Behrens glassware has been manufactured at the Freiherr von Poschinger factory for over 100 years. The glasses were part of the tableware presented by Peter Behrens at the exhibition in ‘Glaspalast’ in Munich in 1899. Image courtesy of Bavarian Kunst Ventures Inc. ‘Poschinger Stemware.’ While glass has been made for centuries, around the globe and by thousands of makers, only a few can still tout being in business today. Surviving different economies, changing consumer tastes, and the rising costs of materials and payroll can’t be easy. Those that were able to overcome these hurdles have also in some instances had to rethink formulas used over the years in order to become eco-friendly.
A few very recognizable glass companies are leading the way in using recycled materials, or recycling their own glassware.
In the United States, there is the Fenton Art Glass Co. Founded in Ohio in 1905, the glassmaker moved to its current residence in West Virginia in 1907. When Rivanna Natural Designs tapped Fenton Art Glass to create art glass awards for them, but by using recycled products, they jumped at the opportunity. They located a local source for recycled bottle glass and a new start-up was formed.
In Italy, the Murano Glass Co. began designing glass as early as 1291. The tradition of blowing glass has been handed down for many generations. Many of the designs being produced today are inspired by the artisans working there over 100 years ago. They are known for making affordable treasures for tourists to take home as mementoes of their trip to Italy, but some of their artists’ wares can command several thousand dollars. Today, Murano does not dispose of their broken or irregular glass, but keeps the glass to be recycled for use another day.
Finally, in the Black Forest of Bavaria is Poschingera, a well-regarded glass company. Poschinger has been in operation since 1568, and is still owned and operated by the same family. Poschinger Glass produces utilitarian products along with decorative items and has recently started selling in the United States. The company uses 40 percent to 45 percent recycled cullet in the glass melt.
Not only do these companies have the “green” theme in common, but also their products can be found in numerous museums around the world.
To learn more about these eco-friendly products, visit their websites:
Fenton Art Glass: www.fentonartglass.com Poschinger Glass: www.bavariankunst.com Murano: www.muranoglass.com
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Behrens glassware has been manufactured at the Freiherr von Poschinger factory for over 100 years. The glasses were part of the tableware presented by Peter Behrens at the exhibition in ‘Glaspalast’ in Munich in 1899. Image courtesy of Bavarian Kunst Ventures Inc. ‘Poschinger Stemware.’
Bidding is expected to reach $30,000-$50,000 on this signed indenture by Queen Elizabeth I, dated 1563. OAKLAND, Calif. – On Sunday, Feb. 6, in conjunction with their two-day fine art, antiques and estate sale, Clars Auction Gallery will be offering an extremely rare and historic document from the “Golden Age of England – the Reign of Queen Elizabeth I.”
Coming to the market with an estimate of $30,000-$50,000 will be a framed indenture from Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603) dated 1563 with the Royal Great Seal. The indenture states the terms of a loan Queen Elizabeth I is taking out through her financier Sir Thomas Gresham (1519-1579). The indenture is signed on the reverse by the Privy Council, Robert Dudley (1532-1588), Lord Keeper of the Great Seal Sir William Cecil (1520-1598), Sir Nicholas Bacon (1510-1579), William Howard of Effingham (1510-1573), and Sir Francis Knollys (1514-1596).
It was in 1563, the same year as this signed indenture, that Elizabeth I moved the Royal Court to Windsor Castle to avoid the bubonic plague.
Clars is extremely honored to be able to represent this piece on behalf of a major San Francisco Area estate and anticipates brisk international bidding on this historic document.
Clars upcoming February Fine Estates sale will be held Saturday, Feb. 5, at 9:30 a.m. Pacific and Sunday, Feb. 6, at 10 a.m. Previews will be Friday, Feb. 4, from 1-6 p.m. and 9 a.m. each auction day and by special appointment. A full catalog will be available online at www.clars.com prior to the sale.
To register to bid and more information, call Clars Auction Gallery at (888) 339-7600, or email: info@clars.com. Clars Auction Gallery is located at 5644 Telegraph Ave., Oakland, CA 94609.
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Bidding is expected to reach $30,000-$50,000 on this signed indenture by Queen Elizabeth I, dated 1563.
Mexican Revolutionary Gen. Pancho Villa also drove a 1919 Dodge Brothers automobile, much like the one featured in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life.’ Photo copyright 2002 Jacob Rus, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. GREELEY, Colo. (AP) – George Bailey was driving the old black car the last time you saw it. He was drunk and crashed into the big tree on the outskirts of Bedford Falls, and then he ran to the bridge, where he was going to jump off and end it all.
That’s how the story began.
One of the most popular Christmas movies, It’s a Wonderful Life has been televised every year since 1970. The movie, starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed, was made in 1946.
And on Christmas Eve, the old car that crashed into the tree arrived in Johnstown. Keith and Marilyn Smith bought the old 1919 Dodge that was featured in the movie, and they’re adding it to their collection of classic cars.
The fender of the Dodge, which was dented in the movie, has been fixed. As part of his hobby/retirement job, Keith Smith repainted the old car in the early 1990s, and this month, the couple bought it from a California car collector. It was delivered to their home west of Johnstown on Friday afternoon.
According to Smith, the movie wasn’t that popular when it was made, but because of a copyright problem, it was released again without restrictions in 1974.
“Every television network grabbed it and started showing it,” Smith said. “That’s why it became so popular.”
Republic Pictures restored its copyright claim to the film in 1993, with exclusive video rights to it. Currently, it can be shown only on NBC, and its distribution rights belong to Paramount Pictures.
To prove they have the right car, the Smiths have the original title to the car, which lists the matching motor number in 1946. In that case, the owner is listed as “20th Century Fox,” the studio that made the film.
Before selling it to the Smiths, the California collector had owned it for 38 years. It has been in a few car shows, and it once appeared on The Lawrence Welk Show on TV.
Keith Smith is a retired financial planner, and the couple now does “woodgraining” for cars as a second occupation and hobby.
Woodgraining is used in many older cars, and involves painting metal to match the original wood in the older, luxury cars. Marilyn is the artist and designs the wood grain, which Keith etches into the metal. They’d done some woodgraining for the collector in California, and that’s when they learned about the Wonderful Life car.
The Smiths wouldn’t say how much the car cost them, but Keith said they could have bought some nice income property for the same price.
But owning the classic movie car is important to the couple, who live in a restored 1909 farmhouse west of Johnstown, Colo. Their car collection includes a 1928 Nash, a ’48 Lincoln Continental and pickups made in 1953 and ’56, among others.
A car enthusiast, Keith does much of the restoration himself, something he has always loved. He did his first woodgraining of a dashboard when he was 16 years old, living in Greeley.
Besides owning the classic car from the classic movie, the couple made friends with one of a few stars of the movie who is still living. Carolyn Grimes, now 70, played Zuzu in the movie and spoke the famous line at the end:
Zuzu Bailey: “Look, daddy!” she says when a bell on the Christmas tree rings, “Teacher says, every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings.”
Her dad, George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart): “That’s right, that’s right. Attaboy, Clarence!”
Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
AP-WS-01-01-11 0300EST
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Mexican Revolutionary Gen. Pancho Villa also drove a 1919 Dodge Brothers automobile, much like the one featured in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life.’ Photo copyright 2002 Jacob Rus, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) – The white two-piece suit John Lennon wore on the cover of the Beatles’ Abbey Road album has been sold at auction in Connecticut for $46,000.
The suit and other Beatles memorabilia were sold Saturday at the Braswell Galleries’ annual New Year’s Day auction to an online bidder who wished to remain anonymous.
Owner Kathy Braswell told the Connecticut Post the holiday auction is their biggest event of the year.
The suit was custom made for Lennon by French designer Ted Lapidus.
Hank Gioiella of Darien, Conn., paid $5,500 for a rusted green 1972 Chrysler station wagon Lennon and Yoko Ono owned.
Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
