Blenko Black Friday

Blenko Holiday Sale and Open House this weekend!

Blenko Holiday Sale and Open House

At 8:00am our doors will open and you can purchase our 2015 Holiday Ltd Edition items. This year we have four pieces, including a new angel in spectacular colors, a vase and pitcher in a beautiful fade and a brand new fade option we are doing this year in an elegant optic vase. NO PHONE OR ADVANCE ORDERS

Our angel this year is called "Golden Memories". She is created with colors that give her a golden glow. Beautiful in all settings, but especially lovely when the light shines through. Each piece is signed by retired master craftsman Les Womack.
5 1/2" high approx. Ltd to 50 numbered pieces in the gift shop.
$57.00 each

Our Vase and Pitcher are called "Mountain Spruce". These two pieces were designed by our elegant craftsmen and combine the colors of cobalt and clover to make this beautiful, woodsy fade. A perfect addition to your holiday decor. The pieces may be purchased separately or if purchased together, you will receive a 5% discount. No number requests please.
Vase 8" high Ltd. to 40 numbered pieces in the gift shop $37.00
Pitcher 8" high Ltd. to 40 numbered pieces in the gift shop $42.00
If purchased together $75.00 for the set (5% discount)

There will be signing events with Walter Blenko, Jr in the gift shop:
Friday, Nov 27 8am-11:30, 1:30-4pm
Saturday, Nov 28 9:30-11:30, 1:00-3:30

PUMPKINS - From Sept to After Turkey Day!

At our homes the PUMPKINS come out in mid September...as the leaves begin to turn.  We put them away only as we begin to decorate for Christmas! 

This year I purchased four fresh pumpkins for a carving party.  The cost was nearly $40.
This made me realize how inexpensive it is to own BLENKO GLASS  Pumpkins.   Each year we bring out our collection of pumpkins - orange - yellow - combinations of orange and yellow and a gold pumpkin ( unique almost like a frosted gold lame ) I have pumpkins dating back to grade schools years. 
This year consider purchasing a Blenko Glass Pumpkin ( under $65)  large or small they now come in a variety of colors.  Patchwork,  Vintage,  Autumn.

Blenko Glass Company   blenkoglass  on line catalog to order your pumpkins.

West Virginia Gourds

What is more appropriate for Fall than a Gourd - a made in West Virginia, handcrafted Gourd.

Gourd  - Available for on line purchase at BLENKOGLASS.COM 

Barrie Kaufman and Blenko

Barrie Kaufman is an award winning international artist from West Virginia working in print media, painting and glass. She has been creating art for thirty-five years using woodblock, etching, silk aquatint and carborundum to make personal statements about the environment and social consciousness. In 2013 she created models for a five-foot high cast glass sculpture created in the Czech Republic focusing on the animals and the effect of global warming. Her current work features blown and etched glass.

Barrie Kaufman

As a child,  I remember my Mom purchasing copies of woodblock prints by Barrie Kaufman,  I knew of her as the wife of Senator then Judge Todd Kaufman - who was my Dad's friend.

She somehow made it all work,  Mom, Wife, Artist.  Excelling in all.

Sometime ago we went to an exhibit that included her new venture into glass  and like the obsessive person I am - I wondered WHY LOCAL GLASS  ie  Blenkowww.blenkoglass.com or Hinklewww.ronhinkleglass.com or Appalachian  Glass. 

Barrie Kaufman is doing a large scale project - using the images of WATER DROPS  designed by Kaufman and created by Kaufman and Randy Rider.

To read more about this - visit Barrie Kaufman's website - Also the Charleston Newspaper did a story with photos. 

Blenko Glass Lamps

Hillery,

I have two questions.  #1) Does Blenko continue to make lamps - also how much do they cost?
#2) I am sending you a photo of a set of lamps I want to purchase,  the are $3K+  but lovely, however, if Blenko is still making them does this decrease the value?
Thank you for your response.
Raj Kumar MD
Chicago, Ill

Dr Kumar,
    Blenko  continues to make glass lamps.  Charlie Harshbarger would be the contact person
at Blenko Glass.   As to the cost of lamps - they vary with the size, color and shape.  If you are seriously interested I would suggest phoning or driving to Blenko Glass.
    My parents collect Hinkle Lamps - made in WVa.  to view these google Hinkle Glass.
   I do not know if Blenko is currently making the lamps ( in your photo)  I am posting the photo so perhaps someone else will have an answer for you.
   We don't work for Blenko.  We like you appreciate the handcrafted glass and enjoy Blenko very much. May I invite you to visit WVa and Blenko Glass.  Our State Tourism Bureau can provide you with a list of 'all things glass' in WVa and the Tamarack Center located in Beckley WVa  is a show house for WVa Handcrafted items.  Many Blenko items are for sale at Tamarack. 
    Thank you for shopping Blenko.   Again, contact the factory.  Everyone associated with Blenko Glass is customer friendly.
HJH

Two West Virginia Birthday Collections available for purchase.

We just received notice that two ( partial) WV Birthday Vase Collections will be placed on EBAY and also given to a Charleston antique dealer for sale both prior to 1/1/2016.

When we have additional info we will post along with a link.

Many of the original WV Birthday Collectors are the age of my parents early 70s  - this collection started in 1980.
We would expect to see a few more WV Birthday Collections becoming available in the next 4-5 years.
The collection is very large - and not all families have space to properly display such a collection.

IF You own this collection and must part with it - may I suggest you consider donating the collection.
We prefer the WV Glass Museum in Weston,  The WVa Cultural Center,  or Blenko Glass  ( Blenko doesn't have the entire collection on display) it would be very fitting to see this large long term collection on permanent display at Blenko Glass.
Should you need assistance with contacting the appropriate people for donation, please send us an email and we'll assist you with this gift.
HJH

Blenko Holiday Madness Sale Starts Today

**15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE PURCHASE BLENKO ONLINE STORE ONLY STARTING TODAY**

shop.blenko.com 

Sale runs Nov 11 - Dec 5

STAR WARS - A Blenko Connection?

In the late 70s  Star Wars was a craze,   everyone - men women and children loved this film.
At Blenko Glass -  Shorty Finley ( who along with Jessie Carpenter) were considered the best
finisher / blower / and creative characters.   
    Shorty Finley and Jessie Carpenter both were part of the 70s Factory Glass movement.  Both accompanied Don Shepperd  ( the Blenko Designer) to give lectures and demos at Universities. 
    During this time Shorty Finley created several STAR WAR pieces - he designed a Chess Set 
with Star War Characters, and he made 5 free standing Star Wars characters out of glass.
    We are adding photos of the STAR WAR couple ( which is for sale on line at $1200, )  and a single Star War character ( also on sale for $500 on line) and a photo of an individual chess piece ( not for sale).  
    The factory workers at Blenko like much of America was enamored with STAR WARS.
We are delighted to learn these pieces survived the 40 years since production.  

For those of you who are not STAR WARS fans  the following paragraph is from WIKI 
Star Wars is an American epic space opera franchise centered on a film series created by George Lucas. It depicts the adventures of various characters "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away", following the main story of Anakin Skywalker and his son Luke.
The first film in the series, Star Wars (later subtitled Episode IV: A New Hope), was released on May 25, 1977 by 20th Century Fox and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon. It was followed by the similarly-successful sequels The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983); these three films constitute the original Star Wars trilogy. A prequel trilogy was later released between 1999 and 2005, which received a more mixed reaction from critics and fans compared to the original trilogy. All six films were nominated for or won Academy Awards, and were commercial successes, with a combined box office revenue of $4.38 billion, making Star Wars the fifth-highest-grossing film series. The series has spawned an extensive media franchise—the Expanded Universe—including books, television series, computer and video games, and comic books, resulting in significant development of the series's fictional universe. Star Wars also holds a Guinness World Records title for the "Most successful film merchandising franchise." In 2012, the total value of the Star Wars franchise was estimated at USD $30.7 billion (£19.51 billion), including box-office receipts as well as profits from their video games and DVD sales.
In 2012, The Walt Disney Company acquired Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion and announced three new Star Wars films, with the first film, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, planned for release on December 18, 2015.20th Century Fox retains the physical distribution rights to the first two Star Wars trilogies, owning permanent rights for the original 1977 film and holding the rights to Episodes I–III, V and VI until May 2020. The Walt Disney Studios owns digital distribution rights to all the Star Wars films, excluding A New Hope.

Shorty Finley - much like Randy Rider ( current Blenko Employee)  always stood out - the work ethic, the devotion to Blenko...the skill.  It was visible.

Shorty Finley and the Star Wars  - 1980

Lahti Pottery Show Nov 14 and 15

You are invited to the annual

Holiday Showing

of

Pottery

by

Keith Lahti

November 14 & 15   10 AM to 6 PM

Also Ceramic Jewelry by Cree Lahti, Stone Sculpture by Kevin Stizinger and Wall Art by Mateus Stitzinger

 

Directions: I-79 to Big Otter, Exit 40 (Rt. 16). North on Rt. 16 to Nebo (about 3 miles), Right on Nebo-Walker Rd. and go 8/10 of a mile. Bear left up hill on Walker Road. 

Go to top of hill & down the other side,

Driveway is on left at bottom of hill, # 1137

Phone (304) 286-2635,

(call if you need another time)

 

 

Make a weekend excursion and plan to visit McColley Studio in nearby Chloe to see the work of  Connie McColley (jewelry),  Margie Mills (fiber), Karen Shreve (lotions and soap) and Kathy Russell (truffles). Info at 304 655-7429

Blenko Alzheimer's Pumpkin

You can buy yours here: http://shop.blenko.com/Alzheimers-Awareness-Pumpkin-Purple-9355S.htm

November 1st is National Brush Day!

Healthy Lives are implementing a national oral health campaign on Nov. 1, the day after Halloween, to remind parents and kids about the importance of regular oral hygiene and brushing for two minutes, twice a day.

According to the Ad Council, more than two-thirds of parents say they are concerned about their children's teeth. With more than 80 percent of parents saying their kids will participate in a Halloween celebration this year, and with cavities being a top concern, the Kids' Healthy Mouths campaign is celebrating "National Brush Day" on Nov. 1.

National Brush Day promotes improving the nation’s children’s oral health by supplying parents with simple information on when to start various levels of oral hygiene with their kids.