Frosted area on handle of glass basket. Intentional?

I have been selling a large collection of Fenton Glass that included a lot of baskets. This is the only one that had a small frosted area in the center of the handle. Was this done intentionally and if not, what would cause this?

 

I'm certainly no authority on Fenton and their products, but I can't imagine that was done intentionally.

 

Thank you for taking a look. Since it was the only basket to have this, I didn't think it was intentional but I had to ask. I wonder how this happened?

 

Short fill? Under fill? Is that what it's called with that pinched bit? Maybe the glass was just a bit cooler when it bridged the gap?

Back in 2003, I listed this as a Wexford oddity, and someone contacted me and said it was under fill (I think that's what he called it) - not quite enough glass in the mold.

 

That's interesting MOS. That's a first for me.

From researching the baskets, I found out that Fenton applied the handles separately from the molds. They even mark the handles with the person who made and applied them. Here is a link to the "basket handlers marks".

http://fentonfan.com/handler.html

Here are a few pictures with the marks impressed into the handles.

 

It does look to me like changes have been made to the handle concerning which you are asking. A piece added to either side and unsuccessfully closed at the center? Someone misjudged the length of glass necessary and a piece had to be added?

 

Perhaps it is a repair but I don't think it's a factory repair considering how they put the handles on. This is a youtube video that I watched a while ago. It's a tour of the Fenton Factory and it shows several different items getting the handles attached. I could be wrong but I just don't see it being done at the factory. Maybe someone tried to do a homemade "frost" experiment?

 

Cool video. I had to stop about 10 mins in, or I'll be watching glassblowing videos all night ... again.

At 6:35 the Quality Inspector uses a tool to lift the still-hot basket, before putting it back in the annealing oven. Think that could have caused the frosted area, and it was saved as a "second" and sold in the gift shop?

 

I suppose it is possible but I would think after years of experience, they wouldn't use a tool that could cause a second in that final stage. This will probably remain a mystery. I wonder if it can be polished out?

 

Thanks for posting the video MCT! Amazing skills to produce beautiful glass with such ease.

 

Fenton would have put that basket on their shelf as a Second.