This unusual pattern has been known to collectors since at least 1969 when it appeared in the Pearsons' book A STUDY OF AMERICAN CUT GLASS COLLECTIONS (p. 180). The present example is a near-duplicate of the tray illustrated in that book, and it uses an identical blank. Note the use of edge- (or slice-) cutting to define the clover's leaves.
A tray or plate with a diameter of 14" (35.6 cm); weight 6 lb (2.7 kg); signed Hawkes. This tray sold for $4,550 at an eBay auction in 2004 (Images: Internet).
At the time the Pearson book was published the tray illustrated there was owned by a collector named Larson of Clayton, MO. The tray's whereabouts today is unknown. There are only very slight differences between the two trays. For example, the cross-hatching on the Larson tray makes an acute angle; here the two directions are normal to each other. To the writer this latter arrangement, in particular, suggests that this motif was intended to represent the weave of a table cloth made of linen, an acknowledgment of this Irish industry of bygone years. But this may, of course, be a coincidence.
The Larson tray is probably unique because, according to the Pearsons, it is signed by both Hawkes and the glass cutter. Presumably the Hawkes "signature" is the familiar acid-etched trademark. Unfortunately, no further information is provided -- the Pearsons even fail to mention the cutter's name!
In spite of the extensive data base of pattern names in the Hawkes catalog the name of this pattern has not yet been discovered. The Pearsons seem to imply that it is they who have introduced the name "Clover", and that this is not the official name of the pattern. Although it is usually known by this name, some collectors refer to the pattern as "Shamrock". This name is probably even more appropriate because "shamrock" is derived from the Irish word for clover (seamróg), and, as the national emblem of Ireland, it honors T. G. Hawkes' birthplace. It will be interesting to learn what the Hawkes company actually called this unusual and striking pattern.
One can speculate as to the existence of this pattern on other articles, but it is likely that it was designed for use on trays and plates exclusively.
Updated 3 Jun 2004