br />
Cobalt Blue Carnival<br />
1970 Chocolate (poor color quality)<br />
JOE ST. CLAIR COLORS: 1974-1977<br />
Bronze colored Carnival<br />
Cobalt Blue Carnival<br />
Chocolate<br />
Green Carnival<br />
<strong>St</strong> <strong>Clair</strong> pony<br />
<strong>Joe</strong> <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> Pony<br />
LEFT: REAR VIEW<br />
RIGHT: FRONT VIEW<br />
Photos by:<br />
Lianne McNeil<br />
Aundi Lastinger <strong>St</strong>okes<br />
Aundi Lastinger <strong>St</strong>okes<br />
Jane Hall
© Glass Animal Covered Dishes by Jennifer Patton<br />
Page 5<br />
ST CLAIR PONY<br />
JOE ST. CLAIR PONY<br />
Chocolate<br />
<strong>Joe</strong> <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong>, marked<br />
Chocolate Photos by Jane Hall Spring Hill, Kansas<br />
Jane Hall<br />
Jane Hall<br />
Jane Hall<br />
Bronze Carnival<br />
<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong>, marked<br />
Photos by<br />
Cobalt Carnival J.S.C. marked<br />
Aundi Lastinger <strong>St</strong>okes Aundi Lastinger <strong>St</strong>okes<br />
Bronze Carnival, unmarked<br />
Aundi Lastinger <strong>St</strong>okes<br />
Rays meet in center<br />
Aundi Lastinger <strong>St</strong>okes<br />
Unmarked base<br />
Aundi Lastinger <strong>St</strong>okes
ST.CLAIR ROBIN<br />
JOE ST. CLAIR ROBIN<br />
<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> (operated by <strong>Joe</strong> <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong>) Robin Covered Dish was produced<br />
between 1967-1971 and did not mark the Robin with ST CLAIR until 1971,<br />
their last year in business. In 1974, <strong>Joe</strong> opened a new glass company, <strong>Joe</strong><br />
<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong>'s Art Glass, and produced the Robin between 1974-1977. By<br />
1962, <strong>Joe</strong> <strong>St</strong> <strong>Clair</strong> had a mold made to look like the original Greentown<br />
Bird and Nest, but with a split ribbed base instead of diamond weave. <strong>St</strong>.<br />
<strong>Clair</strong> Robins have good feather, twig and berry details. None are as nice<br />
as Greentown, but <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> looked nice when the Chocolate (Brown Milk<br />
Glass) was done well. It wasn't until 1974 that <strong>Joe</strong> <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> perfected his<br />
Chocolate color. The early version was mottled and in uneven shades.<br />
Early Chocolate <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> Robins were not successful and not many were<br />
produced. The Robin sits atop a split ribbed base and is interchangeable<br />
will all 5 1/2" ACD bases. Lid and rim are smooth. Berry is rough, showing<br />
the seeds. Rays on the bottom of base meet in the center. <strong>Joe</strong> <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong><br />
marks can be found inside the lid, inside the lid rim or inside the base in<br />
block letter style: ST CLAIR in a ring, JOE ST CLAIR in a ring, or JOE ST<br />
CLAIR. May be unmarked. 5 1/2" long.<br />
Reproduced by Summit Art Glass in many colors. Unmarked <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong><br />
Robins in mutual colors can be mistaken for unmarked Summit<br />
Robins. They are identical. Russ Vogelsong bought the Robin mold<br />
from <strong>Joe</strong> <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> in 1978 and made them between 1979-2005.<br />
www.eBay.com/str/ Lid says JOE ST CLAIR<br />
katsalluringtreasures Frank D. Sereno<br />
ST. CLAIR COLORS:<br />
1967-'71 Cobalt Blue Carnival<br />
1970 Chocolate (Odd color)<br />
JOE ST. CLAIR COLORS:<br />
1974-'77 Cobalt Carnival<br />
1974-'77 Chocolate<br />
1974-'77 Blue Milk Glass<br />
Carnival<br />
1974-’77 Green Carnival<br />
© Glass Animal Covered Dishes by Jennifer Patton
© Glass Animal Covered Dishes by Jennifer Patton<br />
Page 7<br />
ST CLAIR ROBIN<br />
JOE ST. CLAIR ROBIN<br />
Chocolate, marked<br />
John<br />
Berry closeup<br />
John<br />
Lid marked <strong>Joe</strong> <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong><br />
John<br />
John<br />
Rays meet in center<br />
John<br />
Cobalt Carnival<br />
Katie Shores & Jane Cox<br />
Cobalt Carnival Base<br />
Frank D. Sereno<br />
3 Blue Milk Glass Carnival photos by:<br />
www.ebay.com/str/katsalluringtreasures<br />
www.ebay.com/str/<br />
fentonwoodandmore
ST CLAIR ROBIN<br />
JOE ST. CLAIR ROBIN<br />
Green Carnival<br />
photos courtesy of Jerry Miller<br />
© Glass Animal Covered Dishes by Jennifer Patton
© Glass Animal Covered Dishes by Jennifer Patton<br />
Page 8<br />
st clair glass company<br />
joe st. clair's art glass company<br />
<strong>St</strong>. clair house of glass company<br />
BIBLIOGRAPY: <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong>/<strong>Joe</strong> <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong>/<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> House of Glass:<br />
Online: www.glassencyclopedia.com/<strong>St</strong><strong>Clair</strong>glass.html -HISTORY<br />
Phone interview with nephew of <strong>Joe</strong> Rice, <strong>Joe</strong> Olson-HISTORY/DATES OF<br />
ST. CLAIR LOGOS<br />
Dealers letter: From Sharon Thoerner, 2005 Newsletter from Russ<br />
Vogelsong to his glass dealers-FERGUSON PONY<br />
Online: https://www.worthpoint.com -STUDIED PHOTOS<br />
Online: https://www.ebay.com -STUDIED PHOTOS<br />
Searched: Every <strong>St</strong>.<strong>Clair</strong> advertisement I could find showed no rabbits,<br />
Searched: Every issue of Glass Review and Glass Collector’s Digest<br />
including any sales posts from individuals showed no Rabbits<br />
Correspondence with <strong>Joe</strong> Rice member of <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> family<br />
Searched: All Sold Rabbits via Worthpoint and eBay... Quite Frankly, I did<br />
extensive research to locate even ONE <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Clair</strong> Rabbit in existence-NO<br />
ST. CLAIR RABBITS<br />
Online: Hansen glass (ddoty.com)-SIGNED HANSEN<br />
Thank you for your permissions!<br />
<strong>Joe</strong> Olson<br />
<strong>Joe</strong> Rice<br />
Sharon Thoerner<br />
ALL photo contributors