On the weekend of October 1-2, 2004, our members gathered in Waco for the fall meeting, featuring guest speaker Colin Mahoney and the McClanahan family as guest dealers. The arrival of an early autumn cool front seemed to invigorate the atmosphere, although it unfortunately caused our friends, the McClanahans, to drive through rain again in west Texas on their way from their home in California! It seems it never rains in west Texas until the McClanahans pass through.
The weekend began with the usual Friday afternoon social gathering in President Jayne Gilbert’s room at the Extended Stay America hotel. Many members had not seen each other since our June meeting, and there was a lot of catching up to do with old friends, and to get to know our guest speaker, Colin Mahoney.
Dinner that Friday evening had been planned at the Summer Palace Chinese Cafe, where about 35 members gathered in a private room. They featured a sumptuous buffet with over 90 selections of every imaginable oriental delight.
On Saturday morning, one of our wonderful members prepared breakfast for members staying in the hotel, surprising us with a very enjoyable choice of scrambled eggs, oatmeal, a selection of dry cereals, muffins, toast and orange juice or coffee.
The meeting on Saturday was in the Julian Pace Education Building of the Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center. The room was well appointed and comfortably suited our group. The McClanahan family was set up at 9AM with an outstanding selection of paperweights for our pleasure. We have always stressed the best way to enjoy, or select a paperweight to buy, is to be able to hold it in your hand first for a close examination and to appreciate the fine detail of the weight—and then to listen for it to “talk to you”. That way there are no surprises. There must have been some major conversations, because many paperweights were bought!
The meeting was well attended by 40 members and 11 guests from the local area. The business meeting was called to order by President Jayne Gilbert at 10AM, and committee reports were given. Jayne discussed the proposed bus trip to the PCA convention in Appleton, WI, and the nearby Bergstrom-Mahler Museum in Neenah.
Amy Day, Registrar at the George Bush Presidential Library, discussed a program she is offering for Private Collection Management to help collectors develop, maintain, and store records documenting their collections. She stressed the importance of collectors having good records in case of disasters or for the ultimate disposal of a collection.
Tim Novak discussed the Friends of Forsyth Weekend on October 29 - 30, 2004, and also an Italian trip planned for 2005.
After a lunch break, the meeting resumed at 1PM with the ever-popular drawing for door prizes, which put us in the mood for the afternoon speakers' program.
Featured guest speaker Colin Mahoney opened with a fascinating talk on pioneer paperweight artist Paul Ysart. Colin is the author of a book on Ysart that will be published in 2005. He discussed the history of Ysart, and showed crisp and clear PowerPoint images of his work. The advantages of modern technology were obvious to all with the visual advantages available with the digital techniques. Colin grouped the types of weights Ysart made in his nearly 50-year career, and discussed details of many weights in each group. He estimated that Ysart made between 70,000-80,000 paperweights in his career.
Gary McClanahan then spoke about milestones of the Perthshire factory in their 33-year history. Again, digital PowerPoint images were spectacular for their brilliance and clarity. Gary’s talk pointed out the remarkable consistency of innovative designs and quality craftsmanship that Perthshire maintained through the years. Gary estimated the factory made close to one million paperweights in their 33-year history.
That evening, we gathered at Waco’s legendary Uncle Dan’s Rib House for dinner, where we enjoyed each other’s company and were able to review the many things we had learned that day, and to find out what paperweights each other had bought.
To top off a perfect weekend, an open house was hosted by a member couple on Sunday morning for our members to see their remarkable “collections of collections”. These collections must be seen to be appreciated. Their paperweights, for instance, include fine collections of many sub-categories! And then there were their other collections of paintings and drawings, and then their pottery, etc., etc. It was remarkable! A delicious brunch was also served which prepared us for the long drive home after such an enjoyable weekend.
We must recognize, and give special thanks to the member couple for all their work in preparing for and hosting the weekend. They scouted out and helped select the fine meeting and dining facilities for our members to enjoy. It takes local help like they provided to conduct a successful weekend! Our special thanks and appreciation go to them for all their work to help make this an outstanding weekend.
The weekend of June 11-12 was a good time for Texas paperweight collectors to gather at College Station. But then, when isn’t a good time for Texas paperweight collectors to gather? It is said that if you get two Texas paperweight collectors together, they will have a good time!
On Friday afternoon, we began gathering at the Quality Suites hotel for socializing and catching up on what new gems each other had acquired. About 35 members and guests met for an early dinner at the nearby Rockfish Grill, who outdid themselves to accommodate us. After dinner, a local member family hosted the group for a delightful open house with desserts. Our special thanks and gratitude are due them for this very generous event.
The record for distance traveled by members to attend a PCA TX meeting, just set at our previous meeting by Iain Moore of Basildown, Essex, England, was eclipsed by new members Karen and Carl Morrison, who traveled all the way from their home in Hawaii to attend. The Morrisons were warmly received into our family of friends. We appreciate and applaud their efforts to join us.
On Saturday morning, the guest dealers (Larry and Betty Schwab, of the Paperweight Shoppe in Bloomington, IN) were fully set up at 9AM with an outstanding display of paperweights when the doors opened to the meeting room in the Memorial Student Center of Texas A&M University. The Schwabs are longtime PCA TX members and newsletter advertisers. They provided our members and guests with an excellent opportunity to see and hold a fine selection of paperweights. Many paperweights were taken to good homes where they will be loved, nourished and appreciated.
The meeting room was very comfortable and well suited for our purpose. A good turnout of 39 members and guests were present. The business meeting was brief, but well organized and interesting subjects were discussed, including the possibility of a chartered bus to transport our members to the PCA convention in Neenah, WI in May, 2005. The idea was well received by the members and will be pursued. Also proposed was the possibility of publishing a PCA TX cookbook as a fundraiser. After discussions and announcements, the meeting was adjourned for paperweight shopping and lunch.
Lunch was served in the Forsyth Center Galleries among their outstanding displays of fine glass and paintings. It was on opportunity for our members and guests to re-acquaint themselves with their world-class collections.
After lunch and the drawings for a fine selection of door prizes, the speakers' program began. Betty Schwab first spoke on how they got into the paperweight business. She began a small paperweight collection in 1960, and then was given the famous July, 1965 Woman’s Day magazine article on paperweights. That caused her to realize that paperweights had a history, and were more than just pretty pieces of glass. They attended their first PCA convention in 1985 held at Springfield, IL, and became dealers shortly afterwards. She also showed some interesting Victorian glass spheres she collects, with images attached to the inside.
The primary guest speaker, Ken Rosenfeld, gave an interesting talk about his career and showed slides of his work. Rosenfeld was the maker of the PCA TX chapter bluebonnet paperweight. He was introduced by the sponsoring dealer, Larry Schwab, who said that Ken’s work was nearly always “perfect,” and that he was to be commended as one of the few artists who produced simple, but very well crafted miniatures that were priced to attract newer or younger members. After getting a Master of Fine Arts degree, his first job was in Santa Monica at Correia Studios, blowing glass. He showed pictures of the Tiffany/Steuben style glass vases that he made during his lunch break there. Ken went on to show pictures of the Portland, OR area where he lives, including his home and studio. The pictures of the inside of his studio were particularly interesting, as he discussed the various equipment and its purpose. The audience was well entertained, time passed quickly, and it seemed his talk was finished too soon!
President Jayne Gilbert announced the meeting was adjourned, but the members and guests continued to mill around, visiting, buying paperweights, and generally enjoying themselves and each other, until finally the final farewells were made, and everyone departed for their scattered homes.
We owe our thanks and appreciation to the Forsyth Center Gallery for hosting this meeting and for providing such an attractive and functional meeting facility.
A near record attendance of 62 members and guests for our annual meeting on March 6, 2004 made it a huge success. We were delighted to see several couples who had not attended past meetings for too long, due to ill health. It is good to have them back and in good health again. We were also delighted to have several new members attend for the first time. A surprise visitor was Iain Moore, a PCA TX member living in England, who came all that way just to attend. We are humbled by, and appreciate his efforts.
As customary, many gathered on Friday evening at the Hampton Inn (Galleria) for an informal meal and socializing. An excellent turnout of between 40-45 gathered in the back of the spacious hotel lobby and 15 pizzas for the group were ordered. Joyce Elder provided snacks and cookies, the Switzers donated wine, and Freda Sonnie surprised us with a huge scrumptious salad. It was a great opportunity for socializing and getting to know our guest speakers and dealers (Rick Ayotte, his wife Clara, his daughter Melissa, and Larry and Marti Selman). Many of our members have commented on how much they enjoy these informal social events.
On Saturday morning the meeting doors opened at 9:00 for paperweight sales, and an enthusiastic group hurried to the sales table to see what delights were brought by the Selmans and Ayottes. In the business meeting, the election of new officers was unanimous, and the incoming officers were installed by Founding Member Carl Carter. Outgoing president Art Elder gave tokens of appreciation from the organization to the other outgoing officers and key committee members. The new president, Jayne Gilbert, gave Art a paperweight heart for a remembrance, and a fantastic memory book she had prepared with the help of many members and friends. Art was deeply touched by the very thoughtful and creative contents.
Marti Selman led off the speaker’s program with an interesting status report of the Jokelson Memorial Scholarship fund being administered by the International Paperweight Society Foundation. They have already raised $25,000, and have a goal of $50,000 to establish enough capital to fund an endowed scholarship for paperweight artists. Members may recall that PCA TX donated $500 to the fund in January 2003 and would have preferred to donate more, but was faced with large expenses for the biennial PCA Convention that year. It was suggested that PCA TX donate another $500 to the fund now, which was promptly approved.
Larry Selman spoke on issues regarding the declining membership in paperweight collectors’ organizations, and suggested that members consider attending the Glass Artists Society (GAS) conferences to show our interest. He also spoke about the upcoming Wheaton Village weekend (May 14-16, 2004), and mentioned that for the first time, it will not be a “paperweight weekend”, but will include other glass and other dealers. Larry concluded that he believes paperweight collecting is alive and well, but is need of new and fresh ideas.
Our primary guest artists, Rick and Melissa Ayotte, gave very interesting talks about their experiences making paperweights. Rick spoke about the development and changing techniques he has used in creating the Toucan parrot paperweights. He also spoke about techniques of making other birds for his paperweights, and in particular the problems he has encountered with color boundaries, and making the birds appear realistic. Melissa spoke about “the pallet”, and her use of color to build on her father’s experience. She spoke about the variability of colors in nature and the intense efforts that are required to get them right in glass. Rick and Melissa’s talks used a PowerPoint format for slides, which provided breathtaking images with astounding brilliance and crispness. Clara Ayotte ended up the program with a few words on the values and passion she has observed that are required for working with glass.
An open house on Saturday evening at the home of one of our local members provided our members and guests a gorgeous view of the clear Houston skyline with a rising full moon. They also enjoyed her outstanding collection of paperweights and other artwork, and well as a generous buffet.
To close the weekend, another PCA TX member couple hosted an open house on a glorious Sunday morning, which allowed members to see her paintings and needlepoint, and his stained glass artwork, with snacks of cookies and cakes. It gave members a chance to bid farewell before returning to their homes from a great weekend full of friends, fellowship, and paperweights.
On the weekend of October 11, 2003 our members and guests gathered in Austin at the airport La Quinta hotel for a glorious weekend full of paperweights. Unfortunately, the weather was heavily overcast and raining, but it did not cast any clouds over the enthusiasm of our members greeting old friends and making new ones.
The weekend began on Friday afternoon (October 10th) with an informal gathering in the hotel room of two of our members, where wine and soft drinks were served along with chips and dips. All members and new members are welcome to the Friday afternoon gathering, so don’t wait for an invitation - ask around to find where the party is, and you are welcome to join in the fun! About 25 members and guests decided to not challenge the famous Austin Friday rush-hour traffic, and chose to eat at the adjoining new Denny’s for dinner. It was a good choice, as the wait staff did a good job seating our group together, and serving us in an orderly fashion. After dinner, we returned to the spacious hotel lobby for more visiting.
The La Quinta hotel was an excellent choice for our meeting site. It was new, very comfortable, the meeting room was good, and the staff was accommodating. Thanks to Austin member Bob White for selecting the hotel and negotiating the terms.
We were delighted to have as unexpected guests, Alex Vance, Director of the Bergstrom Mahler Museum, and Jamie Severstad, Curator. Alex brought an outstanding selection of patriotic weights from the Berstrom collection for us to see. We were also delighted that they later chose to become members.
The meeting doors opened at 9AM on Saturday with a glorious spectacle of over 300 paperweights exhibited by guest dealer Gary McClanahan. Forty-five members and guests enjoyed shopping and looking at the great selection that Gary had brought. A short business meeting included announcements of upcoming paperweight events.
A surprise was in store when dealer Gary McClanahan hosted lunch for the group by paying for box lunches to be brought in. Thank you Gary for your generosity. Following lunch, the drawing for door prizes was held, with very generous donations of several paperweights, books, glass trinkets etc.
The speaker’s program featured our guest William Gaskill, President of PCA Inc., a very dynamic speaker, discussing one of his favorite subjects “Patriotic Paperweights”. He used a very effective PowerPoint presentation to illustrate and document the history and development of these commemorative weights. Gary McClanahan, always a captivating speaker, highlighted trends in paperweight collecting, with his program on the state of the paperweight market and the changing fashions of collectors. Murano weights joined common weights and mid-range antique weights on the lukewarm list, while Rick Ayotte, Peter McDougal, John Deacons and Mayuel Ward were among those whose weights were considered hot market items. Marge McClanahan gave a fascinating talk on the miniature world of micro-mosaics. Her talk featured the mostly Italian pieces of jewelry made of extremely fine glass fragments formed in designs or to make very detailed pictures, portraits, or landscapes. Her talk was illustrated by excellent slides showing the extreme detail of the delightful pieces.
At the close of the meeting, the drawing for the Jim Brown paperweight raffle was held with Layne Sedate being the lucky winner.
That evening, an open house was held by two of our members who excelled in providing a delightful environment for us to enjoy their extensive collection, and an outstanding selection of desserts, snacks and wines. The event provided an excellent opportunity for our members to discuss the intricacies and identification of the hosts' collections.
On Sunday afternoon, another local member hosted an open house at her ranch in Chappell Hill. It drew members from the Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin and Corpus Christi areas.
The weekend was full of fun, food, learning, and fellowship with other collectors. It also provided an opportunity for our collectors to add some exceptional pieces to their collections.
The festivities began on the night before when 32 early arrivals met Friday evening for dinner at the Café Eccell, followed by an open house at the College Station “Beach House” of two members.
Art Elder called the meeting to order on Saturday morning with 45 members and guests attending. Cheers and applause were given to recognize recent achievements – to Al Bates for his accomplishments as Past President of PCA, to the Texas Volunteers for their work at the convention, to Texas A&M for cooperation and help in The Stars of Texas exhibit and book, and to Carl Carter for writing the very valuable document, "History of PCA TX".
Zoë and Lowell Switzer spearheaded the raffle of the Jim Brown paperweight and members were generous in purchasing raffle tickets. The drawing will be held at the October meeting and you have all summer to buy more tickets.
Lowell also gave an illustrated presentation on “Ya Gotta Have Hearts”. He researched the paperweight artists and the use of hearts in cut glass and paperweights. Thanks, Lowell, for a heartwarming presentation.
Tim Novak spoke on “The Stars of Texas” exhibit from a museum director’s viewpoint. The exhibit is displayed in the room where we met and special shelves were crafted to show the weights at their best angle. The exhibit is a great drawing card and will be viewed by an estimated 15,000 people before it closes in November.
Amy Day, Registrar of Bush Presidential Library, entertained us by speaking about her work experiences. She had cataloged the Texas Bluebonnet paperweight that was given by a member to President Bush in 1990. Her visual presentation of the museum and some of the displays gave us a behind the scenes view of her work.
Another highlight of the meeting was “Show and Tell” time. A large table held all the weights purchased by PCA TX members. A video camera projected their image onto the large screen as members told of their prized newest possessions. On display were 60 weights purchased at the convention by 15 members/couples. Drew Ebelhare’s new style attracted many buyers, as did Jim Brown’s work. Perthshires were also a favorite, as were Ysart, St. Louis, Ayotte, Banford and Byers. Each member’s selection was a great reflection of his or her favorites.
As members munched on more great cookies, we viewed the purchases, heard about the ones we didn’t buy (yet!) and planned for the meeting in Austin in October. See you there.
What’s better than attending a convention focusing on a subject you love and accompanying like-minded folks who hold the same fascination with that subject? Yes, there is something better! It’s attending that convention with your son and sharing the experience. That’s exactly what Sonny and I did at the PCA Convention in San Antonio, and we can verify that it was a blast. Even the weather cooperated.
First came the Artist’s Fair on Wednesday evening. We went from booth to booth greeting each artist and checking out each latest creation. To be able to talk directly to these artists about their work not only provided an added dimension to our understanding of these delightful orbs; it also gave us some insight into what direction they are taking in the future. For example, watch for Drew Ebelhare to move from his close-packed concentric canes to a more dispersed distribution of his gorgeous flower canes following a skillfully designed pattern. Visiting with these paperweight makers not only gave us added insight into their work, it also increased our appreciation for their creativity and artistry.
After a short break the dealers’ fair opened. Ah, the wonder of it all! The forbidden fruit of the Garden of Eden could not have been more tempting. The weights were not just speaking to us; they were shouting our names. Who could resist? Not us. Each booth had its own special attraction. Any resolve we might have had to limit our purchases to our budget soon wilted.
In the real world, father takes care of son; son defers to Dad. Not here. Sonny momentarily put down a weight he had been studying at Gary McClanahan’s booth to check on another when Dad immediately picked it up and announced to Marge that he was purchasing it. Sonny’s protest fell on deaf ears. Next time, however, Sonny carefully guarded those over which he deliberated. It wasn’t going to happen again. And it didn’t.
Thursday and Friday Sonny and I took advantage of every session scheduled that we could fit in. There was a wealth of information available that ranged from that directed at the beginning novice collector to that which challenged even the most knowledgeable. Though Sonny and I no longer count ourselves as rank amateurs, at times it seemed so. It was refreshing to see that even long time pros seemed frustrated at identifying weights in the ID clinic.
As always, there was much information gleaned informally by buttonholing other members and learning from them. Ah! There is so much to learn. Will we ever master it? No! But part of the delight of the convention is the learning from others. Somehow it is so much more satisfying than gleaning it from formal reading of the literature.
And the food! Once again the “Cookie Brigade” came through with a never-ending supply of goodies in the Hospitality Suite. Sonny and I noshed sparingly there, however, to save room for the hotel fare, the cafes along the River walk, and the area restaurants. The price to pay for such indulgence would come later, but in the meantime, we surrendered to temptation.
Saturday afternoon, another son, Layne, joined us to see the magnificent weights for sale when the convention opened to the general public. True to Sedate fashion, he caved in and purchased a paperweight of his very own. His selection was an inexpensive millefiori, but beautifully crafted. It was a simple beginning, but isn’t that how most of us began this fascinating obsession? Perhaps that seed will grow.
A little free time late Saturday afternoon gave us the opportunity to check out HEB’s Central Market, a must for me in San Antonio. I selected a couple of bottles of Raspberry Chipolte Sauce for my wife, Jayne, and a six-pound block of German Tilsiter Cheese for me. I am well fixed for the next several months. To even up the score with my wife, I then drove a little further up Broadway to purchase a couple of miniatures—her particular obsession. Perhaps with that peace offering, I might be able to cushion the blow when Jayne would see my selections from the Dealers’ Fair. I had told Jayne earlier that I would restrict myself to one or two paperweights this time. She knew better, and she was right. I had caved in.
Sonny was somewhat more circumspect, but he, too, succumbed to temptation by purchasing a few of Peter McDougal’s latest creations. He also took a bold new step by commissioning a weight for Bob Banford to construct—a yellow cross of leaves. Since Sonny was in no particular hurry to get the weight, Bob promised to put it on his list. Now here would be something very special that would commemorate this convention.
The convention’s tribute to Paul Jokelson and Ray Banford was also moving. From earlier conventions, I had met and was impressed by Paul Jokelson’s prodigious knowledge of paperweights and his down-to-earth gentility. Neither of us had met Ray Banford, but I treasure one of his weights in my collection.
The formal part of the convention concluded with the banquet Saturday night. Again sumptuous food, scintillating company and a commemorative Gillinder weight made this a must-not-miss occasion. But the best was still to come. The table by the speaker’s stand was laden with door prizes. Topping the list was an antique Clichy paperweight for which umpteen raffle tickets had been sold. And wouldn’t you know it? Sonny’s name was drawn. Hearing his name, he jumped up, exclaiming, “That’s me!” Talk about luck. It was his very first antique --and what a beauty. Sonny had to drive back to Houston immediately after the convention, but on that trip home he was brimming with excitement over his latest acquisition. I’m sure it occupies a special spot in his display cabinet.
And I? I basked long afterward in the warm glow of attending another PCA convention and the opportunity to share it with my oldest son. And then with my youngest, Layne joining us there…perhaps, just perhaps, this really could become a family affair. Ah, yes!
Several members were heard to say “we had one of our best meetings on March 1, in Houston with Debbie Tarsitano as speaker”. That is a pretty strong statement when considering our many past fine speakers, but in this case, the “one of the best” phrase is certainly accurate. Our special thanks go to Debbie for coming to Houston to help make it so.
The weekend event began with the social gathering on Friday afternoon in the lobby of the Hampton Inn, (Galleria) and the popular pizza party that evening.
About 40 members were present, and it was a great opportunity to informally get to know Debbie and her husband Martin Stankard. We managed to consume 10 large Domino’s pizzas, including several jugs of wine and sodas. Our thanks to Lowell & Zoë Switzer for coordinating this event.
The meeting on Saturday morning began with Debbie showing about 30 pieces of her newest work, and it was a great opportunity for members to hold and closely examine these fine examples of encased flamework. She also had newly published boxes of note cards for sale, which included outstanding close-up images of her work. Some happy collectors took new treasures home with them!
The morning also included our mandatory “annual meeting” and the election of officers. Existing officers were re-elected for another term, and the budget for 2003 was approved. Attending were 47 members and five guests, for a total audience of 52 - a good turnout. Once the business was out of the way, we were enthralled by Debbie’s talk and slide show. Debbie spoke about the place paperweights take in the much larger world of art
glass, and her opinion that art glass collectors were simply not aware of the fine techniques used by contemporary paperweight artists. She has taken the initiative to become an ambassador to promote the art of the paperweight to this larger audience of The Glass Art Society. As a result of her communications, other glass artists are now using paperweight-encased flamework applications in their independent work. For additional information on this subject, please see the outstanding article written by Debbie on the Recent Activities of Interest section of our web site. Debbie also described the artistic composition of these pieces, including her new sculptural objects.
The slides Debbie used were newly prepared and this was the first time they had been shown. Many of the slides were prepared using digital techniques, which allowed truly outstanding close-ups of exceptional clarity and brilliance.
The Saturday ended with a wonderful open house at the nearby home of one of our members, where members enjoyed a tasty buffet, and a chance to admire her eclectic outstanding collections of decorative arts, including, of course, paperweights and other glass art.
On Sunday morning another member couple hosted an open house to give members a last chance to visit and talk paperweights before returning to their homes. Sunday afternoon was also a chance for Debbie and Martin’s first visit to the Forsyth Center Galleries at Texas A&M University, where they were impressed by the many outstanding collections, particularly the 19th Century English cameo glass and French cameo glass. The Smith paperweights were also admired, and Debbie enjoyed seeing her “Outstretched Hand of Liberty” series again, which have been on loan there for four years. Student workers in the Galleries told Debbie that her work is one of the most popular exhibits, - quite a compliment!
An enthusiastic group of paperweight collectors gathered at the Clarion Hotel for our Fall meeting in Austin the weekend of October 12th. On Friday evening, about 30 of us gathered in the lobby for the usual no host dinner at the Marco Polo restaurant which was conveniently located in the hotel. After dinner, we congregated in the lobby for renewing friendships and getting to know our guests.
On Saturday morning, the doors of the meeting room opened at 9 AM for paperweight sales by guest dealer Nancy Alfano of Portia Paperweights in Chicago. She brought a good selection of antique and contemporary weights to tempt us, including a number of examples by guest artist Jim Brown.
A total of 48 members and guests were present at the meeting. A special (and unexpected) guest was Alex Vance, Director of the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum in Neenah, WI. Alex was kind enough to speak on short notice about the history, mission, and programs of the Bergstrom as the leading paperweight museum in the world.
Nancy Alfano gave an interesting talk about her interest in antique miniature paperweights, and her introduction to them by the well-known collector of antique miniatures, Franklin Schuell. Nancy has become an authority on them, and said that most of the classic period French and Bohemian factories made miniatures in most designs, with exceptions being Pantin snakes and lizards. She is not aware of any antique English miniatures. She said they are considered rare and there are not many collectors who have specialized in them. Little published research information is available on antique miniatures. Collectors must be careful to recognize miniatures that may have been a damaged full-size antique weight that was reduced in size to remove the damage.
The featured guest speaker was Jim Brown, a new paperweight artist who spoke about his previous careers in the Navy, and later in civil engineering. He spoke about his profound respect for the artists who created the antique paperweights and his goal to surpass their talents. He also showed a very interesting series of slides about the school near his home in Tennessee where he studies glass blowing, and pictures of him in the process of making a millefiori paperweight. Jim generously donated one of his millefiori paperweights to PCA TX. It was decided to hold an impromptu raffle with tickets at $5 each. Bob White was the lucky winner, and happily said this was the first raffle he had ever won! Thanks to Marion Bates for conducting the raffle, which brought in $295 to the organization.
An open house was held on Saturday evening at the home of two members, where 36 members and guests admired the hosts' collection, and enjoyed a selection of desserts. On Sunday morning, another good turn out of members gathered at the home of two other members for a delicious brunch and a chance to bid farewell before departing for their homes.
It was very good to see so many friends, especially those who have missed several past meetings because of illness. Thanks to all that attended, and helped make the gathering a success.
San Antonio was the host city for our PCA TX summer meeting on the weekend of June 15, 2002. The Omni Hotel was the place. The festivities began when we gathered in the hotel lobby at 5:30 for the usual no host dinner at a nearby restaurant. About 22 of us walked across the street to Wahooz Cajun Café, where a room had been set up for our party. Our weekend guests (Marti and Larry Selman and Randy Grubb) just arrived from the airport in time to join us. After dinner, we gathered in the hotel lobby for visiting and "catching up".
On Saturday morning, the doors of the meeting room opened at 9 AM for paperweight sales. A total of 44 members and guests were present for the program.
In the business meeting, the PCA TX activities at the PCA Inc. 2003 convention in San Antonio were discussed. In particular, the funding for a catalogue to accompany the "Stars of Texas" paperweight exhibit was discussed in detail. It was announced that Larry Selman's Paperweight Press had agreed to publish the catalogue, with assistance from the Forsyth Center Galleries and PCA TX who will provide the pictures of the paperweights and text. The membership voted a contribution of up to $4000 to support the cost of photography and a buy back of enough catalogues (at cost) to present to each couple or individual registrant of the convention as a memento of the exhibit.
The much touted luncheon at noon was a disappointment for many of our members who felt the buffet of cold cuts and salads, with dessert and coffee, was overpriced for what was received. This will certainly be considered when planning future events.
After lunch, our guest dealer, Larry Selman spoke from his experience about what's hot, and what's not. He described current trends of paperweight sales as an indicator of changing tastes among collectors.
"It just happens, just like magic!!" That's what artist and guest speaker Randy Grubb said about the properties of hot glass when he is encasing a very difficult piece. Randy was speaking about the properties of hot glass to flow around a set-up and fill the void space to displace the air and leave a bubble-free paperweight or piece of art glass. He makes it sound so simple! But he did preface the statement with "when everything is right". There is usually a catch to everything! He also shared his fervent purist view of how paperweights should be constructed, as well as a lively scenario of the fantastic custom car he is building around a 700 hp tank engine!
That evening, our members split into smaller groups for dinner and then were attracted to the very pleasant area around the hotel outdoor pool. It was a beautiful evening, and a good opportunity to get better acquainted.
Sunday morning was the time to bid each other farewell and begin our trips back to our homes, with fresh memories of a good paperweight weekend with old and new friends.
The recent meeting in Houston was enjoyable and informative. We met Friday night, February 22, 2002, at the Galleria area Hampton Inn for a get-together in their spacious hotel lobby to renew friendships and enjoy pizza. Zoë & Lowell Switzer provided the "befores", including great wine and snacks, and Joyce Elder brought the "afters", delicious cookies, which rounded out the pizza supper.
On Saturday morning, the meeting room opened early for viewing the 350 plus paperweights that Gary McClanahan, sponsoring dealer, brought to Houston. His was a tempting display and many weights exchanged hands. Popular among those purchased were the Perthshire weights, the last produced by the factory before they closed in January.
President Art Elder opened the meeting to a near record turnout of 59 members and guests. Our existing slate of officers was unanimously re-elected for another year, which extends from January 1 through December 31.
Tim Novak gave an update on current and upcoming events at the Forsyth Center Galleries at Texas A&M University. He said the acquisition of 300 plus fine paperweights from the Don & Ruth Smith collection has been finalized and they are an important addition to the permanent collection at the galleries. Tim mentioned a trip being planned for late November to Britain to help the Cambridge Paperweight Circle celebrate their 20th anniversary, as well as a bus tour to historic glass centers. Spaces are still available, so contact Tim if you are interested.
The "Show and Tell" segment of the meeting, always fun and interesting, included an unusual hot rod weight by Randy Grubb that Fran Van Winkle brought - a nice preview for Randy's visit at our June 15 meeting. The other weights that Jayne Gilbert, Carl Carter, Sunny Peer, Lowell Switzer, and Ida Luttrell brought had received our speaker's, Ed Poore, magic touch showing his excellent results in restoring abused paperweights.
An outstanding selection of door prizes was donated. Most impressive among them were a millefiori embedded plate from Ellen's of Old Town Spring, a millefiori decorated watch and glass pendant from Betty Hansen, three paperweights from the McClanahans, a paperweight from Ron Roberts, and a Tiffany style vase by Steve Lundberg. The drawing for door prizes is always a highlight, but the fine selection donated this time made it particularly so. The paperweights from the McClanahans were by A. F. Carpenter, and an interesting twist occurred when Gary's ticket was drawn for one of his paperweights. He accepted the paperweight he had donated on the condition that it would be auctioned as a fund raiser for the organization, and then he conducted the auction on the spot! The winning bid was $100, and a very generous contribution.
Thanks also to the McClanahans' generosity, we enjoyed a fine lunch of sandwiches and drinks they had delivered to the meeting room and were spared traveling about in Houston traffic to find a place to eat. Gary also discussed reasons for the demise of Perthshire Paperweights, which were the death of Neil Drysdale, the far-reaching impact of the Internet, and the strong exchange rate of the dollar against the British pound. He also contributed to the program by speaking on the marketplace in the world of paperweights. It was a fascinating and thought-provoking discussion of his views of economic conditions and realities that collectors, artists, and dealers will face.
Guest Speaker and new PCA TX member, Ed Poore, from Cape Cod, MA gave an entertaining and educational talk about the restoration techniques he uses to restore damaged paperweights and other glass. He had many fine slides to show examples of his work. It was amazing to see what could be done with "before and after" slides of his work. We were impressed by his skill, ingenuity, and the integrity and passion he brings to his work. We are grateful to Gary McClanahan for sponsoring Ed's visit to Houston. Members may recall that Ed had to cancel a visit with us two years ago. His talk was worth the wait, and we look forward to hearing him speak again sometime.
The weekend was capped off by a round of invitations to members' homes, and to the Illuminata Gallery, a new shop in Town & Country Village that features glass art. Some of former Texas artist Drew Ebelhare's weights were shown there. That evening, one member invited us to a buffet supper in her Galleria area condominium overlooking Memorial Park and downtown Houston. We all appreciated her warm hospitality and art objects, including, of course, paperweights. Her "Mystery Dessert" was a nice ending of the meal. On Sunday morning, another couple hosted an open house and light brunch. They enjoyed sharing with guests their interest in Libbey glass that they have collected over the past 30 years, and their more recent collection of paperweights. Particularly interesting were the six paperweights they recently bought at an auction in Indianapolis that were reported on in the last newsletter.
We missed the members who were unable to attend this very entertaining and enjoyable weekend, and hope to see those absent at the next meeting on June 15 at the Omni Hotel in San Antonio. After all, the more the merrier!
We are particularly grateful to the hosts of the weekend open houses for their hospitality and generosity. From members' comments, these are one of the most popular events of the weekends. We appreciate all members that attended, and also note that several members made an extraordinary personal effort to attend the meeting. It is very rewarding to know that such effort was made to attend.
In the meeting on Saturday, Jayne Gilbert was selected as the PCA TX member representative to plan and coordinate local events at the national PCA convention in San Antonio, May 2003. Jayne suggested that members could be visible and offer assistance at the registration desk, hospitality room, and meeting rooms. A brief discussion of members elicited ideas that will be considered. All members were asked to bring sample favors and additional ideas to the next meeting.
The meeting resumed after lunch break and door prizes were awarded, including three paperweights to lucky members. The afternoon program featured Steve Lundberg who gave a slide presentation on the development of his work and his collaboration with other artists. A "show and tell" table was set up for members to bring their Lundberg weights. Steve spent about 20 minutes discussing each weight and reminiscing about when and how he made it. Austin Presence brought a large display of weights for our selection, featuring Steve's latest work.
Two of our members hosted the Saturday evening dessert reception at their new home in Austin. Of note was a surprise birthday cake in the member's honor, decorated with a picture of their new house.
Sunday morning members were entertained at the home of two more members. A large group enjoyed the brunch. It was especially nice to meet the mother of one of our hosts. Of course, the usual lively discussion of their collections was the major topic of interest at both social occasions. We thank them all for opening their homes to our members
The weekend event began as usual on Friday afternoon as members began to gather at the MSC Guest Rooms at Texas A&M University, and a chance to visit and catch up on what each other had bought recently. For dinner, about 30 of us went to the nearby Café Eccell, where a private room had been set up for us. This was very generous of them on a Friday evening when we had no idea how many would show up for dinner. The wait staff and the food were excellent, and we thank Café Eccell for their cooperation.
On Saturday morning, we gathered in the Forsyth Center Galleries for the meeting, which was well attended with 42 members and guests. Artist Drew Ebelhare showed his latest paperweights and dealer Ron Roberts showed his selection of paperweights. Jim Kimberling, and his wife Jackie were new to our meetings, and showed their line of museum quality acrylic display stands and risers, which were very well received. The Kimberlings became new members, and we look forward to having them as regulars for our future meetings.
The D.C. Smith Collection of Paperweights (previously loaned to the Galleries) was displayed beautifully for our members to enjoy. It was difficult getting the members away from the display of 350 fine antique and modern paperweights when it was time to begin the meeting. An added bonus display was the beautiful cameo vase by Barry Sautner that had been donated to the Forsyth Center Galleries by Ruth Smith.
Jayne Gilbert described the events of the PCA Convention in Corning for the members who did not attend. PCA TX was very well represented at the convention with 22 of our members in attendance. Art Elder then described his good memories of some of the events on the recent Friends of Forsyth trip to Paris that included 22 glass collectors, mostly from Texas, but including some from California, Florida, and New Jersey. As a result of the trip, PCA TX gained two new members!
A very successful section of the meeting was the "show and tell" session, where members showed what they had bought at the convention, or the Paris trip, and described why they bought them. This was enhanced by the use of video projection onto a screen, so all the members could have a close up view of each treasured item as it was being discussed. This technique proved so successful that we will consider using it in future meetings.
The speaker program featured our own experts discussing their specialty. Ron Roberts began with a program titled "Paperweight Buttons and their Big Brothers", in which he discussed the development and manufacture of paperweight buttons, and how their history tracked the larger desk-size weights. The video enhanced projection system allowed the audience to see many of the details of the tiny buttons as Ron was describing them.
Ron was followed by James Hale, who discussed "Commemorative Paperweights", which included any weight made to commemorate an event or person. He took us through their history from the early 1800's through the advertising style weights of the early 1900's to the re-birth of the sulfide form in the 1950's.
Lowell Switzer completed the program with his talk, titled "Butterflies Ain't Free" showing many slides of butterflies used in the decoration of different types of decorative glass. Lowell's broad knowledge of many types of glass enhanced his program, and he showed that butterflies have been a favorite form of decoration in cameo glass, cut glass, and paperweights.
A silent auction was also held of members' paperweights with 32 items submitted by eight members. Bidding was not enthusiastic and only five items sold, bringing $39.70 to PCA TX as buyer's premiums. Thanks to the members who brought items for the auction and thanks also to the members who bid on them. We remember that it takes both a seller AND at least two bidders to have an auction.
After the meeting, most of our members and guests started their trip home, but a group of 17 gathered at the nearby Messina Hof Winery and Resort for wine tasting of some fine Texas made wines and dinner in their restaurant. The dinner that evening was well presented and served. Following dinner, we bid our farewells, until the next time, and marked the end of a very enjoyable weekend filled with friends and paperweights.
Saturday morning, 56 members were present when President Art Elder called the meeting to order and introduced guests; Bill Gaskill, from San Jose, CA and editor of the Southern California chapter newsletter, (Bill was working in Dallas and flew in for the weekend with us) and Jayne Gilbert's aunt, Mildred Wynes from Albia, Iowa. The honored guest was Roger Jacobsen from Sandwich, MA, our invited dealer and speaker for the meeting. Roger is also a charter member and long-time supporter of PCA TX. Secretary Ida Luttrell presented the minutes of the previous meeting in Austin in October. Treasurer Barbara Dokell presented the financial reports. She reported that 115 members are on the current roster and that we are financially sound.
The most important business of the day was the incorporation of the association. Attorney Patrick Mahoney guided us through the correct procedure of changing from an Association to a Corporation. Members approved the present officers as the Board of Directors of the new Corporation. In appreciation for Mr. Mahoney's work on our behalf, Art presented him with a Perthshire paperweight and a paperweight reference book, "The Art of the Paperweight".
Al Bates, President of PCA, gave an update on plans for the National Convention at Corning in May. Many collectors from Texas will be attending. Al and the board have worked diligently all year to assure the convention will be a big success.
Appreciation was given to Jack Jordan for his continued efforts in maintaining the outstanding PCA TX website.
Social events scheduled this weekend were announced. One kind member hosted the Saturday evening reception and and another hosted the Sunday brunch. We appreciate their hospitality, and the beauty of their collections. Members were thanked for bringing homemade cookies for our meeting and others volunteered for the October meeting.
Sales of paperweights were brisk during the lunch break. Roger Jacobsen brought an outstanding selection of paperweights, including many antique American weights, his specialty.
Roger Jacobsen spoke on American Antique Paperweights. Illustrated with slides, he told of the history, people, factories and types of weights produced in New England. He told about Union Glass, Mt. Washington, Gillender, Millville and Pairpoint. The New England Glass Company was run by Deming Jarvis in 1817 and closed in 1888. It was moved to Toledo, Ohio and became Libbey. The first American dated paperweight was a 3-inch pressed glass weight by Abbott and Amos Lawrence and sent to the Crystal Palace in London in 1851. American artists were Thomas Hopkins, Frank Pierce, William Lake (who had 7 sons), William Gillender who came from England in 1854, George Dale from Scotland and Nicholas Lutz from France. Thanks, Roger, for the wealth of information on American antique paperweights. You made our meeting complete.
Most paperweight images courtesy L. H. Selman
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