Carnival Glass Pitcher & Tumblers

Q: I got this set of pitcher and glasses from my Dad’s estate. He collected carnival glass for many years. He said it was the only set like it he had ever seen. The pitcher is 3 1/2 inches tall and the six glasses are 2 inches tall. The glass is green and there are no chips. I would appreciate any information you can give me as to the rarity and value.

A: This pattern is Flute #700, made by Imperial, a company in Bellaire, Ohio. The company was in business from 1901 to 1984. It began making carnival glass about 1906. The tumblers were made in at least three slightly different shapes. Your tumblers with straight sides and six flutes are version #2. Most Imperial Flute was made in purple or marigold, but some can be found in green and other colors. Imperial reproduced many of its patterns. Some new ones were made in the 1960s when carnival glass became popular again. The pitcher and tumblers in your set are smaller than normal. Carnival glass pitchers are usually either 8 1/2 or 10 inches tall and tumblers are about 4 inches. This is probably a toy set. Try contacting the Imperial Glass Collectors’ Society to see if they can tell you anything about the set. They have a museum and website, imperialglass.org.