Glass News from Angela, January 11th 2004
Hi,
A Happy New Year, everyone. I hope you had a great time at Christmas
and New Year, and Santa brought you just what you wanted. I have been
busy over the holiday preparing "Designer Searches" which I will
tell you about in this Newsletter. I think you are going to like them.
I've also updated all the pages of the Glass Encyclopedia (some were
long overdue) and found some pages of auction prices from 1999 that I
had forgotten about. So I've been comparing them to recent auction
prices
for similar articles and learned some interesting things about the
glass market that I'll tell you about below.
I was browsing through Bob &
Debra Hendrich's book on Coca-Cola Commemorative bottles. If you are
ever at an event where they have a special coca-cola bottle produced
for that event, make sure you keep yours! Because some of them reach
really high prices in a few short years. For example, there was a
Coca-Cola Creative Services Business Planning meeting in 1993 which had
a special bottle produced for its attendees, and these were valued at
$500 in 2000! There are several more at similarly high prices in this
book, but the majority are only worth $5, so don't spend a lot of money
on coca-cola bottles unless you know their value. You can read
about
the Hendrich's book by clicking
here. This Newsletter has
some information about glass
exhibitions and events over the next couple of months, some newly
published books about glass, and links to our glass on eBay. I do
hope
you enjoy this Newsletter.
1: Designer Searches I'm sure that many of you have your
favourite "searches" that you save, for finding your kind of glass on
ebay. Over the years I have developed some really good ones,
excluding
the irrelevant auctions like "Harley Davidson" auctions coming up when
you're searching for Davidson's glass and so on. I decided to put them
on the updated pages of the Glass Encyclopedia, so if you go to any
page there, you will find a link that has been specially designed for
finding just that kind of glass (its in the text). Of course, I can't
vouch for the authenticity of the glass; if the seller says it is
Fostoria then it will come up in my Fostoria search even if they were
wrong. But if you know your glass and you want an easy way to find some
great pieces, then I suggest you try these Designer Searches.
And to make it easy for my friends to find them, I've made a list which
you can find at http:www.glassencyclopedia.com/ebay/searchindex1.html
Some of the glass (Barolac,
for
example) comes up only rarely, so it may turn up nothing in the
search. Other topics produce so much that I've been able to
be much
more selective. See what you think.
2: Auction Prices - 5 year changes: I have been comparing
recent auction prices on ebay with the prices for similar items five
years ago, and it does look as though prices have gone down, in some
cases dramatically so. Sabino: For example, there were 9
items
by Sabino which I recorded with more than 10 bids in April 1999 which
were identical to items offered over the past two weeks on ebay. This
time, there were only two of these items which got more than one
bid
and neither of those reached their reserve. Only four of the items sold
this time round, and those all sold for less than in 1999. The
four
that sold were a Gaiete (or Ronde Fleurie) perfume bottle, for US$119
(compared to $156.60 in 1999); Egyptian statuette sold for $129 ($130
in 1999); Fish "eglefin" sold for $41 (compare to $95.77 in 1999); and
a Poodle knife rest which sold for $39 (compared to $48 in 1999).
These are just examples; the overall picture was of most Sabino
auctions attracting no bids, the better items not meeting their
reserves, and prices lower than five years ago.
I'm sure we can all think of reasons for this apparent drop in prices.
One factor is the greater awareness of buyers about the value of
collectible glass. Another may be the fact that Sabino are still making
many of these glass items and they are not marking their modern pieces
in any distinctive way, so far as I know (unlike Fenton, or
Lalique).
A third reason could be the easier availability of Sabino glass on ebay
compared to how hard it was to find in the days when we had to search
antique shops. And, of course, this could be just a bad time on
ebay.
If you want to keep an eye on this over the next few weeks, the 1999
figures are at the bottom of the Sabino page on the Glass Encyclopedia,
with a link to a page of pictures - http://www.glassencyclopedia.com/Sabinoglass.html
Lalique: the picture for
Lalique glass was better. Most of the Lalique items put up for sale on
ebay did sell over the past two weeks, except for the multiple copies
of books and miniature perfumes. There is a much wider variety of items
from Lalique being offered, so it was not possible to pair up recent
sales with those five years ago, as it was for Sabino. Having said
that, the top ten Lalique items sold on ebay in April 1999 ranged in
price from US$970 to US$2700 (Baccantes vase signed Lalique). Over the
past two weeks, the top ten Lalique items sold ranged in price from
$160.38 up to $1,275 (Domremy vase signed R. Lalique). I will
need to
watch over a longer period to be sure, but it does look as if buyers
are better informed and more cautious, and the prices even for Lalique
are lower than they were five years ago. If you want to look at the
Lalique auction results from 1999 they are at the bottom of the Lalique
page on the Glass Encyclopedia - http://www.glassencyclopedia.com/Laliqueglass.html
Our GLASS on eBay:
If you want to see a quick overview, you'll find our auctions at http://www.myglassauction.com
We have been promoting Ray Ansin's stunning "Gardens in Glass"
pendants, and I think his new signature cane which is now included in
his paperweight-beads is a great innovation. Take a look at one of
these:
Ray Ansin
- Millefiori Red Garden in Glass signed Ansin, kiln annealed lampwork
focal glass bead pendant, beautifully formed hibiscus flowers and Ray's
new
signature cane "RA" - on eBay
#2684059161
Ray Ansin - Clichy-style pink Roses in a Ray Ansin Garden in
Glass - on eBay
#3652846668
Ray Ansin - purple and mauve roses in Garden in Glass -on eBay
at
#2684056992
Keith Mahy - from a new series of paperweights
introduced by Keith, we are offering another beautiful and unusual
Earthscape silver iridized paperweight, signed and dated by the artist
- on eBay at
#3652880417
Keith Mahy - a beautiful white perfume bottle with
multi-colored (black, mauve, amber) pulled feather-stripes, signed and
dated by the artist - on eBay at
#3652872097
Tango style Bohemian art deco glass vase, orange and
black glass classical shaped with art deco
black enamel silhouette of a lady with a lamb - on ebay at
#3652883502
Keith Mahy - a superb
green perfume bottle with applied crystal decoration, signed and dated
by the artist - on eBay at
#3651775144
They are all put up without reserve and so far most of them do not have
any bids. If you would like to see a quick summary with pictures, or
keep in touch with the new items I am going to add, please go to http://www.myglassauction.com/
5: EXHIBITIONS, CONFERENCES AND GLASS SHOWS:
a: The Camridge Glass Fair takes place at Chilford Hall Vineyard, Linton in Cambridgeshire on the 15th February. Several well known names will be exhibiting including Jeanette Hayhurst, Nigel Benson, Roger Harris, and Anne Metcalfe. There will be a display of Peter Layton's latest glass creations, and an exhibition featuring Hartley Wood glass (from the NE). More information about how to find them and what is planned can be found on their website at http://www.circaglass.co.uk/phdi/p1.nsf/supppages/circa?OpenDocument&part=5
b: China Glass 2004: The
15th International Glass Exhibition will be staged in Beijing in April
2004. There is no doubt that China is one of the expanding
markets in
the world, and a growing source of glass and glass technology. If
you've been thinking about selling into China, or buying from China,
this may be the exhibition to attend. It seems to cover every aspect of
glass, including art glass. Quoting from the website for this event: China
... leads in glass-production and glass-processing technologies
among
developing coutries. The China International Glass Technical Exhibition
commenced in 1986 and has become the largest intertnational glass
exhibition in Asia since 1994. A host of professional visitors come
from all parts of China and other countries. For more information
contact ceramsoc@public.bta.net.cn
or their US contact person, Corinne Dame dame@dameassoc.com
or visit their website at http://www.ceramsoc.com/exhibitEn/exhibitEn1.htm.
c: The Broadfield House Glass
Museum (near Birmingham,
UK). has an Exhibion of Decanters through the Ages, which
runs until April 18th. Visit the Broadfield House website if
you want to know more about where Broadfield House is, and when they
are open -
http://www.glassmuseum.org.uk
d: The London Art Fair at the Business Design Centre, London N1
from the 14th to 18th January has several galleries exhibiting glass
artists work, including work by Colin Reid and many others. They have a
website at http://www.londonartfair.co.uk
for more information.
e: The Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee from May 16th to 23rd
2004. Over 290 workshops and classes, with on-line class registrations
starting on January 20th (click
here) plus the largest consumer bead show in the USA, with over 300
vendors. For more information visit their website at http://www.beadandbuttonshow.com/
f: Portland Rain of Glass Show
and Sale at Washington County Fairgrounds, Hillsboro, Oregon
on
January 24th and 25th 2004, featuring Depression Glass and
Elegant
Glass, glass ID, and glass repairs. The fairgrounds are across
from
Hillsboro Airport on NE Cornell, MAX light rail stops there. For more
information call 503-282-0608 or visit their website at http://rainofglass.org/show.htm
e: Depression Glass Shows in the USA click here-
http://www.glassshow.com/Shows/ashows.html
- a listing of depression glass shows across the USA - really useful.
It's amazing how many Depression Glass Shows there are in the USA. You
are so lucky!
f: Antique Shows in the UK, France, and the USA - give it plenty
of time to load; its a very useful site
http://www.dmgworldmedia.com/antiquefairs/bymonth2002.htm .
g: Events at the Metropolitan
Museum of Art are listed
on their website at
http://www.metmuseum.org/calendar/
6: RECENT BOOKS ABOUT GLASS - for your information in case you
missed them.
Click on any of these titles to read more about the book.
a: Language
of Adornment: Chinese Ornaments of Jade, Crystal, Amber and Glass
by Dr. Filippo Salviati, published
by Ten Speed Press in March 2004 (available now). The author has
doctorates in Chinese Art & Archaeology from both London and Rome
Universities, and gives a fully illustrated explanation of how personal
ornaments in glass and other materials symbolised the social and
cultural status of people in Chinese society, dependant on the
materials used and their decoration. Numerous full color plates; 152
pages.
b: Modern
Glass in the Netherlands by Titus M.
Eliens
published February 2004 by B.V.Waanders Uitgeverji.
This is a subject we do not see enough about. Paperback, with 164 pages.
c: Glass
Painting Kit -complete by Walter Foster, published by Walter
Foster Publications in December 2003.
d : Murano: Island of Glass by Attilia Dorigato and Jeremy Scott published by Arsenale in December 2003. This is a well-illustrated large size hard back book with 400 pages.
e: Steuben
Design: A Legacy of Light and Form by Mary Jean Madigan published
by Harry N. Abrams November 2003. An illustrated history of the
company and its glass, with extensive photographs commissioned
especially for this book.
f: And of course, we must tell
you about our own publication, Bagley
Glass by Angela Bowey, Derek and Betty Parsons; published on CD
September 2003. If you click on this link you will see some sample
pages and details of the contents.
I do hope there was something interesting for you this week.
Very best wishes
Angela
Useful links:
The Glass Museum at
http://www.glass.co.nz
The Glass Encyclopedia is at
http://www.glassencyclopedia.com
The Glass Links Page is at
http://www.glass.co.nz/links.htm
The Glass Message Board is at
http://www.glassmessages.com
My glass at auction
http://www.myglassauction.com
To join this list:
http://www.glass-time.com/joinglasslist.html
And if you would like to leave, just drop me an email and tell me
please.
From: Angela Bowey
http://www.glassnewsletter.com - archive of my Glass Newsletters