by Julie Noyas | Aug 22, 2019 | Plates, Saucers, Tortes, & Tid Bits
Item Number: P-07
Height: 10½”
Production Dates: 1933-1943
I have included the Tid Bit in the Plates, Platters & Trays category as well, simply because the set is made with plates. The plates that were used were the 9″ and 10½” Sandwich Plates.
Fostoria Glass drilled a hole into the plates to accommodate the metal handle. The handle is a classic shape, which looks very much like a question mark. It is the same-shaped handle that is used in the Handled Cake Tray. It is possible to find homemade sets, where the homeowner drilled the plates. Many times; however, they would use other plates – such as Dinner Plates, and not the Sandwich Plates that were used in the original Tid Bit Set.
It is easy to distinguish an American Tid Bit from a homemade version. Look at the handle. It should look like this classic metal one, with a chrome finish. Many times the homemade and/or handcrafted ones from online retailers will use a different shaped handle.
Look at the plates. Are they regular plates, or Sandwich Plates? What are their sizes? Remember, the Fostoria Tid Bit Set used two different-sized plates.
Some homemade versions look rather nice; however, if you are wanting to be sure you are buying a genuine Tid Bit that was produced by Fostoria Glass, look for the tell-tale signs I mentioned above. I will also add that the Fostoria Glass Company did use other types of handles for other patterns; however, for the American 2056 line, the classic question mark handle is the only one they used.
As an eBay Partner, I may be compensated if you make a purchase on eBay. The following link shows available Tid Bits on eBay.
by Julie Noyas | Feb 8, 2018 | Plates, Saucers, Tortes, & Tid Bits
Item Number: P-05
Diameter: 20″
Production Dates: 1932-1943
Fostoria Glass produced several Torte Plates – all in various sizes. Unlike the Oval Torte Plates, the regular Torte Plates have a round or circular shape. Fostoria made four different-sized American Torte Plates over the years – 14″, 18″, 20″, and 24″ (the largest size is considered the rarest, by far).
In general, dimensions on Torte Plates vary – no matter what size you might have. That is true for any handmade item; however, it is especially true on the Torte Plates. For example, the Torte Plate that is pictured in this post is actually 21″ in diameter; however, it is classified as the 20″ Torte Plate. This measurement discrepancy can be confusing; therefore, the best way to judge the size of any Torte Plate is to take two measurements – that of the total plate circumference, and then the measurement of the diameter of the foot.
The 20″ Torte Plate was born in the early 1930’s, being produced through 1943. It came into existence to replace the larger 24″ Torte Plate, which had to be a very difficult and expensive piece to make if only for it’s mammoth size. The 24″ Torte was produced for just a few years, clearing the way for the smaller 20″ Torte Plate.
Another characteristic of this Torte Plate that I find amazing is the size of the cubes. They are enormous. At the outermost edges, they are 3″ wide … and in the second row below that, they are 2½” wide! Typically, because of its age and fire polishing, the glass color is usually superb – with great clarity. It is a beautiful and stunning piece of glass.
As an eBay Partner, I may be compensated if you make a purchase on eBay. The following link shows available Torte Plates on eBay.
by Julie Noyas | Nov 16, 2017 | Plates, Saucers, Tortes, & Tid Bits
Item Number: 576
Diameter: 18″
Production Dates: 1935-1980
Fostoria Glass produced several Torte Plates – all in various sizes. Unlike the Oval Torte Plates, the regular Torte Plates have a round or circular shape.
Fostoria produced four different-sized Torte Plates over the years – 14″, 18″, 20″, and 24″ (the largest is extremely rare). It is quite common to see this 18″ Torte Plate used as an underplate for a Punch Bowl set.
In general, dimensions on Torte Plates vary – no matter what size you might have. That is true for any handmade item; however, it is especially true on the Torte Plates. For example, the Torte Plate that is pictured in this post is actually 19″ in size; however, it is considered to be an 18″ Torte Plate. This measurement discrepancy can be confusing, especially when you are trying to determine if it is the 18″ or 20″ size. So, what traits should you be looking for in order to make a correct identification?
Luckily, the 18″ Torte Plate is one of the easiest plates to identify. Unlike the other Torte Plates, it has a large center design – with cubes surrounding the inside rays. The other Torte Plates have only rays in the center of the plate. The mould from the Hotel Cracked Ice is what produced this piece, one of only a few items that have this unique center design.
Another way to identify the 18″ Torte Plate is to take the measurement of the foot. The foot on the 18″ Torte Plate is approximately 7″ (can vary slightly), the largest of all four Torte Plates – even the massive 24″ variation. Between the center design, and the size of the foot, you should have no problem identifying a true 18″ Torte Plate.
As an eBay Partner, I may be compensated if you make a purchase on eBay. The following link shows available Torte Plates on eBay.
by Julie Noyas | Oct 19, 2017 | Plates, Saucers, Tortes, & Tid Bits
Item Number: P-04
Diameter: 6″
Production Dates: 1938-1944
The Syrup Plate is the underplate that you usually see paired with the Syrup and Cover. When it was featured in the Fostoria Glass catalogs, they showed the three items together – with a description of “Syrup and Cover and Plate”. The plate diameter is approximately 6-inches, based on Fostoria’s own catalog descriptions and my personal measuring of the piece. The Syrup Plate was actually made from the 6-inch Bread and Butter Plate. Because these two plates looks so much alike, the Syrup Plates were often thrown in the Bread and Butter grouping and forgotten about. The difference between them is faint, making it difficult at times to tell them apart.
The main difference between the two pieces is that the Syrup Plate will “usually” have taller side edges and a slightly deeper indentation in the center of the plate than the Bread and Butter. That being said, it is not always the case. Pieces that I personally own, and that I have witnessed at Glass Shows, will usually have sides that go slightly up from the center of the plate. This design creates a slight well for the Syrup to sit in, keeping the vessel more secure.
As an eBay Partner, I may be compensated if you make a purchase on eBay. The following link shows available Syrups on eBay.
The Syrups are not a common item, so the search results will not be as plentiful as other pieces in the American line. Some sellers sell the Syrup, Cover, and Plate together (if they’re lucky enough to have them), and some will sell the individual items separately. Therefore, you might need to modify your search criteria accordingly.
by Julie Noyas | Oct 9, 2017 | Plates, Saucers, Tortes, & Tid Bits
Item Number: 567
Diameter: 14″
Production Dates: 1933-1985
The Fostoria Glass Company produced several Torte Plates – all in various sizes. Unlike the Oval Torte Plates, the regular Torte Plates have a round or circular shape. The one pictured in this post is the smallest Torte Plate, which is 14″ in circumference. Four Torte Plates with different sizes were produced – 14″, 18″, 20″, and 24″ (the largest is considered rare).
Dalzell Viking offered the plates in an assortment of colors – Ruby, Cranberry Mist, Blue Gray, and Plum. The colored pieces are harder to find, due to demand and limited production.
As an eBay Partner, I may be compensated if you make a purchase on eBay. The following link shows available Torte Plates on eBay.
by Julie Noyas | Sep 28, 2017 | Plates, Saucers, Tortes, & Tid Bits
Item Number: 564
Length: 13½″
Production Dates: 1939-1973
In addition to a variety of dinnerware and accessories, Fostoria Glass also produced Tortes, Trays, and Platters in the American pattern. The Oval Torte Plate is one such example. It has a beautiful elongated shape, and measures between 13½” to 14″ in length. The Oval Torte Plate was produced from 1939-1973.
The mould of the Oval Vegetable Bowl was used in the making of the Oval Torte Plate. Since the genesis of the plate came from the mould of the bowl, the two pieces will be similar in design – yet different in shape. In order to make plates from the bowl mould, Fostoria workers flattened the glass. The Oval Torte Plates had two variations – a plain center, and a center with rays (the same is true for the bowls). The first and more common variation is the plain center – void of any design. The latter variation is the one with rays on the bottom, and is considered more rare.
As displayed in this picture, the Oval Vegetable Bowl is sitting directly on top of the Oval Torte Plate. It is quite obvious that they came from the same mould, with their center bottoms matching perfectly.
The Oval Torte Plate is substantial in weight and function. While this particular piece is not as common as other items in the American line, you can usually find them fairly easily. I seem to find more of them online than when visiting antique stores.
As an eBay Partner, I may be compensated if you make a purchase on eBay. The following link shows available Oval Torte Plates on eBay.
