PurplePatty.com

Marilyn Monroe

2009-10-08T07:17:00.003-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! The beautiful blonde born Norma Jean Mortenson in Los Angeles on June 1, 1926 would be 83 years old this year. We can't seem to imagine her at that age since her beauty has forever been captured in just about anything and everything you can imagine.

Married at 16 and then discovered by a photographer, she soon found work at the Blue Book Modeling Studio. It was 1947-1948 that Marilyn had a brief stint in the movies, but it was Tom Kelley's "Golden Dreams" photograph of Marilyn that was appearing across the U.S. in magazines and calendars that totally changed her life in 1950. That was the year she secured a seven year contract with MGM studios. It was in 1953 with the debut of How to Marry a Millionaire and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes that skyrocketed Marilyn to stardom.

Joe Dimaggio and Marilyn found each other in 1953 and a divorce followed in 1954 with Arthur Miller as her husband in 1956 until 1961. With the looming threat of mental illness and Marilyn's other health problems, she took her life on August 5, 1962 with an overdose of barbiturates.

One of the most collected items of Marilyn Monroe are her beautiful photographs and calendars. Many reproductions are floating around, so be sure you authenticate any item with a Marilyn photograph before purchase.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

Capodimonte Porcelain

2009-10-05T07:52:00.004-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! Founded in 1743 by Charles IV, King of Naples, Capodimonte is the most famous of Italian factories. They started here producing a beautiful translucent soft-paste porcelain. The chief designer was Giuseppe Gricci who produced contemporary subjects and also is noted for the creation of the palaces of Portici and Aranjuez near Naples. Many wonderful wares and figures were produced during this beginning. These early 18th century porcelains command thousands of dollars.

Capodimonte of our recent 20th century, continues with wonderful designs in keeping with the artistic command of detail created so long ago in Naples, Italy.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

McClelland Barclay

2009-10-02T07:19:00.005-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! Born in 1891, McClelland Barclay is a recognized and accomplished painter, illustrator, sculptor, and jewelry designer from St. Louis, Missouri. One of Barclay's earliest awards was for the Navy Poster Prize in 1917 for his poster, "Fill the Breach."

McClelland Barclay had developed a successful art career by the time he became lieutenant in the Naval Reserve in 1938. It was during this time when Barclay created a company to start producing his jewelry designs and figural items for the home or office. His figural items, like the Sailfish we have pictured is currently up for auction on PurplePatty.com, were cast in metal with a thick bronze finish.

While Barclay worked in the Naval Recruiting office in New York during the early 1940s, he produced some of the Navy's most popular recruiting images of World War II. On July 18, 1943 while he had been aboard LST-342 sketching and taking photos, a Japanese submarine fired a torpedo that quickly sank the stern where Barclay and most of the crew lost their lives.

Since McClelland Barclay's death, he has been awarded the 1944 Art Directors Club Medal in recognition of his editorial illustration, advertising art and devotion as a commissioned officer. In 1995, the Society of Illustrators inducted Barclay into their Hall of Fame.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

Fenton Opalescent

2009-10-01T08:05:00.006-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! In 1905 a decorator and designer by the name of Frank L. Fenton started the Fenton Art Glass Company that offered decorating services to other manufacturers. It was in 1907 when the company moved to Williamstown, West Virginia and started manufacturing its own glass products.

Fenton produced several lines of glass including, carnival, chocolate, custard, and opalescent. It wasn't until the 1920s when Fenton introduced art glass and stretch glass. The 1930s saw the appearance of slag glass.

Because Fenton used a variety of paper labels to mark their products, it is by design that we recognize a Fenton piece manufactured prior to 1970. In 1970 the company started applying a raised trademark with Fenton in an oval circle. By 2000 a date code had been added to the trademark.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

Crackle Glass

2009-09-29T08:05:00.004-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! Dating back to the 16th century this glass finishing technique gives glass a cracked appearance, hence the name Crackle Glass.

In was in the late 1920s when Martin Bach of Durand Glass company brought back a line of Crackle Glass. The momentum of Crackle Glass popularity grew by the late 1930s and was manufactured well into the 1970s with over 500 manufacturers of this popular selling line. Some of the most noted Crackle Glass manufacturers besides Durand were Blenko, Pilgrim, Kanawha, and Bischoff.

One of the most popular collectible Crackle Glass items today are the lovely pitchers in an array of different colors.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

FRANKOMA Pottery

2009-09-28T08:34:00.004-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! In 1933 an instructor at Oklahoma University by the name of John Frank, established Frankoma Pottery in Norman, Oklahoma. Production moved in 1938 to Sapulpa, which resulted in fire destruction in 1939. John rebuilt his plant immediately and resumed production.

A honey-tan colored clay from Ada, Oklahoma was used to make Frankoma peices prior to 1954. After that date the company switched to a red brick clay from Sapulpa.

Fire again struck this company in 1983 and in July 1984 they opened their new facility. All the early molds were lost in the fire. Today's production comes from newly designed molds.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!
From your Super Shopper,
Purple Patty

Carnival Glass

2009-09-25T08:30:00.001-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! Was it 1905 or 1907? There is disagreement on exactly when carnival glass was first introduced, but my personal opinion is that a couple of years should not cause too much controversy. This iridescent pressed glass, literally given away at the carnival as prizes, has been manufactured almost continuously 80+ years with the Jain Glass Works in India stopping production in 1986. Beware that there are period molds that have survived through time and are occasionally used to create reproductions.

Carnival glass has been manufactured in Australia, Czechoslovakia, England, Finland, France, Germany, Sweden and the United States. Almost every major glass manufacturing country included carnival glass in their line of manufactured pressed glass. Some of the great USA manufacturers include Fenton, Imperial, Mosser, Dugan, Millersburg, and Northwood.

The beauty, color, and iridescent capture of light has made this pressed glass line one of the most collected glassware lines today. Prices have a wide range and when looking to make a purchase do not associate price with value. Purchase a good reference valuation guide before investing a large amount of money into this collectible.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

Bauer Pottery

2009-09-24T08:09:00.003-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! In 1885 John Bauer from Paducah, Kentucky started the Paducah Pottery. When John died in 1898 his brother, John Andrew Bauer took over the pottery and in 1909 moved the operations to Los Angeles, California.

In 1913 the pottery's award winning art line was introduced, followed by the stoneware vases. In 1931 Bauer Pottery began producing its most recognizable pottery today called, Ring ware. Jugs, pitchers and bowls alike with the molded rings in bright color glazes included 100+ different shapes and sizes in table and kitchen wares. This was Bauer Pottery's most successfully distributed and profitable pottery pattern.

As most early pottery companies were experiencing heavy competition, it was the competition and a mean strike in 1961 that closed the doors of the Bauer Pottery company.

Here's to a day full of shopping and smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

MATCHBOX

2009-09-22T08:25:00.003-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! In 1947 Leslie Smith and Rodney Smith, two unrelated Navy friends, founded the Lesney Company in London, England. When they were joined by John Odell, they established a factory to try their hand at die casting. It took them until 1953 to introduce a miniature toy line packaged in a box that resembled a matchbox. It caught on quickly in the London toy market and was referred to as a "Matchbox" toy. The earliest Matchbox vehicles had metal wheels, which were eventually replaced in 1969 with the Superfast plastic wheels.

It was 1956 when the Models of Yesteryear line was introduced, followed by the 1957 Major Packs. It wasn't until 1958 when Matchbox toys arrived in the United States where they quickly rose to popularity by the early 1960s. It was 1968 when the competitor, Mattel's Hot Wheels started selling. The I-75 numbering system came about in the 1970s. In 1992, Matchbox introduced the Nostalgia series.

The Lesney Company became no more in 1982 when it was purchased by the Universal Group and 1992 sold and purchased by Tyco Toys, and finally in 1997 Mattel, owner of Hot Wheels, acquired Tyco and the Matchbox line.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

Kemple Glass

2009-09-21T08:57:00.003-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! It was May of 1945 when John E. and Geraldine Kemple started their glass manufacturing company in East Palestine, Ohio. The interesting fact about this company is that they purchased many antique molds from the 1870 - 1900 period for reproduction.

Kemple Glass produced many Antique Reproductions during their 25 years in the business. The Kemples wanted to be responsible to their purchasers, so that there wouldn't be confusion over authentic antique pieces and their reproductions. So, they began by manufacturing their items in milk glass from their earlier molds. They added shades of color to their line in 1960, but were very careful to make the color distinguishable from the earlier antiques. They also added a paper sticker, which today most are not there, but some of the pieces were marked in the glass with the letter K.

The Kemple Glass Company closed in 1970 upon the death of John E. Kemple. Wheaton Industries in Millville, New Jersey is in possession of many of the Kemper molds.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

Cracker Jack

2009-09-17T09:04:00.003-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! Who knew that in 1893 at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago that a delicious treat of popcorn, peanuts, and molasses would become world famous. F.W. Rueckhaim, a pop store owner, introduced this wonderful treat, which was not called Cracker Jack until 3 years later. It was in 1908 when the song, Take Me Out to the Ball Game, gave Cracker Jack the advertising it needed for national recognition.

The first prize appeared in the Cracker Jack box in 1912 and in the past 95+ years tens of thousands of different prizes have been found in that box. One of the most exciting pleasures of this collectible is that new examples of the early prizes are being discovered every year. Today's prizes, with the exception of the magnifying glass, are made mostly of paper. Estimated values for these prizes can run from ten dollars to over one hundred dollars and of course these estimates can change quickly when a new/old toy is discovered.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

Little Red Riding Hood

2009-09-16T08:18:00.004-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! When design patent #134,889, for a cookie jar design was granted to Louise Elizabeth Bauer of Zanesville, Ohio her creation for the Little Red Riding Hood cookie jar came to life at the A.E. Hull Pottery Company.

This patent went on to protect the complete line of Little Red Riding Hood products that were produced between 1943 and 1957. Hull, Royal China, and Novelty Company made the blanks and design completion was almost all completed at Royal China. Because the pieces were hand-painted with no control on color mixture or application, many variations exist.

REPRODUCTION ALERT: Many Little Red Riding Hood cookie jar reproductions have made their way from Mexico. The authentic Little Red Riding Hood cookie jar measures at 13" tall and the Mexican reproduction is shorter.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

Toy Robots

2009-09-14T08:30:00.002-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! In the late 1940s to early 1950s robots were manufactured as friction or windup. They were very colorful lithographed models made from tin, with most using recycled material. The introduction of the battery-powered robot came about in the mid 1950s. Most robots were manufactured in Japan where they produced hundreds of models. It was in the late 1960s when plastic replaced the lithographed tin robot.

The popular designs of robots was driven by the science and entertainment of the time. The atomic age of the late forties brought about the Japanese Atomic Robot Man. The fifties were driven by movies like Destination Moon and Forbidden Planet, which featured Robbie The Robot. The sixties brought on television programs such as Lost In Space, Robot with the famous phrase, "Danger Will Robinson."

Many of the maker's marks on robots actually represent the importer or distributor, not the manufacturer. Because of the great popularity of collecting robots with prices in the tens of thousands of dollars, reproductions started to become a huge problem in the late 1990s. This also included Chinese and Taiwanese robots made in shapes that never existed in the collectible robot line that also started to flood the market. This is a collectible line that you just don't buy on the spur of the moment. You need to research thoroughly in order to authenticate any robot collectible you may be tempted to buy.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

Made In Japan

2009-09-11T09:01:00.004-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! Prior to 1921 items manufactured in Japan were marked Nippon or Made In Nippon. It wasn't until after 1921 that items were manufactured and imported into the U.S. with the marks of Japan or Made in Japan.

This is with exception to the period between August 1945 and April 28, 1952, where you would see the primary mark of Made in Occupied Japan. However, you would still see some items during this time marked Japan or Made In Japan. A very unpredictable period in Japanese manufacturing and exporting.

These items were designed by American import companies that sent their orders to Japan for manufacturing. Japan manufactured and exported the items back to the American import companies where they were distributed and sold in the United States market.

Most collectors will lean more towards a specific line of items. There are certainly many to choose from in the categories of ceramics, glass, or metal. Because this is such a large category of items, values extend from one end of the spectrum to the other. If you decide to collect in this genre, keep your focus on specifics (period, line, type) because it is very easy to be distracted and want it all.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

PEZ

2009-09-10T08:50:00.002-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! The Pez candy formula was developed in 1927 by Eduard Haas, an Austrialian food manufacturer. He created a candy formula, added a little peppermint and pressed the concoction into small rectangular pellets. He marketed the candy as a breath mint and cigarette substitute.

World War II stopped the production of Pez candy and it wasn't seen again until the late 1940s, where it was packaged in a plain rectangular dispenser. When it was introduced to the American market in the early 1950s it was barely successful. That made Eduard Haas go back to the drawing board. He came up with a variety of fruit flavors in a novelty type dispenser. This was a huge hit in the children's market and the Pez candy with novelty dispenser took off.

Mr. Haas carefully guarded his designs and production records. So, dating a lot of the novelty dispensers and variations of dispensers is not recorded for reference during those times. The three basic types of dispensers are generic, licensed, and seasonal. A typically popular dispenser with a long production time such as Mickey Mouse, has gone through at least a dozen changes over time.

Pez is distributed in the United States through a plant located in Connecticut and a plant in Linz, Austria distributes to the rest of the world. There are plants in Austria, China, Hungary, and Slovenia that manufacture the dispensers.

Estimates on Pez dispensers can range from $1 to well over $500 depending on condition, packaging, and novelty type.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

Puzzles

2009-09-09T08:57:00.003-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! The jigsaw puzzle first appeared in the mid-18th century in Europe. John Silbury, a London map maker, offered map jigsaw puzzles for sale by the early 1760s. The jigsaw puzzle first appeared in America as an English or European import with themes for children.

The Jigsaw Puzzle is rightfully named since the jigsaw was used to cut out the pieces of the puzzle. Prior to the mid-1920s, most jigsaw puzzles were cut from wood for the adult market and composition board for children. It was later in the 1920s when the process for die-cutting cardboard was used for jigsaw puzzles.

Collectors would like to see a manufacturer's name on a puzzle, but it must be under 500 pieces. For dating and pricing puzzles, collectors use a combination of: number and quality of pieces, a price on the box, the subject, the manufacturer, and the quality of printing of the subject on the pieces. There are some collectors that go after a certain manufacturer of puzzles.

As an example, a Cisco Kid and Pancho puzzle advertising Tip-Top Bread dates to the 1950s, was produced by Specialty Advertising Service, has a total of 36 pieces, comes in the original envelope with guide diagram, in excellent condition measuring 7.75" x 8.5" brings an estimate of $50 - $80.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

Homer Laughlin

2009-09-08T08:42:00.006-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community!

It was a partnership that started in 1870 between Homer and his brother Shakespeare Laughlin when they established two pottery kilns in Liverpool, Ohio with land purchased from a man by the name of Benjamin Harker who owned his own pottery plant next door (Harker’s Pottery). The two Laughlin brothers parted ways in 1877 when Shakespeare decided it was time for him to pursue his own dreams. The Homer Laughlin China Works continued after Shakespeare’s departure and made whiteware (ironstone) products.

By the time 1897 rolled around, Homer decided it was time to retire and be close to his son in California. Homer Laughlin sold the business to William Wills and a group of Pittsburgh investors, led by Marcus Aaron on December 7, 1897. The company expanded by building two plants in Laughlin Station, Ohio and another in Newall, West Virginia. This was followed by another plant that was built in Newall in 1926.

Cookware, dinnerware, and kitchenware were the company's principal products. Popular dinnerware lines include Fiesta, Harlequin, Riviera, and Virginia Rose. Even today, the Homer Laughlin Company still keeps their pledge to produce quality American-made china, which still provides jobs for potters in the Ohio Valley.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Labor Day holiday with good food, family, and friends! But now, back to work.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

Hull Pottery

2009-09-04T07:52:00.002-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! It all started in 1905 when Addis E. Hull purchased the Acme Pottery Company in Crooksville, Ohio and renamed it to the A.E. Hull Pottery Company. By the time 1917 came around, Hull had developed a line of art pottery for gift shops and florists.

In 1950 the company was destroyed by a flood and a fire. It took the company two years to rebuild and came back with a new name, Hull Pottery Company. With Hull always having a focus on the floral industry, they developed a new line of high gloss ceramics and the lines Floraline and Regal. When the 1960s arrived with California leading the way with popular ceramics, Hull started producing kitchen and dinner wares during this period with their popular lines called, Blue Belle, Mirror Brown, Rainbow, Provincial, and Heartland.

Hull's early stoneware is marked with an "H." The matte finished pieces contain pattern numbers. Series numbers identify the lines of Open Rose/Camillia (100s), Iris (400s), and Wildflower (W followed by number). Many Hull pieces that are marked with a number refer to the height of the piece. The high gloss Hull items made after 1950 usually feature the mark "hull" or "Hull" written in a script signature. The Hull Pottery Company closed its doors in 1985.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!
From your Super Shopper,
Purple Patty

The Lenox Company

2009-09-03T08:03:00.003-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! When I think of Lenox, I think of beautiful china services. Partly because some of our presidents chose Lenox to create the china for their White House dinners. The first presidential china service ordered was in 1917 by President Woodrow Wilson. Of course it wasn't any small dinner service, it was a huge 1,700 piece dinner service. The next presidents to order the custom presidential china service were Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman. Our First Lady Nancy Reagan, ordered a 4,732 piece dinner service of gold-embossed bone china in 1981. The Lenox craftsman who helped create the dinner service said that each hand embossed golden seal in the center of the plates took two to three hours to paint.

Operations for the Ceramic Art Company in Trenton, N.J. began in 1889 founded by Walter Scott Lenox and Jonathan Coxon, Sr with Walter Lenox acquiring sole ownership in 1894 followed by his formation of the Lenox Corporation in 1906. Today Lenox, Inc. is a multimillion-dollar company producing a complete line of tabletop and giftware displayed for sale in large department stores.

Longaberger Baskets

2009-09-02T07:59:00.003-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! The Longaberger family business, the Ohio Ware Company started out making ware baskets for the pottery industry under the supervision of John Wendall Longaberger. His son, Dave was first busy as an owner of Harry's Dairy Bar and an IGA Foodliner in Dresden, Ohio.

It wasn't until Dave had an idea and asked his father to make him some sample baskets that he could take to the retail establishments and see if they would stock them for sale. It was a success and this led Dave to open J.W.'s Handwoven Baskets.

One of the amazing additions to the Longaberger Company was when they opened the seven-story market basket building in Newark, Ohio. It is so impressive when you're driving up the road and it catches your eye, because it looks so much like a real seven-story huge market basket with little windows in between the weave.

Now when it comes to collecting baskets, you need to do your own research on which baskets may be collectible. Longaberger lays claim to handmade craft ancestry and I am sure the mass production of baskets use those guidelines, but we can't forget that the company sold 7.7 million baskets in 1997. So, you will have your work cut out for you finding that basket that may become a rarity for your collection.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!
From your Super Shopper,
Purple Patty

Antique Malls

2009-08-31T09:51:00.004-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! Antique Malls can be a great way to spend the afternoon. Every time I visit one, I usually always see something I have never seen before. It is always fun, but can sometimes be overwhelming as most dealers have a mix of a little bit of everything in their booth. If you are looking for something particular, you can sometimes be amazed at how the clerks seem to know where every little tidbit is hidden away. Here are a couple of things to remember when visiting an antique mall.

As soon as you walk in the door ask, "Do your dealers give discounts?" Ever antique mall I have been in have dealers that give discounts. If they say that some of them do, ask them to point out a couple of their booths and get their discount. Also, ask if there are any discounts paying with a check or cash versus a credit card.

Always ask to see the newest dealer's that have just moved in with new merchandise. Especially if this is a mall you frequently visit.

And yes, ask the dealers what online auction site they are using and/or web store site. It can be convenient for you to purchase online and stop by the mall to pick it up. If they don't have one, be sure and tell them about PurplePatty.com Auctions and Marketplace Stores with FREE Auction Listings and FREE web stores!

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

Structure of a Candlestick

2009-08-28T09:21:00.004-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! Candlesticks first appeared in the Middle Ages and were used exclusively until the invent of the gas and oil lamps of the 19th century.

Most candlesticks prior to the 18th century consisted of one piece of solid brass. They were very tall, standing as high as four feet, which made them very heavy. With the passing of time into the 18th century came improvements, which made it possible to cast the candlesticks with hollow stems.

The structure of the candlestick starts with a base and a stem which features either a socket to insert a candle or a pricket to impale the candle. You may also find a drip pan, although not all candlesticks came with this handy device that caught the candle drippings before hitting the furniture or floor. Not all drip pans are located mid-stem, they can also be anywhere along the stem. There is a drip pan that is completely separate from the candlestick, known as the be-beche, which are made to fit into the socket of the candlestick and then easily removed for cleaning.

To remove a candle after if had completely burned down from a hollow stem candlestick, was the usual method of poking a rod up through a hole in the bottom. On the solid core candlesticks, you will notice something referred to as the "economy hole" that is located on the socket of the candlestick. This hole goes all the way through the socket, which allows a rod to be inserted to remove the burned down candlestick.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

The Color of Furniture!

2009-08-27T09:59:00.002-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! If you enjoy purchasing antique and vintage furniture, you've probably already heard, "Don't refinish it!" It is the color and patina that gives antique and early vintage furniture the unique character that is all its own.

Color and patina come from years of waxing, dirt, grease, and dust. Keeping this in mind when trying to decide whether the price of a piece you are looking at truly brings the value associated with the age, you must look at both criteria, patina and overall color.

The darker the overall color the better, but be aware where the darkness is featured on the furniture. The darkness should be around the areas where the piece would have been handled, like arms of chairs, the front pull areas of drawers and under handles. The overall color may vary from one side to the other. This would be because the piece was in front of a window and the sun would have faded the color on one side. Some people think that if they don't refinish (stripping the color) the piece, but instead re-polish, this will make for a more attractive purchase for the buyer. While at first glance it may be attractive, re-polishing a piece will make the color even all over and has disturbed the ages of accumulated color and patina that can never be replaced.

When looking at carved furniture, take a peak down in the carving and you should see darker patches. This of course is the dirt, dust, and old wax that has accumulated over all these years. If the piece has been polished, you will not see this character trait and there will be no contrast between the crevices and the overall body of the wood's patina and color.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

Happy Belated Mr. Heisey!

2009-08-26T09:26:00.002-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! Mr. Augustus Henry Heisey was born in Hanover, Germany on August 25, 1842. He is the gentleman that founded A.H. Heisey & Co. in Newark, Ohio in 1895.

It was in the early 1900s when the Heisey factory was credited with the manufacturing of the finest table glassware in the world and Mr. Heisey known as the "Dean of American Glassmen." Upon Mr. Heisey's death on Februrary 13,1922, the Heisey factory had 3 furnaces and 700 employees producing glassware that was sold in the United States and several foreign countries.

After selling much clear crystal glassware, it was during the 1920s that Heisey added glass with color. This colored glassware was a huge seller and came with enticing names as, alexandrite, dawn, flamingo, ivorina verde, limelight, sahara, and zircon. This line of glassware was made in all one color and in mixed colors with clear crystal, such as: a colored stem with crystal top or a crystal stem with colored top.

The Heisey factory also created custard glass, iridescent glass, milk glass, and silver-trimmed glass. It was on June 2, 1936 that the Heisey factory introduced a new method for making etched glassware that gave it a more delicate etching with lots of detail like the well known Heisey Rose pattern.

There have been many stories about the Heisey molds being destroyed, lost, or even sold. One thing that we do know is that at the time of the closing of the Heisey factory, the remaining molds were sold to Imperial Glass Company of Belaire, Ohio. Under much dissatisfaction of collectors, the Imperial Glass Company manufactured using these molds and put the diamond H trademark on the glass, which makes it very difficult to attribute the maker of these items.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

Dolls and Bears

2009-08-25T06:55:00.003-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! A child with a doll were among the earliest toys found in all civilizations from the most primitive to the most sophisticated. The abundance of antique dolls found today come from the 19th and 20th centuries. However the changing ideals of beauty as defined by the society of the time give us a social history in their modeled shape, expressions, and clothing.

The 17th and 18th centuries created a more adult figure, where the 19th century brought us the child-like doll figure. The 20th century introduced us to the German character dolls and the cute caricature Kewpie and Googly dolls.

A city in Germany, Thuringia was a center for German porcelain and then became involved in doll making. Creating life-like character dolls, with their faces modeled after real people. These are some of the most sought after dolls today.

Least we not forget the introduction of the modern jointed bear in the early 1900s in Germany. A creation by Margarete Steiff. She first modelled her bears on the performing animals at the circus. Many companies tried to imitate her style, but hers are still the most valuable today.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

The Louis Years

2009-08-24T08:53:00.003-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! When it comes to furniture making there are three eras attributed as being the most important in delivering a quality and style. It was during the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries under the reign of the Bourbon kings name Louis that their creativity for style in decorating and their vision of what they wanted, produced these exquisite furnishings.

First came Louis Quatorze XIV from 1643 to 1715. He is know as the Sun King and the builder of Versailles. This King Louis used furniture to glorify his kingdom. He had a passion for exotic woods decorated with marquetry.

Next followed Louis Quinze XV from 1715 to 1774. The influence during this period also included that of his mistress Madame de Pompadour. Together they brought French Rococo to life. Chairs were more comfortable and elegant featuring twisted and carved foliage and winding serpentine curves.

The last of these kings was Louis Seize XVI from 1774 to 1792. His vision for design was more traditional. Table and chair legs lost their curves and became more straight and uniform in design.

Due to the popularity of these furniture stylings and the lack of inventory available, they were revived again during the 19th century.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

Blue and White Ceramics

2009-08-21T10:20:00.001-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community! Blue and White ceramics go back to China where the pieces were painted by hand, which created an expensive finished product that only the wealthy could afford. As we approached the late 18th century there was an increase of demand for teapots and their accessories due to the reduction of the tea tax in 1784. The demand was greater than the factories could keep up with, so was born the transfer-printed tableware.

Josiah Spode was the first craftsman that perfected the use of the transfer process. Although a range of colors were produced, it was the blue and white that remained as the most sought after color design. Some of the most famous patterns were Willow Pattern and Spode's Italian and they are still in production today.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

Brilliant Cut Glass

2009-08-20T09:21:00.002-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community!

Between the late 19th century through the 1950s Brilliant Cut Glass was made by many American companies. From small cordials to huge punch bowls these beautiful light reflecting glass pieces were like diamonds on display. Brilliant Cut Glass was first introduced at the Centennial Exposition in 1876 and the Columbian Exposition of 1893. The popularity of using Brilliant Cut Glass items for parties and entertaining kept the factories producing these pieces for well over 75 years!

Brilliant Cut Glass was created by using a grinding method. Each blown glass blank was held up to a grinding wheel to cut each intricate, light reflecting pattern. After the design was complete, each cut was polished and finished by hand. Whew...How would you like to have been assigned to create a punch bowl today?

Most pieces were not signed by the manufacturer such as, Dorflinger, Corning and Meridan. Companies Libbey and Hawkes would use an acid etched mark.

When looking for Brilliant Cut Glass feel for the weight and sharpness of the pattern. The piece should feel very heavy as the glass blanks had to be thick in order to hold up to the constant wheel grinding of the pattern. The pattern edges should be sharp from the wheel grinding. If the edges are smooth, this is not American Brilliant Cut, but instead a much less expensive mold-blown piece.

Hope you've enjoyed today's blog and have a new appreciation for the beautiful pieces that represent American Brilliant Cut Glass.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

Art Glass

2009-08-19T08:42:00.002-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community!

Starting around 1880 American Glass Factories created one of the most captivating and fascinating glass forms that became known as Art Glass.

Art Glass was created as a need for the glass factories to generate additional income and because the individual creations by the glass blowers were not only artistic, but the Victorian women of this period were attracted to the deep rich colors of reds, pinks, blues, yellow and green that fit into their Victorian decor. Once Art Glass became a decorating staple of the Victorian home, glass companies started developing their own style of product which included the styles known as: Amberina, Peach Blow, Mother-of-Pearl, Satin, Mary Gregory, Coralene, Cut, Enameled, Opal, Latticinio, Craquelle, Threaded, Pomona, and Spangled glass.

Today, one of the most expensive and sought after art glass was designed and manufactured by the craftsmen of the Mt. Washington Glass Works in Massachusetts. They artistically produced such wonderful examples of art glass that carry the names: Queen's Burmese, Pearl Satin, Lava, Cameo, Crown Milano, Napoli and Verona.

When you are out poking around online or in a shop and come across a fine example of American Art Glass, you will find it expensive, but worthy of investment and ownership.

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

Victorian Period

2009-08-18T12:22:00.002-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community!

The Victorian period is so named for the reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to her death in 1901. Queen Victoria was one of the most respected monarchs with the longest reign of any British monarch. The Victorian period was one of elegant style featuring elaborate designs with stunning color and detail. One of the items from the Victorian period are the glass domed taxidermy displays that would include birds, butterflies and flowers in a natural setting to be displayed in the parlor. It is amazing how these have survived and kept their color and beauty all these years.

Here's to a day full of shopping and smiles!
From your Super Shopper,
Purple Patty

How old is your bottle?

2009-08-14T08:13:00.006-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community!

Prior to the Civil War, all bottles were hand-blown. Any item that is hand-blown will not have any seam marks. A seam mark on a bottle is caused by the use of a mold.

So, when did those seam marks start showing up on bottles? Well during the Civil War, molds were created that allowed the glass blower to use them as an aid to increase productivity. Because bottles were used in the market of medicine, foods, chemicals and really any liquid item that needed a container, the demand was becoming more than the glass-blowers could keep up pace in producing. So, they really needed a way to increase the production of these hand-made bottle containers and the glass mold was created.

The evolution of the mold for glass blown bottles started out with only the lower parts of the bottles, so the seam only went over the shoulder (before the neck started) of the bottle. Then as mold-makers became more skilled, they made the molds to complete as much of the bottle as possible. So, the seam kept getting higher and higher on the bottle.

Around 1840 mold-blowing began, as the seam increased half-way up the neck by 1880, the seam goes all the way up the neck by 1900 and then after 1900 mold-makers create a mold that encompasses the whole bottle with the seam running from bottom to top.

The next time you run across some old bottles now you can try to date them!

Here's to a day full of shopping and smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

Collectibles

2009-08-12T14:47:00.002-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community!

I believe that everyone at one time or another in their life collects something.

What do you collect? Do you have your collection on display or do you squirrel it away and only bring it out on special occasions?

Here's to a day full of shopping and smiles!
Your Super Shopper,
Purple Patty

Auctions - Bid or Watch

2009-08-11T11:35:00.004-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community!

So you see something online that you would really like to have or may need for your collection. Do you bid right away or do you watch the item and wait until the last few minutes before the auction closes and place a bid?

There are pros and cons to both approaches. If you bid right away, sometimes that prompts other bidders who bid because they aren't going to let you get it for such a low price. That can sometimes drive the bid up for the people that really want the item. So, don't get caught up in a bidding war 5 days before the item closes.

Keep your cool :-) Place a bid as a marker and see how many people may be interested in the item. On the last couple of days (not minutes) before the item closes, put in your maximum proxy bid. Then let it be what it will be.

If you end up with the "winning" bid, good for you and if you don't, you didn't spend more for the item than you intended. Don't hang around until the final minutes, you can get caught up in a bidding frenzy and end up bidding more than you wanted to "win" the item. It's a great adrenalin rush, but it can turn into an expensive habit.

Did you ever end up bidding more for an item than you intended?

Here's to a day full of shopping and smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

Purple Patty

Monday Morning

2009-08-10T08:08:00.002-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community!

Yes, here we are on another Monday. How do you start your Monday? Making a list for the week. Reviewing the list you made last week and the items that you just couldn't get done? Depending on how exciting or active your weekend turned out to be, you just might be crawling out the front door hoping you won't be late for work.

However your Monday turns out to be this week, take at least 3 minutes at the end of today and only reflect on the thing or things that made you smile or gave you peace of mind. It can help you get through the rest of the week!

As I look out my window this morning and see our freshly mowed grass and blooming flowers, I smile and I am glad my husband and I sweated our "butts" off yesterday to get it done. Sometimes taking pain from a previous day can make the next day much sweeter.

Happy Monday from your Super Shopper,
PurplePatty

Sunday is a Day of Rest...

2009-08-09T18:32:00.000-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community!

Get ready for Monday!

Shipping

2009-08-08T11:42:00.004-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community!

When reviewing an item that you may be interested in bidding on at auction or buying from a web store (purplepatty.com offers both options to buyers and sellers) make sure you check on shipping. Shipping costs can be posted as an absolute amount or not.

When the shipping charges are not stated, sellers want you to contact them. So, don't hesitate to look on the page for the link that says, "Contact Seller" and ask them about shipping charges. This is a great way to develop your relationship with a seller. The way they handle your response may be the reason you purchase or your decision to not complete the business transaction.

Now the reason most sellers don't post shipping charges is the fluctuating pricing that is happening on all fronts. Sometimes as soon as a seller updates shipping charges because of an increase by one of the shippers, another shipper will have changes. That's why some sellers only offer one shipping carrier. Again, if you would like a different shipping carrier, email the seller!

At PurplePatty.com we monitor our sellers, their feedback, and all customer emails. You can shop with confidence at PurplePatty.com. That's a PurplePatty Promise!

Here's to a day full of Shopping and Smiles!

From Your Super Shopper,

PurplePatty!

Every Picture Tells a Story Don't It

2009-08-07T08:04:00.004-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community!

PurplePatty here to share a little bit on the picture front of your auction or store items.

Having a lot of pictures (on PurplePatty.com you get 8 pics for free) can be one thing, but the quality of those pictures are most important. I know, if your selling the item for 99 cents how much attention and time should you invest in the pic?

My suggestion on low priced items is two good pictures. One picture showing the overall item and another to show any maker's marks. A good picture should have soft not too hot lighting and a nice drape (something to block out any other "noise" in the picture) so all the focus is on your item. Most important, if you talk about it in your description you must show it in a picture. So, if you say the item has a maker's mark take a picture to show the mark.

Here's to a day full of shopping and smiles!

From your Super Shopper,

PurplePatty.com

Online Auctions

2009-08-06T12:05:00.002-05:00

Greetings from the PurplePatty.com Community!

This being our first blog on the Great Google Blog community, we would like to say hello to all bloggers that visit and would like to start a daily hint or suggestion that will reference our title for the day. Today's title is Online Auctions and our suggestion for the day is:

When listing auctions stagger auction ending days for items that are similar. If you have several glass items, stagger the auction ending times so that more buyers have more options for purchasing. Not everyone makes purchases only on a Saturday or Sunday. Give it a try and let us know how it works for you.

Until tomorrow, here's to a day full of shopping and smiles!

Administrator

PurplePatty.com