Thursday, 19 May, 2011

Hi Everyone!

What is the answer to the old and often-asked question: “If April showers bring May flowers, what does May bring?” To put it bluntly:
MORE RAIN!!! It has been such a quasi-miserable month that many of us have probably forgotten that the summer opener, Memorial Day Weekend, is less than 10 days away. Soon we will all be soaking up the rays, attending barbecues, and enjoying the sizzling temps that a NJ summer can send our way; our memories of a soggy spring will fade as quickly as a September tan.
If you did not attend our May meeting earlier in the month, here are some of the highlights: Craig, our treasurer, was on a business trip and absent from the evening, so we did not have a full report; we have approx. $8500 in our coffers…..Walter mentioned that the yearly museum/glass donation would go to either Duncan Miller or Imperial…..Ken said” other ideas” in lieu of a fall bus trip had been discussed at a recent committee meeting; these ideas will be further discussed over the summer….Paul said that he and the rest of the show committee would work on ideas that will be more profitable for our next show; this includes working on our club website….the girls in charge of hospitality asked everyone to look for tablecloths for our refreshment table.

The carnival glass program, presented by Ann and Rich Oorthuys,
Taught us that the Fenton Glass Co. of Williamstown, WV, first produced this famous type of glass that is really pressed PRESSED glass that has been iridized. Fenton got their ideas from Tiffany, but their glass was very expensive; Fenton soon came up with a cheaper way to produce it, calling the result the” poor man’s Tiffany”. Marigold was the 1st carnival color; today it is still 70% of their line. Ladies of that era (1908-1920 was the “heyday” of carnival) liked this color b/c it brightened up their dark post-Victorian homes. When sales began to dip after 1922, Fenton packed the glass in barrels and sold them to passing carnivals; hence the name “carnival glass”.

Old carnival is never colored on the bottom; newer pieces, on the other hand, are. The difference in iridizing changes the price up or down.
Over the years, 2000 patterns were produced, but unfortunately, only 1000 are recognizable. Ann and Rich found 2 rare vases at an estate sale in Warwick, NY and one at an antique shop on LBI; this latter vase, for which they paid $20, sold on e-Bay for $638. Rich suggested that TUMBLERS are a good way to start a collection b/c they are both affordable and plentiful, but they both suggested that collectors be cautious when buying RED carnival, for it is the most expensive color. “Thanks” to the Oorthuys for a great program!

JUNE COVERED DISH DINNER

Our annual covered dish dinner, which is traditionally held at the last meeting before we break for the summer, will take place on Wednesday evening, 1 June ( my fave month!) commencing @ 7 P.M. ( not 7:30).

(1) Each person who is attending will kindly bring along a dish in one of the following categories: appetizer, salad, entrée, or dessert. At the present time we have these numbers: 0 appetizers (there is a limit of 6 in this category); 4 salads inc. pasta, macaroni & tuna, Middle Eastern, and fruit (2 more are needed); 6 entrees inc. lemon chicken, sausage & peppers, ham, roast beef (provided by the club), kielbasa, and a corn casserole (2-3 more needed); 1 dessert which is a cobbler( 5 more needed).

Please, no repeats. (that’s why I listed everything). Call Lori Kratochvil or Gail Duchamp ASAP and tell them what you are bringing.
Beverages will be provided by the club.

Festivities for the evening will include a 50/50 with all monies going to the winners, a brown bag auction,(***directions to follow) as well as a silent auction, so bring extra cash!! Tickets will be sold for the silent auction, which will include prizes and gift certificates. As for the brown bag, here is how it works: Find a Shop-Rite bag. Fill it with an item (glass, china, or otherwise) worth at LEAST $10(more like $15). Decorate the bag. Easy!

It has been fun bringing you “all the news that’s fit to print” (or unfit!)
during this 2010-2011 season, and I hope to be back with the next newsletter in late August . (We will alert everyone if the Sept. date is changed b/c of the Labor Day Weekend.) In the meantime, have a relaxing, fun-filled 90 days, better known as”SUMMER”!!!

See you soon,
June