Membership

Our glass collecting journey started shortly after we were married in 1976. Tim and his Dad collected arrow heads which were found while working fields during planting and harvest season, and also as they walked and/or rode a motorcycle through the pastures and creeks while checking on cattle. Tim’s Mom collected pieces of Akro Agate child dishes, his Uncle Zelton was a stamp collector\dealer and Aunt Ree collected post cards. I soon wanted to collect something but didn’t know what. During one of our outings we stopped at an antique store on the outskirts of Keokuk, Iowa, and while I was speaking with the owner and expressed my desire to collect something but wasn’t sure what. She walked me over to a display and picked up a little blue tumbler and said “Here this was manufactured by the Cambridge Glass Company in Cambridge, Ohio, the pattern is Caprice and the color is Moonlight Blue, you can’t go wrong and it will hold it’s value”. It was the only piece of Cambridge Glass there.

And so our hunt and addiction began. Unfortunately, where we reside Cambridge glass is next to obsolete. On one particular occasion Tim noticed an estate auction advertisement to be held in Macomb, Illinois, which listed “Cambridge Glass”. We decided to attend the auction and low and behold the Cambridge Glass happened to be various pieces of Caprice Moonlight Blue. We were overjoyed to be able to purchase various pieces to add to our collection.

For many years over Labor Day weekend a flea market is held in Colchester, Illinois. During our stroll through the flea market we met exhibitors Robert and Mary Dilts who had pieces of Caprice “in colors”. We were in awe. In the following years the Robert and Mary would mention we needed to go to Cambridge, Ohio, to the museum. Finally, we had the opportunity to go to Zanesville, Ohio, to purchase an estate car, and noticed Cambridge, Ohio, was just a short jaunt away. It was like being in a candy store. Never imagined the patterns, etchings, colors and the various pieces. Definitely eye opening. I believe it was at this time we purchased a book on Cambridge Glass which helped us to identify the various pieces.

Then eBay opened our world to the opportunity to purchase Cambridge Glass as well as becoming members of National Cambridge Collectors, attending the annual auction and convention time. As our opportunities have opened so has our interest in other patterns especially Everglade and Near Cut. I foresee more glass cabinets in the future.

It has been an amazing adventure! Keep the desire to collect burning!