Minutes
July 11, 2015
What do you get when you combine a large glass show and a study club meeting? Lots of fun and some new pieces of Heisey glass! The Great Plains Heisey Club met in Kansas City and coordinated our meeting with the National Depression Glass Convention and Show where Jean Will was a dealer and Bucky Will displayed a beautiful table of Heisey Flamingo pieces with Empress etching.
President John Mock called our meeting to order at 1 pm on Saturday July 11. The minutes of our previous meeting were approved. Treasurer Tom Files gave the treasurer’s report and informed our members that we donated $3,000 to HCA during the July Convention -- $1,500 to the operating fund and $1,500 to the endowment fund.
John Fields, the National Depression Glass Convention chairman, stopped by to welcome us to Kansas City and to thank us for our involvement with their event. Tom and Kathy Files set up the HCA information table with examples of Heisey glass along with brochures promoting our organization and encouraging membership. (It worked – we signed up 5 new HCA members). Our shining moment was when a man stopped by and told us he had toured most glass museums in the U.S. When asked which one was his favorite, he said Heisey’s was the best. We’re partial but comments like that gives us fuel to keep it at the top of the list.
Eric Tankesley-Clarke presented a seminar twice for attendees of the Convention. He used an extensive array of Heisey pieces to illustrate the historical timeline of Heisey’s production years. Our club was visible thanks to Eric, Jean and Bucky, and the Files’ and our 15 members present provided a nice boost to their show sales.
We were proud of Glen Gall being the repeat winner of first prize for his table display at the June Convention. Four of our members created excellent display tables providing their interpretation of “Gifts of Heisey”.
Our 50/50 auction and sale of Jean’s jams and jellies helped replenish our treasury. Even though our meeting was a bit abbreviated, Show and Tell items were plentiful: Empress 14 inch platter with Sportsman etching, Victorian 3 part divided relish, Lodestar Star candleblock/Dawn, #363 goblet 8 oz./Sahara, Empress cruet/Sahara with cutting, #1591 Elephant baby cup, #339 Continental table cream and sugar, Puritan ashtray with elaborate cutting, #6092 Cabochon sherbet with Sultana base, #5012 Urn cigarette holder with extensive cutting, to name most.
The refreshments for our meeting were provided by Bob and Bev Heise and Bucky Will. Thank you for the delicious bakery items and beverages. (Leftovers were a hit at Eric’s first seminar).
The next meeting of our club was set for September 26 in Omaha, NE at the home of Marcie and Eric Bergquist. More details to follow.
The meeting was adjourned so we could attend Eric’s first seminar that also doubled as our program. So much good information was presented – thank you, Eric, our club is always appreciative and proud of the Heisey knowledge you share.