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Heart of Glass - Blenko Glass

Blenko Glass is a West Virginia treasure that spans generations. Nothing symbolizes the state of West Virginia better or more beautifully than Blenko Glass. We will discuss current and former craftsmen and designers and how important it is that Blenko and West Virginia glass be appreciated and valued by the younger generation.

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Holly's Blenko Collection

We received over a dozen emails asking about Holly's photos - she was kind enough to provide the following info about each photo!
NOTE: BLenko Collectors are amazing people - if you don't collector - start now - with a trip to BLENKO GLASS in Milton, WV.
I'll try to tell you a little bit about each photo you posted on the site
1. These fishies are our most-loved collection. They hang below, fittingly, our hand-signed and numbered Jim Davis Garfield prints that we bought on our honeymoon five years ago at an art auction on an extremely boring cruise.
2. The top hat was purchased at the Blenko Outlet store about three or four years ago and usually just gets brought out for xmas or New years. It's very deep red but must look lighter in the picture, I guess due to the flash.
3. The three pieces are all from different collections, the first is a gorgeous yellow confetti (?) piece that may have been experimental by one of the artists. The second I've seen in catalogs crediting a design by Wayne Hustead, my favorite Blenko-er of all time. And of course - a stray fish that escaped Garfield...
4. This is a picture of five of my favorite pieces in different colors. The exact color names escape me but I would be happy to look through my Blenko book and find the exact name if you'd like!
5. About two years ago Blenko tried to bring this face back. I'm not sure if they had much success but my husband and I loved it, bought it and stuck it in the non-working living room fireplace and dubbed him "Sirius" for all of you who may be Harry Potter fanatics...
6. Our favorite color (besides, of course, Ruby and the elusive Rialto) is the tangerine. This picture shows our favorite tangerine pieces grouped together on the right side of the fireplace on shelves built specifically for our Blenko loves.
7. About four of five years ago Blenko stopped custom-making hourglasses. So we found this pair on Ebay for a pricey sum. But they keep time and are pretty to boot!
8. This is a shelf above the door to our deck. For three years it remained rather like an eyesore until my husband climbed a ladder and stuck some of our Blenko on it. The middle piece is a ruby triangle with a center white block and (not pictured) a dark blue base. About three years ago some of the artists got a little funky and started making art-deco like pieces. This was one of them and it weighs about 20 pounds.
9. The final photo is of a collection of different types of Blenko stuck together on another high shelf.
Again, I'm sorry I don't have exact colors and names, but I can get them for you (the book is buried in a closet - but I think I know where) and also can share picture of an almost- complete Caribbean collection (one piece missing), a basket of Easter Eggs, apples galore, a fish that stands on its tail, four Mardi Gras pieces (minus the pitcher) and more!
Thanks for giving me a spot on your page and I've included a few more pictures since I'm not sure which ones didn't turn out.
If you want me to just start snapping away, I'd be happy to do so and please feel free to contact me if you would like any more information.
I love Blenko and if we, as loyal customers, do not keep the fervor going then I'm afraid Blenko will fall into the same abyss that other glass makers have gone!
We can't have that!...
THANK YOU HOLLY for the photos, the script, and your love of BLENKO!

4 comments:

nick said...

My first comment, reader since 9/07
Interesting combination of subject matter and comments.

Anonymous said...

Oops - #3 is actually from Matthew Carter - "Opaline yellow with abstract Cobalt decoration."

And the frogs are "Toad Vases" from Don Shephard.

Still looking for Rialto pieces circa 1960!

--Holly Shivel

Unknown said...

Holly/Hilary where are the pictures of Blenko here just curious to see them
-Ram

Anonymous said...

Hi Ram - the pictures are a few posts down as Hillary was kind enough to toss them up a few days prior to my explanations! Just keep scrolling!
--Holly
h0llyk911@aol.com