What happens when
innovation, beauty and rarity collide with a lack of business planning?
You get
Millersburg Glass.
More than one
century ago, John Fenton ventured into Holmes County with big dreams and even
bigger ideas with the creation of radium carnival glass, which would be unrivaled
in the market. He produced products unlike any other.
Two years after
his arrival and the creation of Millersburg Glass Co., he had made numerous
one-of-a-kind pieces of carnival glass. However, because of his lack of common
sense in the business world, he also had made plenty of people upset.
The community
around Millersburg was so irate they began using his glass for target
practice, and Millersburg Glass became a punchline.
More than a century later, Fenton’s carnival glass went from being a laughingstock to
becoming a glass industry gold star collectible.
The sheer beauty alone makes Millersburg Glass a collector's dream, but combined with the rarity of its pieces, it has become a high-end focal point for carnival glass collectors.Dave Mast
In celebration of
that, the annual Millersburg Glass Gathering and Auction will return to where
it all began in Holmes County, with the gathering taking place Aug. 29-30 at Comfort Inn Suites in Berlin.
This year’s
presentation will offer the collection of Carl and Eunice Booker, the Peacock
collection of South Carolina native Singleton Bailey and more as once again
Matthew Wroda Auctions rolls out the red carpet for this two-day carnival glass
extravaganza.
According to Steve
Maag, MGA president, “These are two really nice collections on consignment that
should offer interest to every type of collector.”
Maag said longtime
collector Carl Booker passed away recently, and the couple had been
piecing out their glass collection over the past months, even prior to Carl’s
passing, hoping to share the joy of glass with others.
“They’ve actually
done a series of auctions in selling their glass,” Maag said.
“And Singleton is a longtime collector who has consigned a lot of really nice
Peacock bowls, some of them very rare.”
Kicking off the
weekend will be the annual Millersburg Glass Association Gathering, a night
that will feature plenty of food, fun and shop talk about the collectibles.
The Aug. 29
meeting at Comfort Suites will include a meal, a white elephant auction of donated
pieces, a Ping-Pong ball tumbler toss and door prizes all evening. There will be
a welcome reception at 4 p.m., with dinner by Crazy Nate’s BBQ at 5 p.m.
At 6 p.m. there
will be a seminar presented by local collector Joe Edinger, who will take
everyone on a trip through history.
Edinger said it will be an illuminating evening celebrating one of Holmes County’s most
brilliant legacies — Millersburg Glass.
Edinger
will guide members through the story of how a small-town glassworks
company created pieces of national significance and beauty, exploring the
historical events that inspired the creation of Millersburg Glass, its impact
on local and national industries, and why Millersburg Glass continues to shine,
much like its iridescent pieces.
In
addition, Edinger will discuss how collecting and storytelling help preserve
the legacy of Millersburg’s past.
The following day
at 9:30 a.m., the annual auction will take place, with plenty of fine
Millersburg Glass hitting the auction block. However, as an added bonus this
year, it will feature an early bird auction of 70 uncatalogued pieces of Millersburg crystal, starting at 8:45
a.m.
Maag said the
weekend is the perfect time for members and collectors to unite, and it’s also a perfect time for anyone who wants
to learn more about Millersburg Glass and the glass-collecting hobby in general
to start a new hobby.
“Attending the
event live is always fun,” Maag said. “It’s fun to explore what’s there, and to
see it firsthand is really the only true way to truly appreciate and understand
what makes Millersburg Glass so special among collectors. It’s beautiful, it’s
rare and it’s among the finest carnival glass out there.”
He said for
beginners, this event is a wonderful introduction to collecting and a good
learning tool because people can ask questions and the MGA members are friendly and love talking about the glass.
Maag also said
it’s a good time to sign up to become an MGA member. With membership being $20 annually, the free meal from Crazy Nate’s BBQ pretty much covers the cost
of the membership.
Comfort Inn Suites
is located at 4810 Township Road 366 in Berlin.
