Westchester Glass Club’s 36th annual Collectors Glass Show and Sale featured a sparkling assortment of glass from iridescent vases to a vivid red Peacock lamp to early American pattern glass at the Greenwich Civic Center April 21′2.
Glass club spokesman Doug Reed noted that while he would have liked to see more buyers, “It was a good looking show, the people who were there were interested and buying, and dealers were happy.”
Among the dealers pleased with their sales was longtime exhibitor Lotton Gallery, Chicago, Ill. “That was actually one of our best shows in Connecticut,” gallery director Jacqueline Renier, recalled a week after the show. “We had a lovely couple from Nashua, N.H., that bought a couple of pieces on Saturday. Then, much to our surprise, they appeared again on Sunday.” They ended up buying four pieces over the weekend.
“We also had a woman from White Plains, N.Y., that walked by Charles’s red Peacock lamp and said her living room was in blues †within minutes, she reappeared to say ‘Wrap it up, I can’t leave without it, I’ll find a place for that beautiful lamp,'” Renier said. “Regardless of color, it’s what you love that makes collecting satisfying.”
The show was J’s Antiques & Collectibles, New Monmouth, N.J., debut in a Connecticut venue. Father and son, John and Jim Senkewicz, said their sales were good. “We sold mostly Imperial freehand art glass and stretch glass. We had a few sales in other areas, including milk glass and studio, Bohemian and Webb art glass.
The dealers also focus on educating new collectors, noting that they try to engage visitors to their booth in conversations. “Our objective is to have them leave our booth having learned something, or at the very least had a pleasant experience,” John Senkewicz said.
Two of their more interesting sales were not to collectors or dealers, and both ended up buying stretch glass after walking the rest of the show. Another sale was to a young boy who was at the show with his father. He wanted to buy his mother a Mother’s Day present. He ended up buying her an Imperial vase.
John and Barbara Craft of Craft’s Antiques, Collierville, Tenn., said this show continues to be a good one for them and sales were above average compared to some of their other shows. “High quality and higher-end flint EAPG continued to sell better than the more common items. There was increased interest in cup plates. The ones which sold were in excellent condition with their rarity ranging from scarce to very rare,” they said.
Jane and Larry Nyce at NYCE Collectables, Potomac, Md., said that despite a small crowd, they had a good showing and praised the look and quality of the show’s offering “We sold eight syrup pitchers, which is our specialty, since we collect them as well,” they said. Among the pitchers were three special ones; a green Heisey winged scroll, a spectacular Smith Bros. and a Vaseline bulging midriff. Seen for sale in their booth was an unusual amber cruet set with its stand, circa 1885, in the Thousand Eye pattern.
Old Friends LLC Antiques and Collectibles, Norwalk, Conn., debuted at the show and was pleased with its sales. “We did sell several pieces of early American pattern glass Lion and Pioneer,” said Pauline Schlatter. “We found the clientele to be well informed and also interested in learning about different glassware.”
Thomas C. Haunton, Wilmington, Mass., trading as Jerseyana, not only offered glass at the show but was the featured speaker Saturday afternoon,, based on his new book, Last Links to the Past Twentieth Century South Jersey Glass , where he featured glassworks by Emil Larson of Vineland, N.J., and the Clevenger Brothers Glass Company of Clayton, N.J. He was asked later to give this talk to other area glass clubs, which thrilled him, and his sales were up from his last showing here a few years ago.
Two auctioneers, specializing in glass, were at the show, previewing highlights from upcoming sales in May. Jeffrey Evans of Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates, Mount Crawford, Va., showed off a rare Sandwich Glass cream pitcher in blue with a clear handle, blown three mold. The auctioneer said only about a half-dozen of this type are known, with three in museum collections. Norman C. Heckler & Company, Woodstock Valley, Conn., featured several early historical flasks and Mount Washington glass that they are known for, along with art glass, something the auctioneer is not necessarily recognized for.
Sharing a booth, Jim Megura and Philip Cortina offered such choice pieces as a Pittsburgh cased bar bottle and a swagged loop New England Glass Company vase, while Betsy Hewlett Lessig, Yarmouth Port, Mass., featured a bellflower compote, 1860, standing 9½ inches tall, with large scalloped border.
Also on display were a half-gallon Hamilton water pitcher with applied handle, 1860s, Cape Cod Glass Co, in clear flint glass in the booth of Baker Antiques, Newtown, Conn.; a Cambridge vase, circa 1927, with an etching of a bird on a leafy branch at Splendor in the Glass, Harrison, N.Y.; and an iris flute epergne, circa 1900, at Frances Bondy Antiques, Basking Ridge, N.J.
Other highlights included a Consolidated console bowl, French crystal, made in 1929, that was eye catching at The Glass Cupboard, Albertson, N.Y.; the large bowl is also referred to as a “banana” bowl; and over at James Lessig of Pleasant Valley Antiques’ booth, the Brookville, Md., dealer featured a late 1800s bread plate, “Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread,” that is unusual for its clear sides and milk glass insert and a possibly English platter showing a dog swimming after a duck. Lewis and Allen Antiques, Hartford, Conn., featured a rare Melon alabaster jug by Morgantown, with Ritz blue handle, circa 1930.
Faith Antiques, New Castle, Del., offered a very attractive display of fine lighting, shades and art glass, contained in elegant, sturdy yet lightweight, custom-built cases that were made by Jerry Larsen of Poplar Woods, Norwalk, Conn.
The show will return here next April, likely the third weekend of the month. For more information, 973-763-4524, 203-966-1777 or 845-669-5248.
