Good Things by David

My collection of L.E. Smith caramel glass cake stands from the Martha by Mail catalog is finally complete.  It took quite a while to gather each of these pieces, because I didn't have the luxury of buying them from the catalog when it was in business.  A vendor here with a set, a vendor there with one, and then the keen eye of a friend of mine (thank you Daniel!) who thought the cake stand may or may not have been a Martha by Mail piece.  That is how I acquired these cake stands.  This exclusive shade of slag glass was commissioned by Martha Stewart for her catalog business (Martha by Mail) in the late 1990s.  I've written  a detailed post about this collection before.  You can read about it by  clicking here .  The plain round cake stands for the catalog come in four sizes.  The smallest measures 6" in diameter and the largest measures 12" in diameter.  The ones in between measure 8" and 10" in diameter.   I had no idea that t...

As many of you know, I love collecting jadeite.  I've written extensively on this subject here on the blog, and if you follow from time to time, you will note that I continue to display and use my pieces throughout the year.  A couple of weeks ago I was asked by EstateSales.org if I would be interested in sharing my thoughts, knowledge, opinions and tips on collecting jadeite.  As enthusiastic as I am on the subject, I jumped at the chance!   The article that the folks at EstateSales.org have written, provides you with great information if you're an enthusiast or a collector of jadeite.  It's a great thing to have information online for existing collectors and potential collectors of this green glass, because knowledge is power.  The more we know about what is available at estate sales, flea markets, antique malls and stores, the better off we are about making informed purchases.   Please click on the link below to read what EstateSale...

Dear Readers, I've started a small group on Facebook for collectors of American jadeite, which will encompass American made jadeite from ca. 1930 through present day.  What I want to do with this group is allow us collectors the chance to share our passion for collecting this beautiful glass, whether it's vintage Fire King, McKee, Jeanette, Fenton, or more contemporary Martha by Mail Fenton, L. E. Smith or Mosser Glass.  I think it's important to allow discussion of all jadeite that was produced and is being produced in this country, so that we may help one another in our pursuit of collecting jadeite.  I see no reason to restrict it to one specific era. Getting emails from enthusiastic readers with questions about their jadeite finds or "mystery pieces" happens on a regular basis.  What I always do in those cases, if I don't have an answer for them, is to turn to my trusted friends who are pros in the realm of collecting jadeite.  Those indivi...

A good friend of mine who is perhaps one of the most passionate jadeite collectors I know, recently showed me his jadeite bowl exhibition at the local county fair in his area.  Nick Stein is my go-to teacher and advisor when it comes to collecting jadeite, pricing jadeite and using one's vintage jadeite.  It never ceases to amaze me how much he knows about this subject. Nick tells me that he has been entering his jadeite collection at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, California for several years.  This year's exhibit was all about showcasing every single jadeite bowl set that was offered from the three major jadeite manufacturers in the United States, dating from the 1930s through the 1970s.  These manufacturers include Fire King, Jeanette and McKee.  Nick says that he loves collecting jadeite mixing bowls because, "they have multiple pieces which makes it fun to hunt for, and some are very rare!" Take a look at his wonderful display. * Italicized ...

Martha's Green Glass encompasses a very time-specific collection of glass that was produced exclusively for the Martha by Mail catalog from the late 1990s through the end of 2004.  It is an assortment of glass for the home instantly recognizable by ardent collectors of jadeite, because of the unique shapes, markings and color variations.  Martha's Green Glass was created for Martha by Mail by three of this country's most distinguished glassworks: Fenton, L.E. Smith and Mosser. There are those who feel that the introduction of jadeite through Martha by Mail, flooded the jadeite collectors market, which has since caused confusion among budding collectors.  This, along with the introduction of the Fire King 2000 line, continues to irk some collectors and vendors; once you get familiar with what was produced when, it isn't all too difficult to distinguish what is what. Others will tell you that the variations in color for this product line don't agree with their ...