Thursday, 27 October 2011
Dear Ghosts, Goblins, and (of course) Witches!
Having just returned from a 15 day vacation I have been plummeted into a
swirling vortex of falling leaves, already-barren trees, and the culmination of the World Series…. not to mention that Halloween is just around the proverbial corner! Somehow, when you leave Jersey in early October you return to what is tantamount to early winter conditions (Channel 7 is predicting up to 6” of snow on Saturday for the northwest corner of our state!). A word to the wise: Place your snow shovel next to the trick-or-treat tray!
In case you missed our October meeting, here are some of the highlights:
Gail Duchamp met a lady who manages a TV station in Summit, and she would like to advertise our show by having a club member(s) do a 15-minute presentation on DG. Both Ken and Rolf volunteered, so we are hoping it comes to fruition……Rich Oorthuys suggested a program on “How to Photograph Glass”… … Walter announced that our annual monetary donation would be heading to the Fenton Art Glass Club… President Antoinette restated that she will be presenting a mini talk each month on “a lesser glass company” that helped to produce some of the wonderful items that we all collect. (When people mention glass companies, we immediately think of Heisey, Cambridge, Fenton, Fostoria, etc.). In November Antoinette’s first foray will be into the Indiana Glass Co. (Anyone who would like to bring in 1 or 2 pieces of the proposed monthly company is welcome to do so.)
SHOW UPDATE
As most of you are already aware, our fall show takes place on November 18-19.
Kindly pick up some flyers and distribute them in your hometown or surrounding ones.
To reiterate the refreshment procedure for Friday night’s preview, all donated cakes, cookies, donuts, brownies, etc. should be “ready to serve” and placed on throwaway platters. Fruit and cheese and crackers, etc. are also acceptable, but they, too, must be ready to be served, so kindly arrange them as such. “Thanks” to all members who generously donate for each and every show.
After our usual break for refreshments (Great food! Such a variety! Yumsville!),
we called the 50/50, and $40 went directly to Kathy Mahaffey! A runner-up prize, a set of decorated Halloween goblets, went to Ann and Rich Oorthuys; Walter won the 3rd prize, which merely gave him his $5 back!
Ken Filippini, our resident Cambridge expert and past president of the National Cambridge Society, presented a program on Cambridge” nudes” stemware. From cordials to cocktails to wines and beyond, this stellar company made some of the best of the best when it came to glassware. Ken informed us that nude stems start as low as $65, but one in “Carmen red” usually goes for a much as $2000! (Yes, that’s EACH!) Of course, that’s b/c there are only 10 known worldwide! And, as one can imagine, the “odd ball” items are the hardest to find.
Summit Art Glass Co. (a much newer glass co.) had some of the nude stems, but they were unsuccessful in producing them b/c it takes a special process to achieve the end result: 3 men working a machine called the “Hokey Pokey” made the original Cambridge nude stems as one spun the foot, one the stem, and one the bowl.
The “chintz” pattern on Carmen red is “ridiculously rare” said Kenny. This led to a great (and almost unbelievable) story that ended the evening: Ken and a few other Cambridge collectors bid (as one group) $2000 each for 6 of these goblets when they came upon e-Bay, but he was outbid!! When the person who outbid him didn’t want to spend $2000 each for them, the seller called Kenny and offered him the deal. Kenny ended up meeting the seller in a supermarket parking lot! Armed with $10,000, Kenny closed the deal! Now that’s a true collector.
Our next meeting will take place on Wednesday, 2 November beginning as close to 7:30 as possible. The program for the evening will be “HOLIDAY COLLECTIBLES” presented by Ken Brino. Feel free to bring along a few of your outstanding holiday items. For a change of pace, we are having pizza during our break, so we only need 1 more person besides Gayle Babitz to bring in a “sweet” refreshment. Call Gail @ (973) 267-7511 if you can be that person.
MISSING FLAG!!!
Did anyone take home the American flag that we use for our Pledge of Allegiance? It has been missing since the September meeting.
HOLIDAY DINNER
If you are planning to attend our annual holiday dinner @ Portobello’s in Oakland on Friday evening, 2 December, Craig will begin collecting checks for $25 per person during this upcoming meeting. Rather than waiting and paying for the dinner at either the show or sending your check through the mail, it would be easier for all concerned to pay next week. REMEMBER: We will not be having another meeting before the dinner! It is a festive night of mouth-watering food, prizes galore, a 50/50, and what will probably be our last ever book raffle. As they used to say in the 50’s, “Be there or be square!”
DUES WERE ALREADY DUE!
If you haven’t done so yet, please pay your dues for this season….$15 single and $20 family. If you cannot attend the meeting, please send them to Craig Kratochvil @ 9 Joseph Lane, Ringwood, NJ 07436. I will soon be working on the new membership list and cannot include anyone who has not paid his/her dues by the end of November.
Thanks a bunch!
My next newsletter will be written some time after Christmas to announce our January 2012 meeting, so please do not look for a letter next month. See you all at the next meeting, at our glass show, and, of course, the dinner. “HAPPY HAUNTING!”
JUNE LEE
