4. Stories for our 1000th+ newsletter !!!

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We try to post stories and comments from our readers each week. Send your
story to newsletter{at}tias.com and we'll publish it in an upcoming
newsletter.  Please share your story about what you collect and what got
you started collecting.  We *love* to hear your stories!  If you have a
story you'd like to share, tell us about it and if you have any photos,
we'd love to see them!  Send us an email to newsletter{at}tias.com so we can
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==

My husband and I collect all kind of items-whatever strikes our fancy.  A
few years ago, he and I went to a subdivision yard sale and at one of the
houses, I spotted a ceramic ashtray with a baby and a dog on it.  On the
bottom was marked Imperial Porcelain.  I did not know of Imperial
Porcelain, but thought this I should buy.  As I do not like to pay full
price, I asked if the $2 price was firm.  I bought it for a dollar.  I just
feel like bargaining over a price. While researching the item, found out it
was Paul Webb's collectibles.  Although there is not a book available about
this collection, we have managed to put together about 30 pieces.  I love
the collection of hillbilly items.  Still looking for more of the animals
and figurines.  Pat H of Louisiana
==

Collecting Carnival Glass

By Scott Beale

The subject of collecting carnival glass is a subject that I normally do
not write about.  However, back in the mid-1980s that is exactly what I
started out collecting in the glass category.  As a shaker collector,
perhaps that is why I have a special interest in old carnival glass
shakers.  I sold off my carnival glass collection many years ago but my
interest has been rekindled in the past couple of years.  I guess once you
collect carnival glass it never really leaves you.  In my travels looking
for shakers, should I see a nice piece of carnival glass, I do not hesitate
to buy it.  It finally got to the point where I realized that I had over
100 pieces!

I would like to mention the late Lamar Sharp and how he really was a mentor
to me in collecting carnival glass, many years ago.  The Sharps were
wonderful people and I'm indebted to them for teaching me so much.  I have
such great memories visiting their house that was filled with so many
beautiful examples of this great glass.  Lamar loved his glass so much, you
could just see it in him when he talked about it and one of his favorite
pieces was the Butterfly & Tulip bowl.  When Lamar passed away, his
wife Mary, had an image of this bowl carved into his gravestone.  One may
think that is kind of strange but in some ways it identified something that
was such a big part of his life.

For those who may not be familiar with carnival glass, it was first
introduced approx.  1907 and lasted into the 1920s when tastes began to
change.  However, carnival glass has lasted in various forms well into the
1960s and even the 1970s.  However, I'm concentrating on the early
production for my collecting interests.  Produced in the US as well as
other countries, carnival glass must possess two key components, it must
have a pattern and must be iridized.

In those early days, Lamar Sharp instilled in me that condition and color
are key.  It does not have to necessarily be a rare pattern or color, but
the very best example you can find.  As far as the glass itself, in
addition to the pattern and the iridescence, carnival glass comes in many
colors.  Color is identified by the base glass color in most cases and not
so much the iridescence.  But do not count iridescence out for color
identification!  It does play a role in color identification.  Examples of
that would be descriptions like "Electric Blue" or "Emerald
Green" to name just a couple.  But in most cases, identification would
come through the base glass color. There are a couple of colors produced on
clear glass where iridescence is what identifies the color.  That would be
Marigold and White, both very different colors but both beautiful in their
own ways.
[continued...]
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