"Leaf Fantasy" by Harmony House

by Virginia Scott
Glass Review - January 1982

In my last article, I wrote about Harmony House CROCHETED CRYSTAL, a pattern sold by Sears, Roebuck and Co. from the fall of 1943 through 1950. In that article, I mentioned that CROCHETED CRYSTAL was not shown Harmony House ads in the 1951-52 Fall and Winter catalog but that another pattern quite similar in shape was offered there. That later pattern, LEAF FANTASY, is shown here.

As I went through the various Sears catalogs tracing the fate of CROCHETED CRYSTAL, I came across LEAF FANTASY. For a few moments, I though I had found another showing of CROCHETED CRYSTAL. I soon realized that this was another pattern but was struck by how much some of the pieces resembled the CROCHETED pattern in shape. The resemblance is particularly striking in the cake stand, the salad set, plates, small bowls and the punch bowl. The shapes are almost identical and both patterns have optic ribbing. However, CROCHETED CRYSTAL has an open work design in the edging and LEAF FANTASY has a closed, overlapping leaf design. Although no mention was found anywhere in the catalogs to give a clue as to what company made either pattern, I am inclined to suspect that they were made by the same company. (I have heard unofficially that CROCHETED CRYSTAL was produced by Imperial Glass Corporation.)

In the 1951 Sears catalog, LEAF FANTASY is offered with little fanfare. The illustrations occupy only little more than one-third of the bottom of a page. The announcement of the pattern was the simple notice, "Harmony House Leaf Fantasy Glassware ... exclusive with Sears". Since a copy of the 1951 Spring & Summer catalog is not in the catalog collection at the library, I could not check to see if the pattern had been introduced there. There was also a skip of four years between the 1951-52 Fall and Winter catalog and the next one, 1956-57, so I was unable to determine how long "Leaf Fantasy" was offered. It was not shown in the 1956-57 catalog, so it was a short-lived offering at best.

The stemware which matched LEAF FANTASY was shown on a separate page of the 1951 catalog along with four other stemware patterns. The heading read, "Beautiful Handmade Stemware". Six items were offered as shown in the sketch next to the large goblet at the top of the opposite page. The stemware items sold in sets of four for the very reasonable price of $2.55. On the price table at top right, we also find that 8" salad plates were available at $2.98 for four.

Exclusive of the stemware, 15 items and several sets were listed. However, when we count the various component parts of the sets and add the stemware, we find that about thirty different items were available. The cups and the sugar and the creamer have a band of leaf design at the top. Five different sizes of plates were offered. In table HH we have 10½", 12½" and 17½" plates. The 8" salad plate was previously mentioned and a 7" plate was used with the 3-piece mayonnaise set which had a 5¼" bowl and a ladle. A 12½" plate was used with the 4-piece salad set which also included an 11½" bowl and a glass fork and spoon. The latter seem to be exactly the same as the fork and spoon offered with CROCHETED CRYSTAL.

The console set consisted of a 12½" bowl and two footed compote-shaped candleholders. Notice the table mirror with the engraved design used under the console bowl. Such mirrors which had a polished edge and felt backing were quite popular during the 1940's.

I have found the old Sears catalog fascinating to examine. I plan to write other articles based on some of them in the future.