All posts by Brian

What a find!

When I’m in Value Village, I always look through the display cases at the front, and in the kitchen areas. Often the people who work there don’t recognize a valuable item. This happened the other day. I bought a 50th anniversary tray, still in its original shrink wrap. The shrink wrap had split open in a couple of places, and there were some scratches where the tray had been exposed, but other than that, it is in mint condition.

The price of the item was $1.99, but I actually got it free because I had a coupon. Not bad!

Blue Hughes Corn Flower

I met a dealer at a show in Mapleview Mall in Burlington. I gave him my card and told him to contact me if he ever got a piece of blue. Well, he got a piece and emailed me and I bought it. It is a lovely new Martinsville Radiance blank. I don’t want to share the price, but let’s just say that it is substantially more than the $1.99 I paid for the bowl mentioned in a previous post (over a hundred times more!)
But it’s worth it. I am particularly interested in collecting coloured pieces, and this is my first piece of blue colour.

What a bargain!

I was recently at the Value Village in Hamilton, Ontario. (Value Village is a store where people donate used goods and the store sells them and profits go to charity.) Outside they have a donation bin, and I spotted a large pedestal bowl outside beside the bin. The bowl was filled with old silverware. I asked a clerk inside the store if I could buy the bowl. She didn’t know and so asked the person who prices the glassware. He came around and studied the piece, so I was thinking he might price it high. He priced it at $1.99! Of course I bought it. Bowls similar to this are pictured in Krista Taylor’s book for $75 to $125. What a bargain!

New Acquisition

Yesterday Marsha and I went antiquing (as I like to do on Saturdays). We went to Lakeshore Antiques, the Forum Gallery, and the Ice Creamery (arts/crafts, antiques, and ice cream) all in the Niagara-on-the-Lake area. The first two were strike-outs, but at the Ice Creamery we found a beautiful Hughes Corn Flower double candalabra. It is pictured in neither Wayne Townsend’s nor Krista Taylor’s books. Similar candalabra in Krista’s book are priced in the $75-$150 range and I acquired it for $18!
At the same place (the Ice Creamery) we also got a mayonaise bowl and plate set (Hughes Corn Flower Candlewick). It did not come with a spoon, but I had one that seems to match. This piece is shown on page 91 (top picture) of Krista’s book for $60 – $80. I acquired it for $30.

2004 Corn Flower Festival

The annual Corn Flower Festival was held this past Sunday June 6 at the Dufferin County Museum. It is held every year on the Sunday closest to Lois Kaysers’ birthday. As you know Lois is the daughter of W. J. Hughes who developed the wonderful Corn Flower pattern. In conjunction with the festival a birthday dinner is held on the preceding Saturday evening to honour Lois’ birthday. Marsha and I were invited to attend the dinner this year along with a few other avid collectors and friends and family of Lois. The food was delicious and the company was great. Before and after the dinner we were able to preview all of the exhibits. Unfortunately Marsha and I were not able to stay over for the actual festival on Sunday but we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves on Saturday evening. We have already made plans to be there both days next year.