Fall Is In The Air! (Hopefully)

Well, Labor Day has come and gone.  Hopefully we will be seeing cooler weather around here.  First of all, I would like to congratulate this month's BLOG SPECIAL WINNER.  That honor goes to:

PHILLIP L.

Phillip entered our monthly drawing and won a $25.00 gift certificate to be used in A.G.C.A.P. Gold Star Dealer #389's Booths.  Keep reading for this month's BLOG SPECIAL CODE WORD and enter!

Now for this months A.G.C.A.P. Dealer of the Month.  Robert “Bob” Von Minden is the A.G.C.A.P. Dealer of the Month for September!

Bob has been a member of The Antique Gallery of Houston Family for about 2 years.  He specializes in “All Things Vintage & Antique”.  You can find his booths on Aisle 2 North Booth #’s C-14, D-12, D-13, & D-14.  Please stop by and check out what he has to offer!  Take a peak below!

The chosen article this month is very interesting.  Thanks to Pamela Wiggins!

Ways to Ruin Antiques

By Pamela Wiggins, About.com Guide 

No one intentionally ruins an antique, right? But lots of people do make costly mistakes caring for antiques and collectibles every day simply because they don't know any better. Read on for valuable information to keep you from making an error you'll live to regret, especially if you try to sell a treasured antique in the future.

1. Improper Cleaning

Cleaning some antiques makes them more desirable and valuable, but that's not always the case. For instance, cleaning the "patina" from a really hard to find Roycroft copper lamp can diminish the value greatly, while gently washing a rare piece of Depression glass won't hurt it a bit. It's wise to do some research to find out how cleaning will impact the value of an antique before you begin. Talk to an expert collector or dealer in the particular area you're researching, if needed.

2. Refinishing Furniture

Should you always refinish antique furniture? Definitely not. In fact, the less is more rule should be applied in most cases. If you happen to have a rare antique, or maybe even a furniture masterpiece, removing the original finish can be disastrous. Many times a gentle cleaning will suffice, but again, take care not to remove anything that might be seen as desirable patina rather than plain old grime. More common pieces can be refinished, but do yourself a favor and read up on cream of the crop antique furniture if you don't know how to tell the difference.

3. Displaying in Sunlight

What do old paper, vintage textiles and early plastics have in common? They're all susceptible to damage from direct sunlight. Paper, including photographs, will yellow and crack, the vibrant colors in textiles will fade, and plastics will melt rendering a piece you'll no longer be proud to own or pass down to the grandkids. Take care to display your antiques and collectibles in dimly lit areas or for short periods of time in sunny rooms. Always avoid direct sunlight.

4. Amateur Restoration

Restoring an antique to its original glory might seem like a good idea, and sometimes it is. But a do-it-yourself paint job on the mechanical bank you inherited from your great-grandfather is a no-no. This is another area where an expert's advice will be invaluable. Sure, if you just need to glue in a rhinestone that's popped out of a vintage brooch (using GS Hypo Cement) or sew a rag doll's button eye back in place, that's fine. Leave the more complicated restoration projects to professionals  to retain the value of your antiques and collectibles.

5. Improper Storage

If you could create a museum setting in your home in regard to lighting, temperature and humidity levels, it would be the perfect environment for antiques and collectibles. In most instances that's not feasible, but we do need to be mindful of proper storage in order to preserve the rich history and beauty of our treasures. Keep valuable collections and heirlooms out of unusually damp areas like basements and overly hot areas like attics, if at all possible. In general, if you store your treasures where you're comfortable, they'll be comfortable too. 

Now for the BLOG SPECIAL CODE WORD.  It is "MUSEUM"  Only 1 entry per person per month,  offer extends only to customers of The Antique Gallery of Houston.  Dealers and employees of The Antique Gallery of Houston are not eligible to win.  Gift Certificate will be good only for purchases made in the A.G.C.A.P. Dealer's booth who donated the Gift Certificate .  

The Antique Gallery of Houston has lots of upcoming events.

Open House & Customer Appreciation

Saturday & Sunday 

November 3 & 4, 2012

Chili Cook-Off

Saturday November 10, 2012

And lets not forget our almost "World Famous"

HOME-MADE GOODIES BAKE SALE

(Check Back for Date)

Thanks for reading our Blog and keep check back near the first of each month for updates!

and remember

OUT WITH THE NEW AND IN WITH THE OLD.............BUY ANTIQUES!!!!!

Labor Day is Almost Here!

Can you believe that in a few short weeks the kids will be back in school and Labor Day will be here?  I am ready for some cooler weather ( 75 - 85), but I don't know if I am quite ready for summer to be over.  I love sitting outside in the evening drinking ice tea on the patio and enjoying the slight breeze.  It is a well known fact around my house that I am cold natured (I have the thermostat on 80 when I am home alone), so the heat does not bother me, but I sure won't be sitting outside in December!

This month's A.G.C.A.P. Dealer of the Month is Pat Bufkin.  Pat has been a member of The Antique Gallery of Houston's family for 23 years.  She specializes in Primitives and Cottage Style Antiques.  Her booths are  located on Aisle 2 North Booth C-10 and Aisle 4 South Booth X-4 A & B.  Please stop by and check out what she has to offer.  There is always something unique in her booths!  Just take a look below!

Well, last month we ran a Blog Special.  WE HAVE A WINNER!!!! Kalee V. won a $25.00 gift certificate donated by Dealer # 461.  Congratulations Kalee!  Keep reading for this month's special!

Next we have a great article from Collectors Weekly on Vintage Ladies Hats.  Very interesting and we have loads of them all over the mall at great prices!


Ladies Vintage Hats

Thanks to Collectors Weekly for this article!
Nothing tops a beautiful outfit like a perfect hat. Whether it’s a lacy headdress decorated with velvet and tulle from the mid-Victorian era or a wide-brimmed, "flower power" sun hat of chenille daisies from the 1960s, hats reflect and define the fashions of their day.
During the 1860s and ’70s, the popular drawn bonnets of the mid-19th century became oval, framing the face more naturally than the round ones that had preceded them. These spoon bonnets were decorated with ribbons, lace, and flowers made of organdy and silk. Straw skimmers, also known as rounds, were worn outdoors—the best of these had patterns of silk braids sewn onto their tops.
By the end of the century, hats were moving in two directions. Some were demure, almost too small for the heads they were perched on. Others had high-domed crowns and were piled high with loops of ribbon and drapes of rich velvet. Wide Gainsborough hats, sometimes called cartwheels, were the exception to this general rule. These showy chapeaux were decorated with so many feathers that laws had to be passed to prevent entire species of birds from going extinct.
As the 20th century dawned, the Gibson Girl dominated fashion. The hallmark of the look was an hourglass figure (achieved by painfully tight corsets) and a big hat up top. Gainsboroughs were still worn, thanks to their popularization in the 1907 musical "The Merry Widow." Smaller, but no less ornate, pompadour hats were a mirror of the popular hairstyle of the same name. By the end of the century’s first decade, Edwardian fashions were in full swing, resulting in black velvet hats trimmed with ostrich feathers and velvet-and-silk flowers.
In the years before and after World War I, gigantic garden hats were still in vogue, but other trends were having an impact. Hats resembling berets and turbans began to appear, as did Musketeer hats. Tricorne hats, motoring hats, and straw boaters all had good runs toward the end of the decade. And as a precursor of the decade to come, close-fitting cloche hats were introduced.
Women in the 1920s went crazy for hats. In addition to the ubiquitous cloche, some with wide swooping brims, some without, women wore sculptural hats resembling airplane wings or actual crowns. Felt hats were embroidered with Art Deco flowers, and kits were sold for just $.89 so that women could make their own "crushers," as they were called. Actress Louise Brooks made it acceptable to wear pokes and helmet hats, and so-called Speakeasy hats were studded with sequins and costume jewels.
Things sobered up a bit in the 1930s, but only a bit. Black Sou’wester hats made of braided hemp continued the helmet look. In fact, straw hats went from garden to dressy, as straw cloches were woven with ecru to resemble smart tweeds. Knit turbans took off thanks to Greta Garbo, the pillbox was introduced, and women even took to wearing sequined or rhinestone-accented calot caps, which resembled large yarmulkes and were first worn by the ancient Greeks. Colorful berets and pirate caps, as well as felt or stitched geometric Dutch Boys, added to the decade’s sense of style.
During World War II, the fedora reigned, mostly due to Ingrid Bergman’s look in the 1942 film Casablanca. Crocheted snoods designed to keep hair from getting tangled in machine parts were a counterpoint to Rosie the Riveter’s famous red with white polka dot headscarf. After the war, berets of crushed velvet and printed barkcloth gained ground, as did bandeaux, which weren’t really hats but looked like them from the front when padded and worn like a tiara.
In the 1950s, hats almost resembled the costume jewelry of that period. The mushroom cloche and the melon hat were just two of the hats that took their shapes, and names, from food. Celebrities such as the Duchess of Windsor and Gloria Swanson wore casques, sailors, and large-brim hats interchangeably. Mamie Eisenhower wore an Air Wave hat to her husband’s first inauguration. Small but visually arresting cocktail hats were decorated with everything from dyed feathers to faceted beads, while bowlers, rollers, and Bretons were perfect for everyday wear.
Finally, in the 1960s, hats reflected the rising dominance of youth culture. The decade began with turban-like bubble toques made of feathers, prints, or mesh. Felt conehead caps and zippered Bobbie helmets exuded a CarnabyGainsboroughs, which now seemed entirely in step with the trend toward natural looks, returned to the fashion stage for yet another bow.


Now for this month's BLOG SPECIAL.  Just go to the A.G.C.A.P. table located at the end of Aisle 2, near the kitchen (With the A.G.C.A.P. cookbooks) and fill out an entry form and place it in the container.  You  MUST include the code word or your entry will not be considered!  We will then draw a winner on September 01, 2012 and notify them by Tuesday September 04, 2012.  Only 1 entry per person per month,  offer extends only to customers of The Antique Gallery of Houston.  Dealers and employees of The Antique Gallery of Houston are not eligible to win.  Gift Certificate will be good only for purchases made in the A.G.C.A.P. Dealer's booth who donated the Gift Certificate .  This month the code word is
"BREEZE"


Don't forget to check out our face book page Antique Gallery of Houston!


And remember OUT WITH THE NEW AND IN WITH THE OLD BUY ANTIQUES!!!!!!


Check back next month for more!!!!!!

Something to do with the Kids!

Hope everyone had a safe and happy Fourth of July!  I had the privilege of having my 13 year old grandson stay with me for a week.  I thought, what am I going to do with him while I am at The Antique Gallery.  I did not have to worry, as I remembered that I had started him a collection of old comic books several years ago.  He could not wait  to go to The Antique Gallery so he could add to his collection.  It was so cute, he brought his guide with him and researched the comic books before he made a purchase.  He said he really enjoyed being able to look at everything, not just the comic books.  He said he is thinking about starting another collection, but he could not decide on old knives, or civil war memorabilia.  That got me to thinking about other children that come to The Antique Gallery with their parents and grandparents, and I found this great article from Pamela Wiggins on About.com that I would like to share with you.  Who knows, maybe we can get some more collectors!

Collecting With Children
Thanks to Pamela Wiggins About.com


Childhood Collections
With some direction, an interesting book or two and a little cash, children of all ages can discover an educational, stimulating hobby through collecting. I'm quite sure my own affinity for collecting was learned from my mother, but sometimes it seems like I was born with the collecting gene.
Learning Through Collecting
In addition to having fun, as children grow groups of objects they learn to take care for them, display them, research them and budget their allowance to buy more.
Collections can mirror a child's personal interests or historical topics they learn about in school. Other times accumulations just kind of happen over time. Being naturally inquisitive, children tend to hone in on things adults may not notice.
Kids also learn a lot from shopping for antiques and collectibles since history abounds in all areas of collecting. Even as a child, reading my mother's Depression glass?/book taught me to recognize most of the popular patterns and colors, and I asked questions that helped me to learn about the Great Depression in the process. I still use this information as an adult as a writer, antiques dealer, appraiser and collector.
What to Know Before You Go Shopping with Children
There are some important factors to consider before taking a child into a shop filled with attractive, breakable items:
Children should never be allowed to roam freely, since many antiques aren't safe for kids to touch, and they may not even realize they're in the danger zone until it's too late.
Lots of older items are fragile, too. Touching them, even gingerly, can cause damage. Children need guidance to realize some playthings aren't really playthings anymore. This is true even at flea markets, which can be less intimidating but still hold valuable and dangerous items here and there.
Young ones can learn to respect other people's property when properly supervised in this type of environment, but it helps to gauge a child's maturity level helps before you go shopping.
If your collecting buddy generally behaves well and listens to instructions in other stores, chances are they'll do OK in an antique shop as well.
Always enforce the look but don’t touch rule when in an antiques mall. Make sure kids don’t run or roughhouse in antique stores for their own safety and the safety of others.
Use the shopping experience as a learning tool. Allow children to ask questions about unusual items, and teach them to respect other people’s property in the process.
Show children items you recognize from childhood or your grandmother’s house. Explain why they hold fond memories.
Encourage kids to start small, inexpensive collections. Teach them how to display and care for their collectibles when they get back home.
Let kids look through books on collectibles that interest them, or topics that interest you. Learn about antiques and collectibles together.
With a little thought and consideration, collecting adventures with children can be lots of fun.

Wasn't that a great article?  Hope you enjoyed it.

Each month we will have a drawing for a free Gift Certificate from a participating A.G.C.A.P. Gold Star Dealer.   All you have to do to enter is look for the code-word, this month it is "FIRECRACKER" and when you go into The Antique Gallery of Houston, go to the A.G.C.A.P. table located at the end of Aisle 2 North and fill out an entry form with the code word.  Only 1 entry per person per month,  offer extends only to customers of The Antique Gallery of Houston.  Dealers and employees of The Antique Gallery of Houston are not eligible to win.  Gift Certificate will be good only for purchases made in the A.G.C.A.P. Dealer's booth who donated the Gift Certificate  Drawing will be held on the 1st day of the following month and winner will be notified by phone by the President of A.G.C.A.P.

Now for the A.G.C.A.P. Dealer of the Month for July.   This month the honor goes to Joan Stepchincky.  Joan has been a member of The Antique Gallery of Houston for 8 years.  Joan has 2 booths.  One is located on Aisle 3 North, Booth E-4, and the other one is located on Aisle 3 South, Booth O-1.  Joan has many unique items, so make sure you stop by her booths and check them out!  See below for a sneak peak!

TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT US!

Check back next month! and remember,  OUT WITH THE NEW AND IN WITH THE OLD
BUY ANTIQUES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Art Glass & Important News about this Blog!

Thanks to Collectors Weekly for this article!

ART GLASS

 Art glass sprang from a revolution in glassmaking in the mid 1800s, when glass blowers began experimenting with different colors, patterns, and textures. The subsequent melding of artistry and technique resulted in a wide variety of beautiful handmade objects such as vases, lampshades, bowls, bottles, paperweights, figural works, and even marbles. Many art glass designs created by early innovators like Rene Lalique and Louis Comfort Tiffany are still in use today.
Other collectible art glass names include Johann Loetz, Fredrick Carder of Steuben, Galle, Thomas Webb and Sons, Stevens and Williams, Handel and Co., Pairpoint, Waterford, Baccarat, Fenton and Blenko.
Art Nouveau art glass, produced around the turn of the 20th century, was inspired by ancient glass that had been buried for so long it had become iridescent. Works from this era are characterized by bright and iridescent colors, and a focus on organics and nature. In the 1920s and 1930s, Art Nouveau gave way to Art Deco. Art Deco art glass is characterized by clear crystal, pastel colors and geometric designs.
After the Art Nouveau era in the early 1900s, there was a void in American-made art glass. But work continued in Europe, especially in France by artists such as Lalique, Daum, and Baccarat, in Scandinavia by artists such as Orrefors and Kosta Boda, and in Italy on the island of Murano. The 1950s and ’60s saw a reawakening in American-made art glass, led by artists such as Harvey Littleton - a tradition continued today by contemporary designers like Dale Chihuly.

The A.G.C.A.P. Dealer of the Month for the Month of June is Brian Walker.  Brian has been a member of the Antique Gallery of Houston for over 7 years.  Brian specializes in Glassware as well as some furniture.  He has a very extensive collection of various types of glassware including Art Glass.  Make sure to stop by his Booths located on Aisle 3 North Booth E-16 and Aisle 4 North Booth G- 5 & G-6.  Just look at some of the beautiful glassware he has to offer!

The Blog will now be updated once a month on or around the 1st of each month beginning July 2012.  There will no longer be blog specials, instead each month there will be a "code word" .    You will then be able to enter for a drawing for a gift certificate to be used in a designated A.G.C.A.P. members booth.  Gift Certificate amounts will vary and can only be used for merchandise in that A.G.C.A.P. Dealers booth.  The drawing will be held on the last day of each month.  Only 1 entry per person per month.

Pattern, (Pressed) Glass

First of all this week I would like to invite all of our clients to visit the A.G.C.A.P. Dealer of the Month's booth.
  Brian Walker has been a member of the Antique gallery of Houston for over 7 years.  Brian specializes in Glassware as well as some furniture.  He has a very extensive collection of various types of glassware including Carnival Glass and Pattern or Pressed Glass.  Make sure to stop by his Booths located on Aisle 3 North Booth E-16 and Aisle 4 North Booth G- 5 & G-6.   Check out the photo below.

Now for an article from Collectors Weekly



Thanks to Collectors Weekly for this article!


PATTERN OR PRESSED GLASS


Early American Pattern Glass (EAPG), also known as pressed glass, was produced from roughly 1850 to 1910. Cheaper to manufacture than blown glass, this glassware was made in cast-iron molds and marketed as an economic alternative to hand-cut crystal. Manufacturers made a wide range of patterns in order to compete with each other, usually patenting their work. Despite these steps, competitors routinely copied patterns by making minor changes to them and varying the names of the patterns just enough to keep from being sued.
One of the most famous of the early manufacturers was McKee, which established itself making windows and bottles in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1836. By 1850, the company, which had numerous names in the 19th century, moved into flint glassware. By the1860s, its patterns included Sprig, New Pressed Leaf, and Crystal. In 1889, the firm relocated to Jeannette, Pennsylvania.
Another famous Pittsburgh firm was Atterbury & Company, whose first patent came in 1874 for a pattern called Basket Weave. Others such as Lily (most collectors know it as Sunflower) followed, while one of Atterbury’s most famous designs, for a covered dish in the shape of a duck, was patented in 1887.
Ohio was also a center of EAPG. For example, Heisey was founded in 1895 in Newark, producing pressed glassware that was so precise it looked like cut glass. Early on, the company was known for its colorless pressed glass tableware. In the first two decades of the 20th century, designer Arthur J. Sanford produced much of tableware for Heisey, a lot of it in the Colonial style, although some of its most memorable pieces came later during the Depression.
Also from Ohio was Fostoria, which was established in 1887 and was known for its almost sculptural patterns such as Bedford, Frisco, and Heavy Drape. Some of its earliest products, though, were kerosene lamps.
By the 1890s, the industry was ready for consolidation. That occurred in earnest in 1891, when the United States Glass Company was created out of the merger of 18 glass factories. These included some of the biggest names in the business, including Adams & Company and Bryce Brothers of Pittsburgh; Columbia Glass and Bellaire Goblet of Findlay, Ohio; and Hobbs Glass and Central Glass of Wheeling, West Virginia. One company that did not join the group was Northwood, which, in 1902, moved into the factory that had been vacated by Hobbs.
After World War I, pattern-glass manufacturers struggled as the real thing from Waterford and Baccarat, among other European manufacturers, became relatively inexpensive and plentiful in the United States. But when the Great Depression hit, Americans once again turned to pattern glass made by companies that today are associated with Depression glass, including Anchor Hocking, Cambridge, Jeannette, Imperial, Hazel-Atlas, Indiana Glass Company, and Macbeth-Evans.


No Blog special this week, but check back.....


Last Saturday we held our semi-annual Ask Our Experts.  We had a great turnout and everybody had a great time.  Below are a few photos that I took with my phone.  Sorry this is all I could get, my battery died!

The above photo is of an antique music stand, an old piece of pottery, and an antique potty chair!

The photo above is the Gentleman's wife sitting on the potty chair while awaiting it's appraisal.

The photo above is showing Eli Burick (standing) and Joe Mixon (seated) as they give appraisals.


Thank you to all of the volunteers for giving up your Saturday to make this event a success.  They are:
Donna Eke,  Rod Young, Camille Ohausen, Jim Hammons, Robert George, Louis Whitaker, Joe Mixon, Brian Walker, Nita Mixon, Eli Burick, and Nadine Morella.  And a special thanks to H.B.  and Manny for getting our tables set up, and for all of the others who helped in organizing this event!


Check back next week and remember .................


OUT WITH THE NEW AND IN WITH THE OLD BUY ANTIQUES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT'S IT WORTH IS HERE JUST IN TIME FOR FATHERS DAY!!!!!!

ASK OUR EXPERTS.  This semi-annual event is taking place this Saturday June 16, 2012 from 11:00 a.m.until 3:00 p.m.  Make sure you stop by and bring your items.  Flyers are posted through-out the Antique Mall, or ask a cashier for a flyer! Below is the updated pricing!

Cost is $5.00 per item. (SEE BELOW)  No limit on # of items!

1st Item is $5.00 Items 2 & 3 are $4.00 each 4th and over items $3.00 each!

MAKE SURE TO TELL YOUR FRIENDS!!!!

The A.G.C.A.P. Dealer of the Month for the Month of June is Brian Walker.  Brian has been a member of the Antique gallery of Houston for over 7 years.  Brian specializes in Glassware as well as some furniture.  He has a very extensive collection of various types of glassware including Carnival Glass.  Make sure to stop by his Booths located on Aisle 3 North Booth E-16 and Aisle 4 North Booth G- 5 & G-6.  Below is a photo of a beautiful carved etargere that anyone would be proud to own.

This Sunday, June 17, 2012 is Fathers Day.  Does your Dad have everything and you can't think of what to get him? The Antique Gallery of Houston has ton's of things for Dad.  We have sports memorabilia, military items, taxidermy, old tools, old toys, you name it we more than likely have it, so come by and get something for the Dad who has everything!

Here is an interesting article on Taxidermy.

Thanks to Collectors Weekly for this article!

Taxidermy evolved out of the tanning trade, whose practitioners preserved the skins of animals for use as clothing and blankets. In the early part of the 19th century, some of the first so-called trophy animals were crudely stuffed with scraps of fabric by upholsterers. Later in the Victorian Era, the art of taxidermy as we know it today evolved, pioneered by, among others, Carl Akeley, who worked at the Milwaukee Public Museum, the Field Museum in Chicago, and the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

Although Akeley was one of the leading innovators of taxidermy, excelling in the realistic mounting of mammals, later in his life he would reject the practice of bagging animals such as gorillas just so they could decorate a museum diorama, let alone a hunter's study. By the end of his life, Akeley had devoted himself to protecting these creatures—Africa's first national park was established in 1925 in no small part due his efforts.

Today, collectors of taxidermy have a range of animals and pieces to choose from. Gameheads are perhaps the most well known form of taxidermy. These include zebras, kudu, and other African animals whose heads are attached to pedestals that are designed to hang on a wall.

In the United States, the practice of mounting deer heads is very common, especially if it's a buck with a full rack of antlers. Complete animals known as full mounts tend to be of smaller species such as bobcats and fox, as well as skunks and raccoons.

Mounted fish is another popular taxidermy type. Birds from peacocks to pheasants to roosters mount well, too, as do quail and falcons.

To honor Dad, the BLOG SPECIAL of the week would make a perfect addition to any "Man Cave".  

From Thursday, June 14, 2012 until 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday June 20, 2012 you can purchase this beautiful taxidermied  Bobcat for 20% off of the green tag price.  You cannot combine this discount with any other discount the dealer may be offering.  Item is located on Aisle 1 South Booth J-10.  You must use this code word to receive the discount  "MAN CAVE".

Hope to see everyone at our Ask Our Experts Event and we all hope you have a safe and Happy Fathers Day.

Remember..........Out with the new and in with the old buy antiques!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Carnival Glass

Thanks to Collectors Weekly for this article!

Carnival glass, or inexpensively made glassware treated to have an iridescent sheen, has captivated collectors for years. Its eye-catching multicolor shimmer, often resembling oil on water, seems to change colors when viewed at different angles. Over the years, it's been dubbed "Taffeta," "Cinderella," and "Poor Man's Tiffany," as it gave the average housewife the ability to adorn her home with fancy vases and decorative bowls.
In 1907, Fenton Glass Company of Williamston, West Virginia, produced the first carnival glass, a style it referred to as "iridescent ware." Fenton called its first line Iridill and labeled it "Venetian Art." The idea was to mass-produce a beautiful product that could compete with the expensive, iridescent art glass made by Tiffany and Steuben.
This new kind of glass did not catch on in the way brothers Frank and John Fenton had hoped, but other manufacturers followed in Fenton's footsteps, employing the same iridization techniques, also called doping. The process involved spraying a pressed glass piece with metallic salts when it was hot from the mold and then re-firing it. Even though carnival glass was made in molds, it was often hand-finished by artisans—those piece are more sought-after today.
In 1908, Harry Northwood's glass company introduced its own iridescent ware called "Golden Iris," which was known for its marigold color. Dugan and Imperialglass companies soon jumped on the bandwagon. Millersburg only produced carnival glass for two years, but today its version is considered some of the finest.
Since iridescent ware was so cheaply made, most consumers didn't see it as quality glass and refused to pay top dollar for it. As its value plummeted, iridescent ware was soon being given away as prizes a carnivals, where midway winners could go home with shimmering vases, pitchers, goblets, tureens, or candy bowls.
This new market for carnival glass was a boon for Fenton, which produced iridescent ware in 150 patterns up until the late 1920s. Carnival glass was sold for mere pennies at five-and-dimes, and it could be bought in lots at minimal cost. For this reason, it was also given away as promotions at movie theaters and in grocery stories. For example, Imperial struck lucrative deals with companies like Woolsworth's and Quaker Oats.
In total, there are around 2,000 different patterns of carnival glass. Fenton's earliest patterns included Waterlily and Cattails, Vintage, Butterfly and Berries, Peacock Tail, Ribbon Tie, Wreath of Roses, Thistle, and Diamond and Rib. Among Northwood's first iridized glass patterns were Waterlily and Cattails, Cherry and Cable, and Valentine, but Grape and Cable was their most popular. Millersburg collectors look for Hobstar and Feather, Blackberry Wreath, and Rays and Ribbons.
Dugan started out making carnival glass with molds they already had—vase patterns like Target and Wide Rib, Quill, Honeycomb, Jeweled Heart, Vineyard, and Pulled Loop—but soon they made patterns specifically for iridescent ware, like Farmyard, Christmas Compote, Heavy Iris, and Roundup.
With so much competition, glass companies distinguished themselves by developing their own unique carnival treatments. In most pieces of carnival glass, the main color of the piece was usually named for the base color before the glass was treated. Northwood’s marigold, which featured an orangish treatment on a clear base, was an exception to this rule. Northwood also developed distinctive carnival colors in amethyst, cobalt blue, and green, as well as in pastels, ice blue and ice green, and white.
Dugan, meanwhile, figured out how to create yet another brand of orange. The company began with a basic marigold spray, but it applied the color to glass made with bone ash, creating a peach opalescent color. Millersberg excelled in a particularly bright and shiny form of iridescent glass it called radium. Imperial made its mark with its purple and helios colors—the latter being a silvery treatment on greenish glass—as well as smoke, which was a gray treatment applied to clear glass. And Fenton was known for its vivid red, especially in the early '20s.
One early version of carnival glass known as Vaseline or uranium glass was produced by spraying uranium salts on a piece. This was obviously well before manufacturers, let alone consumers, knew about the dangers of radioactivity. These pieces can be identified today by their green luminescence in UV light.
Cambridge, U.S. Glass, Westmoreland, Fostoria, Jenkins, McKee, and Higbee also produced their own versions of carnival glass, and it was manufactured all over the globe, in places like England, Scandinavia, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Australia, Argentina, and Mexico.
By 1925, carnival glass started to fall out of favor with Americans, and many U.S. glass companies quit producing it during the Great Depression. European glass makers continued to produce it until the 1940s. Sometime after World War II, this once-dismissed iridescent ware was dubbed carnival glass, and it became collectible.
Later in the 20th century, glass companies began to produce iridescent glass again, although these second-generation pieces do not interest collectors. The most sought-after carnival glass pieces are from the heyday of carnival glass, which was 1907-1930. Thus, collectors should be wary of these reproductions, which mimic the original carnival glass patterns and colors.

The A.G.C.A.P. Dealer of the Month for the Month of June is Brian Walker.  Brian has been a member of the Antique gallery of Houston for over 7 years.  Brian specializes in Glassware as well as some furniture.  He has a very extensive collection of various types of glassware including Carnival Glass.  Make sure to stop by his Booths located on Aisle 3 North Booth E-16 and Aisle 4 North Booth G- 5 & G-6.  Below is a photo of one of his booth's!

Now for the ASK OUR EXPERTS.  This semi-annual event is taking place on Saturday June 16, 2012 from 11:00 a.m.until 3:00 p.m.  Make sure you stop by and bring your items.  Flyers are posted through-out the Antique Mall, or ask a cashier for a flyer! Below is the updated pricing!

Cost is $5.00 per item. (SEE BELOW)  No limit on # of items!

1st Item is $5.00 Items 2 & 3 are $4.00 each 4th and over items $3.00 each!

The BLOG SPECIAL OF THE WEEK IS BACK!!!!!! This week from Thursday June 07, 2012 until 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday June 13, 2012 if you buy an Antique Gallery Cookbook, you get one FREE!.  Just use the code YUMMY.  There are tons of great recipes in this book.  Get yours while they last, and save one to give as a great gift!

Remember OUT WITH THE NEW AND IN WITH THE OLD BUY ANTIQUES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Milk Glass

Hope you all had a safe and happy Memorial Day Holiday!  Here is an article on Milk Glass.

Milk Glass

Thanks to Collectors Weekly for this article!
Milk glass has been around since the 16th century, but the term itself was coined in the 20th century to describe the opaque white plates, goblets, serving items, and decorative objects that became popular in the late 1880s.
France was the first place milk glass came into vogue, and 19th-century French milk glass is highly collectible today. By the early 1900s, milk glass was a symbol of the style and taste of American households enjoying the fruits of the Gilded Age. These privileged individuals filled their homes with milk glass produced by 19th-century U.S. glass manufacturers, including New England Glass Company, Bryce Brothers, Gillinder & Sons, and Atterbury & Company.
Milk glass plates are one of the most popular collectibles from this era. One particularly rare plate featured the face of George Washington and had a border of thirteen stars. Other plates sported relief portraits of Christopher Columbus at their centers, and in 1908, plates were produced to help spur the presidential campaigns of William Jennings Bryan and William Howard Taft.
Regardless of the imagery at its heart, whether it was relief flowers or painted birds, the borders of milk glass plates were often pressed or molded to resemble latticework or pinwheels. Some edges were scalloped, others were beaded like frosting on the rim of a wedding cake, and a few were even smooth and round, with undecorated centers to go with these uncharacteristically understated edges.
Platters were a step up from plates—unlik edinnerware, which demanded a certain minimum level of functionality, platters could go all-out when it came to decorative effects. The relief on a rare Lincoln platter from the late 1800s is so great that it must have been used exclusively as a commemorative object. At the other end of the utility spectrum were waffle platters, whose gridded surfaces resembled those of the popular breakfast item they were designed to carry. Somewhere in between was the retriever platter, which depicted a three-dimensional dog head breaking through cattails at the bottom of the platter.
For objects such as serving dishes, milk glass was often pressed so that its surface had a diamond-cut pattern—collectors refer to these as Sawtooth pieces. Atterbury was especially well known for its covered Sawtooth dishes in the shapes of ducks, fish, and other animals. In fact, Atterbury made so much milk glass that the company’s Pittsburgh factory was often referred to as the White House.
In a class by themselves are the covered serving dishes, whose tops resembled roosters, chickens, hens, and swans, as well as lions and other less domestic beasts. Sometimes people were honored by having a bust of themselves cap a casserole dish, although the ones made for Thomas Dewey failed to elect him president. More successful were the Atterbury cats from the 1880s, which had real glass eyes.
Jugs and pitchers were another favorite form for milk glass. Geometric and basket-weave reliefs graced the outsides of these handsome objects, and Hobnail patterns were very popular on everything from flower vases to syrup jars.
During the Depression and into the 1940s and ’50s, milk glass lost some of its luster as a symbol of domestic status. Respected glass companies such as Akro Agate, Westmoreland, Fenton, and Fostoriamade milk glass, but the style seemed a throwback to an earlier, fustier age.
Akro Agate made powder jars, whose lids were in the shapes of Colonial-era women wearing billowy dresses. Fostoria made a pink version of milk glass, while Westmoreland made things like covered dishes whose tops and bottoms formed a kneeling camel. It was all very charming but seemed out of step with the evolving styles of the day.
Despite this, some companies actually made a name for themselves with milk glass. In particular, Fenton’s line of Hobnail milk glass—from fan-shaped vases to toothpick holders to candlesticks—became the company’s flagship pattern in the 1950s. Indeed, the company’s prodigious output and success with Hobnail milk glass contributed to a resurgence of interest in this retro form during the early 1960s.

The A.G.C.A.P. Dealer of the Month for May is Patsy Bienvenu.  Patsy specializes in Jewelry, Collectibles, and some furniture.  Her booth is located on Aisle 1 North Booth B-7.  Make sure you stop by and look at all she has to offer.  She has some unique items!  See the photo below of some teacups. 

Now for the ASK OUR EXPERTS.  This semi-annual event is taking place on Saturday June 16, 2012 from 11:00 a.m.until 3:00 p.m.  Make sure you stop by and bring your items.  Flyers are posted through-out the Antique Mall, or ask a cashier for a flyer! Below is the updated pricing!

Cost is $5.00 per item. (SEE BELOW)  No limit on # of items!

1st Item is $5.00 Items 2 & 3 are $4.00 each 4th and over items $3.00 each!

The BLOG SPECIAL OF THE WEEK IS BACK!!!!!! This week from Thursday May 31, 2012 until 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday June 06, 2012 if you buy an Antique Gallery Cookbook, you get one FREE!.  Just use the code YUM YUM.

Remember OUT WITH THE NEW AND IN WITH THE OLD BUY ANTIQUES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MEMORIAL DAY SALE THIS WEEKEND!!!!!!!

The Antique Gallery of Houston is having a GIANT Memorial Day Weekend Sale.  There will be lots of great deals to be had this weekend Friday-Monday May 25-28,2012.  Look for the sale sign in each dealers booths with discounts ranging from 10% to 75% off of green tagged items.  Hope to see you there.

Now for the ASK OUR EXPERTS.  This semi-annual event is taking place on Saturday June 16, 2012 from 11:00 a.m.until 3:00 p.m.  Make sure you stop by and bring your items.  Flyers are posted through-out the Antique Mall, or ask a cashier for a flyer! Below is the updated pricing!

Cost is $5.00 per item. (SEE BELOW)  No limit on # of items!

1st Item is $5.00 Items 2 & 3 are $4.00 each 4th and over items $3.00 each!

The A.G.C.A.P. Dealer of the Month for May is Patsy Bienvenu.  Patsy specializes in Jewelry, Collectibles, and some furniture.  Her booth is located on Aisle 1 North Booth B-7.  Make sure you stop by and look at all she has to offer.  She has some unique items!  See the photo below 

Due to the huge sale there will be no Blog Special this week.

Hope you and your family have a Safe & Happy Memorial Day Weekend and remember..........

OUT WITH THE NEW AND IN WITH THE OLD BUY ANTIQUES

The A.G.C.A.P. Dealer of the Month & Costume Jewelry

The A.G.C.A.P. Dealer of the Month for May is Patsy Bienvenu.  Patsy specializes in Jewelry, Collectibles, and some furniture.  Her booth is located on Aisle 1 North Booth B-7.  Make sure you stop by and look at all she has to offer.  She has some unique items!  See the photo below

Just look at that gorgeous jewelry she has.  Be sure to stop by and look!

ASK OUR EXPERTS

You asked for it and now it is back! ASK OUR EXPERTS Appraisal Fair will be held Saturday June 16, 2012 from 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.  Cost per verbal appraisal will be $5.00 per item with NO LIMIT on the number of items you bring!  Keep checking back for more info! 

Costume Jewelry  (Thanks to Collectors Weekly for this article)

The term “costume jewelry” was coined in the1920s, but jewelry and ornamentation made out of non-precious materials have been worn since ancient times. While it is sometimes labeled as “junk,” “fake,” or "fashion" jewelry, costume jewelry often incorporates workmanship and materials on par with, or better than, fine jewelry.

The 20th century brought about a sea change in how jewelry was perceived and used. Before then, women adorned themselves with jewelry made of precious and semi-precious stones and metals as a means of flaunting the wealth of their husbands. Therefore, jewelry was mostly worn by the rich to convey their standing in society, although it could also symbolize one's religious affiliation, the state of a romance, or a period of mourning.

But early in the 20th century, thanks to new materials and industrialization, fashion designers started to experiment with jewelry as an expression of style and creativity, using non-precious materials so that pieces could be bigger and bolder, in line with the Art Deco style and flapper fashions that were emerging. Because these pieces were made of inexpensive materials and not meant to be keepsakes or heirlooms, they could be more trendy and outrageous, tossed out or replaced when a particular look went out of fashion.

In a way, the roots of this movement can be traced to the 17th and 18th centuries, when Europe’s collective lust for precious gemstones, in particular diamonds, prompted many jewelers to look for more affordable substitutes in glass. In 1724, a young jeweler named Georges Frédéric Strass developed a special leaded glass known as paste that could be cut and polished with metal powder so that it seemed to twinkle like a diamond in candlelight. Before long, his “diamante” creations were all the rage in Parisian society.

Under the influence of Queen Victoria and her tragic romance, 19th-century women took to wearing jewelry made with non-precious materials such as paste, mirrored-back glass, human hair, and black jet for specific, sentimental reasons such as romance or mourning. Then, by 1892, Austrian jeweler Daniel Swarovski developed his coveted fine crystalrhinestones, made with high-lead-content glass and a permanent foil backing. This allowed his rhinestones to effectively imitate the facets and luster of any gemstone, from diamonds and rubies to sapphires and emeralds.

Still, the concept of costume jewelry, per se, wasn’t introduced until the late 1920s, when Coco Chanellaunched a line of bold “statement” accessories. Made to look like large flowers or frogs, these pieces were meant to be worn like art rather than as indicators of wealth. Her jewelry was wildly different from anything that had come before—it was a tremendous hit. Riding the same wave of inspiration, Elsa Schiaparelli created a line of jewelry with large fake stones on bold bracelets whose designs were inspired by the Dada art movement.

Much of this new fad-oriented jewelry was made out of a new hard plastic material called Bakelite, a plastic resin invented by Leo Baekeland in 1907. Bakelite could be produced in bright colors, which were given fun names like Apple Juice, Butterscotch, and Salmon. Wildly popular in the 1930s and ’40s, Bakelite was hard enough to be carved and polished into all sorts of intriguing shapes for beads andbangles.

The trend for big, angular, and chunky bangles started with the late ’20s flappers, who would pile them up their slender and scandalously bare arms. Initially made of ivory, the bangles trend, which lasted well into the ’60s, soon became dominated by new vibrantly colored plastics like Bakelite and Lucite.

Even more abstract jewelry emerged from the ’30s and ’40s art movements, too. Influenced by Bauhaus, Futurism, Cubism, and Abstract Expressionism, as well as new industrialization and Rosie the Riveter, designers produced heavy, armor-like cocktail jewelry using chrome, gilt metal, or large stones imitating the rhythm and movement of an assembly line. Some of these pieces were even meant to resemble ball bearings, screw-heads, nuts, and bolts.

At the same time, other top costume jewelers likeEisenberg, Trifari, and Hobe kept things dainty and delicate, making impressive imitations of fine jewelry like Cartier diamonds as well as their own stunning bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and brooches.

Stoking the interest in costume jewelry was the emergence of Hollywood as a fashion trendsetter. In particular, movie-set jewelry like Eugene Joseff’s creations for “Gone With the Wind,” “The Wizard of Oz,” and “Casablanca,” which could pass as opulent gems, were highly influential. Even Greta Garbo,Marilyn Monroe, and Joan Crawford made public appearances wearing stunning rhinestone necklaces, while First Lady Mamie Eisenhower donned costume jewelry for her husband’s inaugural ball in 1953.

Starting in the late ’40s, high-end Parisian designers like Christian Dior took to costume jewelery, too. Dior was an early champion of Swarovski’s aurora borealis rhinestones, which were introduced in 1955 with an extra dimension of shimmering thanks to a chemical salt treatment that iridized the glass.

Alfred Philippe, trained as a fine jeweler at Van Cleef & Arpels, was one of the top innovators in costume jewelry during his stint as Trifari’s chief designer between 1930 and 1968. He brought his invisible-setting technique to smoothed non-precious stones known as cabochons, often incorporated into the hugely popular Trifari Crown pins.

Philippe also launched Trifari’s menagerie brooches known as Jelly Belly—each animal, whether it was a seal, poodle, duckling, or rooster featured a Lucite plastic belly smoothed into a pearl-like shape, set in sterling silver or gold plate. These pins, imitated byCoro and others, are highly collectible today, as are Trifari’s brooches—often exact copies of Cartier fine jewelry—fashioned into floral arrangements, miniature fruits, and American flags.

Around the same time, Miriam Haskell made intricate hand-crafted floral jewelry that was the toast of the Manhattan socialite scene and adored by Hollywood stars like Crawford and Lucille Ball. Her high-quality pieces incorporated gilt filigree, faux pearls, Swarovski crystal beads, Murano blown-glass beads, and rose montées, which were precut crystals mounted onto a silver setting with a hole or channel in the back. Eisenberg & Sons were also noted for their high-quality costume jewelry, particularly their replicas of 18th century fine jewels and the figural rhinestone pieces set in sterling silver.

Even fine jeweler Emanuel Ciner transitioned to costume jewelry in the 1930s, making the finest hand-crafted pieces possible. Ciner used Swarovski crystals and plated the metal that held the sparklers in places with 18-carat gold. Interlocking crystal squares were a hallmark of Ciner costume jewelry, as were tiny turquoise seed pearls, as well as Japanese faux pearls made of glass coated multiple times with a special glaze.

During World War II, the rationing of metal forced many costume jewelers such as Trifari to use sterling silver in their pieces, forcing their prices up. When the war ended, Trifari wished to return to inexpensive metals so it promoted its new products by dubbing them Trifanium, which was simply a basic metal that could be given a no-polish rhodium plating.

In the conservative ’50s, a time when matching sweater sets were considered proper, women wanted their jewelry to match, too, so costume jewelry was produced in “parures,” with matching earrings,brooches, necklaces, and sometimes bracelets. These jewelry sets are technically “demi-parures,” as they are too small to be considered a full suite of jewelry.

The ’50s and ’60s also saw a revival in the sentimental Victorian Era charm bracelet, a trend popularized by Jacqueline Kennedy and Elizabeth Taylor. Naturally, costume jewelers got in on the charm-making business, as young girls and women would add charms and lockets to their bracelets to signify meaningful moments in their lives.

As it turns out, given the craftsmanship and artistry put into costume jewelry, most people these days don’t consider it “junk” at all, as vintage costume jewelry, even pieces first brushed off as cheap plastic, is highly treasured by collectors.

No Blog Special this week, but keep checking back for amazing deals and remember.....


OUT WITH THE NEW AND IN WITH THE OLD BUY ANTIQUES!

Depression Glass

Thanks to Collectors Weekly for this great article on Depression Glass.

During the 1920s, 19th-century pattern-glassmanufacturers such as McKee,  Heisey, and Fostoria struggled as the real thing from Waterford and Baccarat, among other European manufacturers, became relatively inexpensive and plentiful in the United States. But when the Great Depression hit, Americans once again turned to pattern glass, which we know today as Depression glass, for entertaining and everyday use.

One of the biggest names in Depression glass was Hocking, which became Anchor Hocking in 1937. During the 1930s, Hocking was able to produce 90 pieces of glassware per minute, which meant it could sell a pair of Depression glass tumblers for only a nickel.

Contemporary collectors look for Depression-era Hocking in rare color-pattern combinations, or for limited-run pieces. For example, Hocking’s Cameo pattern was quiet common when it came to dinnerware, but a Cameo sandwich server in green or a covered butter dish in yellow is considered a prize. Similarly, Hocking made a lot of cups and saucers in Mayfair, but finding a footed console bowl in pink is difficult.

Hazel-Atlas was known for a subtle, ring pattern called Moderntone, which was mostly produced in cobalt and amethyst but can also be found in pink. Indiana Glass made bowls, plates, and tumblers in crystal and amber, but rare blue pieces occasionally turn up. Jeannette was known for its iridescent Floragold and translucent Floral patterns, the rarest of which are the footed, Floral compotes in pink or green.

Finally, before it became a part of Corning in 1936, Macbeth-Evans made a lot of Dogwood tableware in pink (“Wild Rose”) and green (“Apple Blossom”). Pink pitchers in the American Sweetheart style are especially sought-after.

ASK OUR EXPERTS

You asked for it and now it is back! ASK OUR EXPERTS Appraisal Fair will be held Saturday June 16, 2012 from 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.  Cost per verbal appraisal will be $5.00 per item with NO LIMIT on the number of items you bring!  Keep checking back for more info! 

The A.G.C.A.P. Dealer of the Month for May is Patsy Bienvenu.  Patsy specializes in Jewelry, Collectibles, and some furniture.  Her booth is located on Aisle 1 North Booth B-7.  Make sure you stop by and look at all she has to offer.  She has some unique items!  See the photo below

Now for the weekly Blog Special. This would make a great gift for Mom! When you mention this code word "Mother" you are entitled to 1 (one) free Antique gallery Cook Book when you purchase 1 (one).  This Blog Special is good from Thursday May 03, 2012 until 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 13, 2012.  This is our way of saying THANKS to all of our loyal customers!

Check Back Next Week and Remember.......

OUT WITH THE NEW AND IN WITH THE OLD.............BUY ANTIQUES!!!!!!!!!!!!!