FAROY GLASS CANDLE HOLDERS The embossed marking “FAROY U.S.A. / PAT. PEND.” is seen on a variety of vintage glass votive candle cups / candle holders, made in a number of patterns and colors. Some of the candle holders also carry patent numbers. Most of these items seem to have been made in the 1960s, 1970s and probably into the 1980s. They were distributed/sold by Faroy, Inc. of Houston, Texas. Faroy did not make the glass themselves, but evidently contracted with unidentified glass makers to produce these products for them, to be sold under the Faroy name.
In 1950, Addison McElroy and Preston J. Frazier (a native of Houston) founded Faroy, a wholesaler and retailer that made and shipped luxury candles and other goods around the world. Their retail operations eventually included two popular shops in Houston in the 1960s and 1970s. (This info from an obituary of Preston J. Frazier, published in the Houston Chronicle, May 22, 2012).
A search of patents bring up several relating to candles, including some patents awarded in the 1966-1967 time frame. I believe most of the colored glass candle holders with the raised marking “FAROY U.S.A.” or similar wording (some with a matte or “frosted” surface, probably produced by dipping in an acid bath), date primarily from the 1960s – 1980s.
These candle cups include the stemmed type, for use with a sconce or multi-stick candelabra-type candle holder, as well as smooth based “candle cups” or “candle tumblers”.
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The smooth base, un-stemmed “votive” types may also be collected by toothpick holder collectors. In fact, they could just as well be classified as “toothpicks” by some collectors.
Faroy candle cups in several patterns are seen in clear, bright “frosted” or “matte” green glass, medium to dark green, frosted yellow glass (“vaseline glass” or “canary”, containing uranium, as it glows under a black light), light to medium “depression green”, medium sapphire or peacock blue, cobalt blue, and Amberina (ruby red shading to orange or yellowish amber along the top rim). There are no doubt other, unreported colors out there to be discovered!
There is very little information readily available to indicate who the actual glass manufacturer was (since Faroy did not make their own glass).
From information sent in from readers of this web page (please check out all the posts in the “comments” section, including letters from “Elroy” from 2015), it now seems apparent that nearly all (if not all) of the Faroy-marked glass was actually produced overseas (outside the US), in Taiwan or China, by glass manufacturers who are currently unidentified.
The general “look” and quality of the glass of some of the candle holders is rather reminiscent of votive cups and similar items that were made in large quantity and imported from Asia, often marked “MADE IN TAIWAN” on the base. (See my page on the “Hobnail” candle holders.)
I will be more than happy to expand this webpage, and give full credit to anyone who has more detailed background information on glassware with the FAROY markings.
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(Added May 28, 2020). The following five photographs (submitted by Angela) show several items, some of which are Faroy. If you have any information that would help identify them further, please feel free to contact me, and I will add the info to the photo captions.
If you have examples of FAROY glassware in other colors not mentioned here, please contact me so I can add them to this text! And if you have more information on the years that Faroy was actually selling this glassware, please let us know. Thank you!
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Check out my webpage about Uranium Glass (Vaseline glass, Depression glass, etc.).
Hobnail Pattern Votive Candle Holders
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I have a three-stemmed votive candelabra that has dark goldish tulip votives patent #208421 that I inherited from my grandmother.
I just found 5 Faroy cobalt blue votive candleholders. Each is marked Faroy USA with a 1 or 3. some of the marks are duplicate on the bottom. Like double-stamped. There are no patent numbers or words patent pending. I see these holders for sale. Are they valuable?
Hi Cat,
I can’t tell you if they are “valuable” as that word is subject to individual interpretation, but for these votive candleholders (or any collectible items), I suggest that you search on eBay, typing in relevant keywords in the Search box (in this case something like “Faroy Candle holder” but without the quotation marks) and then check the “COMPLETED ITEMS” option. This will bring up a list of auctions that have actually ended with bids within the last three months.
Hope this helps,
David
I have five amber diamond point FAROY candle or votive holders. They say on the base,
Patent pending USA. I can only assume these are older before the patent came out.
Thanks,
Chris
I have one that looks just like the red one on the website, except it is clear. It has the Faroy patent and says USA.
Hi Martha,
Thanks for your post and the info!
David
I worked for Faroy from March 1971 until May 1978, as secretary to Gerald and Dan Hubenak. I would love to reconnect with anyone who worked for the company at the same time.
Hi Nita,
I am more than happy to post your request here. Maybe some others who worked there will make contact with you! And if you have any background tidbits of information on the company and the glassware it sold, you are welcome to post it here as well! Thanks and take care,
~David
I recently acquired a yellow “vaseline” version of the amberina one shown above. It glows nicely under UV light. It has the same patent number. Your photo shows a distinctly pebbled surface, while mine appears much smoother. It is possible there were multiple manufacturers. It is now part of my toothpick collection.
Tim,
Since they were imported from Asia, it is possible that more than one glass manufacturer was involved. However, I would also add that this may just be a case of the manufacturer utilizing several different molds — each mold not being exactly the same.
David
I have a Faroy votive holder purchased from an estate sale. After searching patent # (208421) found the patent was issued in 1967 and for 14 years after. Manufacturer was Victrylite Candle Co based out of Oshkosh.
I have a yellow Faroy candle holder, pat.# 236,908 USA I saw a red one on your site.. any ideas on how rare the yellow one is? I have a picture I can send. Jo Ellen
Hi Jo Ellen,
I have no clear idea on which colors are rare (or scarcer!). You are welcome to email me pics of the candle holder. My email address is listed on the lower right hand corner of any page on this website.
Thank you!
David
I have just found 4 Red Nosed Reindeer Placecard Holders in the original box marked : for FAROY, INC – Houston, Texas 77043 on one end of the box and: Hamdcrafted in Taiwan c 1985 FAROY on the other end, c meaning copywrite, I guess. Would this be you? I live near Houston and would like to know about them. Thank you!
Vicki, Sorry, but I don’t know anything about your placecard holders. This webpage is basically only about the glass candleholders sold with the FAROY mark embossed on them.
Thanks for writing,
David
I worked at their retail location for two years (stocker), then as their warehouse manager. I only saw containers (from ships) and large sturdy wooden boxes from abroad. Each delivery felt like Christmas. It is still possible their Candle Store, Chemist Shop and Glass Shop (Westbury Square) received merchandise separately/drop ship as I mostly saw merchandise delivering to Cargo Houston and The Branch retail stores.
Elroy (anonymous)
I worked as a warehouse manager. We stocked two stores, The Branch in Galleria and Cargo Houston in Westbury Square. Everything would arrive in ship containers filled with straw from China.
Hello Elroy,
May I ask what time period you are referring to? Also, exactly what items do you recall that were involved in these shipments? Were they candle holders actually marked with the “FAROY” brand name? I have a hunch that the “FAROY” marked glass was made here in the United States in the earlier years, but at some later time they started importing glass from Asia.
Best regards,
David
I never took a close look at anything arriving, we were so busy unpacking and checking for damage. This was the middle 70’s. Mr Frasier was letting everyone know that Faroy was one of the early importers fro China. I was there when he saw/supervised the first container opened – it was large hand blown glass terrariums in clear glass. I remember he also had two other stores in Westbury Square then, The Chemist Shop and I think it was called The Glass Man – with live demonstrations every night.
Thank you Elroy! Your information is very helpful since we can now state with good authority that all of the glass marked “FAROY” was actually manufactured in Asia, not (as I was originally thinking) by an unidentified glassmaker in the United States.
I appreciate your input!
~David
I have a votive cup labeled Patent/ No. Faroy 1 U.S.A. 204,556 that is Pink.
Thank you Fritz, I appreciate your input!
~David
We have an amber frosted and an amberina frosted both tulip shaped and have a feel of the frosted vicking glass items.
I have a Faroy cobalt blue votive cup patent 204 566 (https://www.google.com/patents/USD204556?dq=us+204,556&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ifxpVMUgiaTJBN_qgqgC&ved=0CCQQ6AEwAQ) saved from college days (1970) when “hippie” boutique shops were still common. I don’t see such simple but richly colored votive candle cups anymore. There are a few details on a website in Singapore about the Faroy company (searched on Google): http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/31041/home_accessories/faroy_candles___find_out_how_this_company_got_started.html but I have not looked further.
I have a strange colored one… it’s kinda purple frosted… says Faroy (that I thought was Farcy) and pat no 208421
Hi Michael, Thanx for the info. The “Faroy” marked candleholders I have seen so far are really nice looking…….wish I knew more about who actually manufactured them!
~David
I have the green candle cup as shown in your photo, except it has patent no. 241,265 on the bottom.
Hi Daniel,
Thanks for sending me the info!! With the actual patent number known, I did a search on “google patents” and searching with D241265 (D means “Design”) found that Faroy patented this in 1976. See this page: https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/pages/USD241265.png
https://www.google.com/patents/USD241265?dq=d241265&hl=en&sa=X&ei=4nldU5S5FtKG2wX-noDgCA&ved=0CDcQ6AEwAA .
~David