Ruby Lane's Past Times Newsletter for March 2006

IN THIS ISSUE:
o Tips for Newbie Glass Collectors by Sara Pepitone of
Vintage Veranda
o March Editor's Pick: Put Some Spring In Your Step!

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TIPS FOR NEWBIE GLASS COLLECTORS BY SARA PEPITONE
OF VINTAGE VERANDA

I have been a serious collector for 30+ years and have come to
enjoy a wide range of collectibles from glassware to jewelry.
At different periods during my collecting years I have
concentrated on dolls, jewelry, sheet music and other
collectibles, but my heart always returns to glassware.

My grandmother's Fenton Aqua Crest Epergne from the 1930's stole
my heart! As a child, I was hooked! Her home with its many
ruffled pieces of glassware was my Disneyworld. She would tell
me the history behind each piece and which pieces were her
favorites. Her descriptions and stories made the pieces all the
more intriguing and lovely. Every piece she picked up would be
"just the prettiest thing I have ever seen".

If you are new to collecting I would recommend that you find a
dealer or a friend or family member that is a collector and ask
lots of questions! There are wonderful publications on all kinds
of glassware and many wonderful websites that offer a wealth of
information. I especially like the publications by Gene & Kathy
Florence. There is a wonderful world of glassware to fuel the
interest of any prospective collector. Take a stroll through
local antique shops or flea markets and see the actual pieces.
Do this a lot before actually deciding on pieces.

When choosing vintage glassware, watch for flaws such as cracks,
chips or fleabites. Often fleabites can only be felt and not
seen. Run your hand over the piece of glassware to feel for
these. Also, check the shape and color to be sure it is true.
Holding the glassware up to light reveals a lot of things!
Check for maker's marks or signatures if you aren't sure of the
maker or designer. Always keep your boxes, stickers and hang
tags that comes with the piece of glassware. This is part of
the item's history and could increase its value in the future.

Keeping your glassware clean is very important. Build up of
dust or grease can sometimes discolor your piece, therefore
decreasing its value. I recommend cleaning at least every six
weeks with soap and water. You should clean your glassware with
warm water and a mild soap and dry thoroughly. That reminds me ~
it 's time to clean my favorite piece of glassware ~ that 1930's
Fenton Aqua Crest Epergne. "It's just the prettiest thing I
have ever seen"!

We invite you to visit Sara's shop: Vintage Veranda .

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MARCH EDITOR'S PICK: PUT SOME SPRING IN YOUR STEP!

Founded in 1856 to market musical instruments, the Wurlitzer
company soon became a distributor of popular inventions like
music boxes, that played tunes mechanically. Investing in the
newest thing a half century later, the coin operated, automatic
piano, Wurlitzer soon had their factory in North Tonawanda, New
York churning out a veritable hit parade of musical instruments,
many of which were automatic or coin operated. Until the Great
Depression, and movies with sound tracks, a huge Wurlitzer pipe
organ in the wings of a velvet draped mausoleum of a theater was
the 'bees knees' for creating a proper background of drama,
pathos or humor in the age of silent movies.

Going more than five million dollars in debt during the depths
of the Great Depression, Wurlitzer did just manage to hang on.
They acquired the rights to a record changing device called the
Multi-Selector and like the coin operated piano, it was to prove
to be another wise investment for the company. With the
Multi-Selector device installed in their newest music machine,
the jukebox, the company exited the Depression in fine shape.
In 1936, when most other manufacturers were still struggling to
stay in business, almost 50,000 jukeboxes were sold. Folks, it
seemed, would pay a nickle just to hear a song.

By the onset of the Rock & Roll era, listening and dancing to
jukebox music had become a mainstay. And part of America's
historical scene. The Wurlitzer Model 1015 jukebox, introduced
in 1946 and one of their most popular models, was commemorated
in 1995 on a US postage stamp, hailed as an American classic.

We guess you could call this a very, very early version of the
IPod with speakers.

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ABOUT RUBY LANE

We are one of the largest Internet sites for collectors, with an
active community of hundreds of shops from all over the world
offering antiques, fine art, arts & crafts, and collectibles.
Ruby Lane displays quality inventory in over 2,000 categories.
Visit us at www.rubylane.com

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