A Brilliant Addiction: Westchester Collectors Glass Show & Sale

OLD GREENWICH, CONN.

:You cannot blame folks for treating one of the first really beautiful spring weekends as an excuse to stay away from indoor venues, especially following one in which downpours of rain were nearly biblical. Still, the line of eager collectors waiting to enter the Greenwich Civic Center early on Saturday, April 29, as the 30th annual Collectors Glass Show and Sale got under way was gratifying for Douglas Reed, the show manager. Inside, daring to compete with the brilliant morning were two large rooms, a front foyer and a wide connecting hallway all filled to the brim with sparkling, gleaming and glittering glass.

"Overall, there were perhaps 60 fewer people attending the show than a year ago," said Reed, who has managed the show for the Westchester Glass Club for ten years. "I don't feel badly about the gate."

If Reed has concerns about the state of the glass market, it is that art glass seems not to be doing as well as early pattern and Depression glass and that the next generation of dealers is slow to materialize. "Thankfully, we had a few younger dealers," he said.

One of those dealers, Ralph Franzese of New Jersey-based RGL Antiques, waxed enthusiastically about the weekend show. "The show was really good. We had all kinds of sales. A good crowd of glass enthusiasts were showing up all day long - from the more advanced collectors to beginners, which shows good interest in this growing area." The dealer observed that many newer people are collecting, "which is great. It seems collectors still know it is a good time to invest and know especially where the deals are at the show."

All categories were selling in RGL's booth - colored American pressed glass as well as colored blown. "We do our best to keep a good selection of both categories for the those two types of enthusiasts," said Franzese. "I want to thank everyone who decided to show up, and for those who missed it, they should try and make it next year. The overall quality was great and every dealer had something for everyone."

"It's always been my best show every year," concurred Betsy Hewlett, a Massachusetts dealer who specializes in early American pattern glass. "The customers are always enthusiastic; excited with their finds; always coming in with smiles and happy thoughts and often times with lists in hand."

Hewlett also praised the Westchester Glass Club members. "They are always at hand to help whenever needed, which includes loading in and out for the dealers - an enormous help - plus putting on a delicious dinner during setup the night before. It's a very gracious group, which certainly makes the show very special for us who set up and all who attend. I am thrilled to take part."

"The show was great," said Scott Roland of GlimmerGlass Antiques, Schenevus, N.Y. "The Glass Club does a great job hosting the dealers, who are among the leading ones in the United States and come from as far away as California and Florida. We see and sell to many of the same folks each year in Greenwich. This year, as in the last couple of years, people are buying colored opalescent glassware from the 1880s and 1890s. Pitchers, tumblers, syrups and sugar shakers are hot."

Less sanguine were David and Elissa Goldstein, collectively Elvid Antiques from Naples, Fla. "This year's show was somewhat disappointing," said David Goldstein. "It seemed as though both attendance and sales were off from prior years, and we've been doing this show for over 20 years."

On display in their booth was a graceful "Diving Lady" by Steuben in the frosted clear glass that was most common in the 1920s. The "lady's" creator, Frederick Carder (1863-1963), who managed Steuben Glass Works between 1903 and 1933, exemplifies for Goldstein the almost Darwinian ability to adapt to changes in taste and the market, a trait that may be needed in today's uncertain economy. "Carder was able to adapt his designs to the times," said Goldstein.

"We sold a number of pieces of Steuben," added the dealer. One collector acquired several nice acid cut back pieces from several dealers, including us, but most of our regular Steuben clients did not come to the show. I don't know if this is because the show was two weeks later than usual or this was the first nice weekend in several weeks. Notwithstanding our diminished results, we expect to return next year."

"I had one good sale for a lot of money, which saved me," said Philip Liverant, a Colchester, Conn.-based dealer in early blown, Victorian and art glass. He sold a little Eighteenth Century creamer for $1,900. "The very best is selling," he said. "The best compote in the show," in fact, was how he characterized a good example of a large size made in Sandwich, Mass., circa 1840-50. He also had three nice opalescent clam broth examples that were also Sandwich.

An unimposing but very rare early American flip, probably made circa 1850 in Sandwich, was one of the highlights at Iris Cottage Interiors, Canaan, N.Y. Dealer Alan Koppel said, "In general, we were very happy with the show. Considering all things, i.e., weather, economy, price of gas, etc, we were pleased. This was a beautiful show and the quality of the merchandise was excellent. The attendees appeared interested in and had the desire to learn about the glass exhibited at the show."

The Stradlings of New York City - Gary and Diane - were on hand with their usual outstanding display of early American glass. They were offering an early New England peachblow centerpiece bowl that had a note attached to its bottom. The note stated that the owner had paid $5 for the gold that was used to produce the deep raspberry pink color.

Donna Almon and husband Ken reckon they have been fixtures at the show since 2000. Specializing in early American blown and pressed glass, the Indianapolis, Ind., dealers said their overall experience at the show this year was good. "As is usually the case, the rarer pieces attract the most interest and sales in that category were very good," said Donna Almon. "A pair of candlesticks in a very rare color and several extremely rare salts were sold on Saturday." A couple of notable rarities on display included a three-mold blown peg lamp, circa 1820-30, of which few were made and few survived, and an extremely rare New England lacy bowl with a chevron design.

Other sales for Almon during the weekend included a number of pieces of lighting, blown molded glass, lacy dishes, cup plates, Sandwich toy lacy dishes and several sets of early Sandwich glass furniture pulls. "It is always good to visit with former customers who return for the show, along with catching up on 'glass news' with the other dealers at the show," said Almon. "I particularly enjoyed meeting and talking with several individuals who have recently become intrigued with the beauty of early American glass, and were interested in learning the history behind its manufacturing while adding a piece to their beginning collection."

Saying that she sees a trend of antique glass collectors now adding contemporary glass to their collections, Audrey Smit, proprietor of Glass Accents, etc, Lititz, Penn., added, "The contemporary glass of the American glass artist is the best that has ever been created at this time. The Charles Lotton family of glass blowers are said to be the next Tiffany glass of our time. It is still affordable for most people and the hopes of an increased value are very good."

Smit had a sizable display of Lotton family pieces at the show in all forms - vases, bowls, paperweights and sculpture. "The contemporary glass is also so colorful that people love to accent their homes with its brilliance and sparkle. It seems the younger generation is excited about the new look that the contemporary glass gives them."

Fanciful shapes and designs are highlights of any glass show, and Westchester did not disappoint in this regard. At Barbara Lessig's booth, for example, was a castle-shaped pickle jar that had been featured on the cover of the National American Glass Club's winter bulletin. The complicated, molded piece was made by the Aetna Glass Co., according to the Brookeville, Md., dealer. She also showed a rare cordial set by Moser, circa 1890-1910, pressed Minerva champagne glasses, circa 1870, and a Dorflinger goblet, circa 1900-10, that had been made for a yacht.

Typically, the Westchester show is best for Lessig and her husband Jim, and they have been doing it for eight to ten years. This year, Lessig said, "We did not have a good show. Lots of the old regular customers came by on Saturday and visited their favorite dealers who buy for them. Dealers who sent out cards telling what they had for them did well. I was disappointed, of course, but enjoyed the camaraderie of our friends."

Many dealers expressed the same fondness for the show as an annual event that they look forward to because they have gotten to know many of the dealers and club members who regularly attend. "It has gotten to be like a sort of family reunion of people who love the appeal of beautiful, historic glass," said Kathryn Boone of Timeless Treasures, Pelham, N.Y. "In addition to having a chance to sell our glass, we have the opportunity to get together with some of the country's most renowned experts on glass and pick each other's brains with respect to the search, research and identification of difficult pieces."

Westchester is always a showcase of excellent glass and, with its relatively compact size, provides a friendly environment in which beginning collectors can learn from knowledgeable experts. After all, show manager Reed himself acknowledged that his addiction to glass collecting began around 50 years ago when his mother gave him a single piece in the Bellflower pattern. Those who are uninitiated or missed the show may want to take a page from RGL's Franzese and "try and make it next year." For information, 973-763-4524 or 203-966-1777.