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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!