| Australian Kookaburra and Kingfisher, Crown Crystal | ||
| | What's the difference between the Kookaburra and Kingfisher pieces? The Kookaburra sits on a thick branch and the tail feathers are more obvious (as shown far left) while the Kingfisher sits on a thin branch. Thanks to Brendan Morant for the great closeup photos. |
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| The Australian Kingfisher and Kookaburra pieces are similar, both with a large-billed bird sitting on a short branch within a floral background. They are seen in 9-inch and 5-inch bowls, mostly with 12 ruffles, and a larger float bowl. There are several pattern variations; Kookaburra pieces usually sell for somewhat more than the Kingfisher, although auctioneers don't always identify them correctly. The ice cream shaped bowl above left, actually a Kookaburra Variant, sold for $1,950 in 1999. Above right is a typical marigold ruffled sauce. Kingfisher is probably the most widely found Australian patterns. Fake Kingfisher sauces are known.
A good source for information on the nuances between the various Kookaburra and Kingfisher patterns is Glen and Stephen Thistlewood's website: Thistlewood Australian glass Hartung Book Six: Kookaburra Hartung Book Six: Kingfisher Hartung Book Eight: Kookaburra Variant |
Kookaburra bowls, 9 to 10 inches, ruffled Marigold, 300 (2014), 600 (2020), 150 (2021) Marigold, with butterfly and waratah, 500 (2015) Marigold, with fern & wattle, 1,000(2021) Purple, 475 (2020), 175 (2021) Kookaburra sauces, about 5 inches, ruffled | Marigold, 80, 180 (both 2016), 70 (2017), 40 (2020) Purple, 200 (2016), 250 (2019), 225 (2020), 210 (2021) |
| Kingfisher bowls, 9 to 10 inches, ruffled Marigold, 35, 180, 425 (all 2019), 45, 275 (both 2020), 50, 65, 105, 130 (all 2021) Marigold, with wattle spray, 250 (2015) Purple or dark, 85, 180, 195 (all 2019), 95, 190, 375 (all 2020), 65, 100, 130, 170, 425 (all 2021) Purple, with berries in leaves, 280 (2021) Purple, with wattle spray, 175, 225 (both 2015) | Kingfisher sauces, about 5 inches, ruffled Marigold, 55, 85 (both 2016), 80 (2018), 20 (2020) Marigold, with wattle spray, 210 (2015) Purple, 70, 75 (both 2019), 30 (2020), 45, 80, 90, 105 (all 2021) Purple, with wattle spray, 65, 100 (both 2015) |
| This 10 1/2 inch Kookaburra float bowl brought $750 in 1998. Another brought $1,000 in 2004. In 2018 a marigold example brought $475.
In 2019 an eleven-inch float bowl in purple sold for $3,000. It had the Broken Chain back. In 2020, float bowls in dark (purple) sold for $1,900 and $2,400. In 2021, 2 more sold for $1,150 and $1,300. A 9-inch ice cream shaped bowl listed as a variant, $1,300 Note the unusual edge. The tumbler shows the relative size. |
| Another version of the large float bowl in purple. this ruffled example sold for $8,250 in 2010; another ruffled version (or perhaps the same piece) sold in 2005 for $2,650. There has been a resurgence in interest in Australian Carnival in the past few years. |
| This large bowl is thought to be a one-of-a-kind test for the letterning. The bird actually represents a Kingfisher, but the lettering reads "Australian Kookaburra." In marigold, it sold for $13,500 in 2015. Photo courtesy of Mickey Reichel Auctions.
Updated 9/18/2021 |