Title

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.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Blenko Peacock and Ruby

Hi Hillary,

Just wanted to drop a couple of photos for the blog and your enjoyment. I still haven't got a good light source yet so I hope your readers will forgive the "darkness" of the photos. I started to take everything outside but, with the strong Texas spring winds, I don't want any of these falling off my photo table.
Enjoy
Bruce Specht

Thank you Bruce - we do always enjoy your photos.

HJH

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have some of that blenko not green not blue guess it is peacock did not know the color from my aunt's estate. Love the glass you own Spect family.
How long have you collected? Do you collect by color or designer? Since my aunt left me 10 boxes of blenko and ohio valley glass I am becoming a collector but feel overwhelmed when deciding what to buy.
Mary Ellen Fidler

Anonymous said...

Difficult to believe all these designs are Blenko
are they vintage
or in the current line?
Sign new
New Collector
Linda Anderson
Big Creek

Anonymous said...

Cancer Update from Johns-Hopkins

Bottled water in your car is
very dangerous!

On the Ellen show, Sheryl Crow said this is what caused her breast cancer. It has been identified as the most common cause of the high levels of dioxin in breast cancer tissue. Sheryl Crow's oncologist told her: women should not drink bottled water that has been left in a car..
The heat reacts with the chemicals in the plastic of the bottle which releases dioxin into the water. Dioxin is a toxin increasingly found in breast cancer tissue.
So please be careful and do not drink bottled water that has
been left in a car. Pass this on to all the women in your
life.
This information is the kind we need to know that just might save us! Use a stainless steel canteen or a glass bottle
instead of plastic!
LET EVERYONE WHO HAS A WIFE / GIRLFRIEND /
DAUGHTER KNOW PLEASE!

This information is also being circulated at Walter Reed
Army Medical Center.
No plastic containers in microwave.
No water bottles in freezer
No plastic wrap in microwave.
A dioxin chemical causes cancer, especially breast cancer..
Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic.

Recently, Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital, was on a TV program to explain this health hazard.
He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us.
He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using
plastic containers...
This especially applies to foods that contain fat.
He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastic releases
dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body.
Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food... You get the same results, only without the dioxin.
So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be
removed from the container and heated in something else.
Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper.
It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc.
He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons....
Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran wrap, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food.
Cover food with a paper towel instead.

This is an article that should be sent to anyone important in your life!

Hillary hope you don't mind my using your blog for this.
Beth
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Phani said...

Pictures are great Bruce.

Anonymous said...

Phanie
I couldn't agree more. Great photos Bruce.
Sol

Anonymous said...

Linda & Mary Ellen, These are all vintage Blenko with the Peacock pieces being produced during 1965 or '66 and the ruby pieces being pre 1950. Our family has different favorite designs but they cross over all the various designers that Blenko has employed including the predesigner pieces that are pictured in the ruby photo. Only the "Melon" vase in the front is not prior to Winslow Anderson, Blenko's first designer. As to what to buy I can only advise to pick pieces that are vibrant to you. Learn the colors and designs and then enjoy the "hunt". Our collection has had various pieces that we "wanted" but has mainly been driven by what we happened to find tucked away in a dusty corner of roadside shops or estate sales. It is the unexpected that has given the most pleasure as well as the best stories to share with other collectors.
Enjoy
Bruce Specht

Anonymous said...

BRUCE AND FAMILY I HAVE ENJOYED YOUR PHOTOS AND PRINTED MANY TO CARRY IN MY CAR SO WHEN I AM AT ESTATE SALE I RECOGNIZE THE BLENKO. YOUR STORIES AND THE CONCEPT OF FAMILY COLLECTING IS FOR ME THE BEST OF ALL.
THIS IS WHAT COLLECTING IS ABOUT IT TEACHES OUR CHILDREN ORDER AND ABOUT COLOR AND THE ABILITY TO WAIT FOR THING MANY LIFE LESSONS THAT APRE BOTH PRACTICAL AND SPIRITUAL COME WITH COLLECTING. YOUR FAMILY I AM CERTAIN HAS GROWN IN MANY WAYS WITH THE COLLECTING. WISH I HAD BEEN THIS WISE WHEN MY SON WAS YOUNG. WHEN HE WAS YOUNG HIS DAD AND I WERE BOTH TOO BUSY CHASING MONEY, NOW HE IS A VERY ARROGANT NYC STOCKBROKER.
MOUNTAIN RITA

lewisdvmphd said...

Photos are always worth a million words and your photos add so much to this blog.
I add my words of thanks.