Well, I did it again in 2000. While the Grand
Prize award went to a very deserving Brad and Sarah
(see below), I did manage to eek out a second
Gold Award to go with my pitcher from 1999.
Two down and only six to go for a 'real'
collection of those! LOL!
Dave Conley (HLC), Reggie Blaszczyk (Conference
speaker and researcher/writer extrodinaire), yours truly...
Yes, I didn't notice it
until after I returned that it IS the same shirt I'm wearing as in 1999.
Exhibit Title:
“Decorated
Toilet, Tea, and Dinner Ware” - Mugs, Brushes, and the Unusual
Program description:
Diversity reigns
supreme in Victorian America! An assortment of early HLC shaving mugs,
toothbrush holders,
and unusual pieces showcasing a by-gone lifestyle.
My exhibit this year was based on the general
theme of "Victorian America" and especially the late-Victorian period in
the United States from approximately 1875 - 1915. While most historians
close the Victorian era with the death of Queen Victoria in 1901,
the influences last for nearly two decades
longer. I exhibited a selection consisting primarily of Homer Laughlin
shaving
mugs and toothbrush holders (over 50 total)
along with selected pitchers, nut dishes, and other "early" Homer pieces.
Of note were examples from the Victor line
- Laughlin's earliest from the late 1870s to around 1890. Other lines
represented included Mingo, Wyoming, Bridal,
Golden Gate, American Beauty, "Perfection" (marketed through Butler
Brothers), Superba, Duchess, Cable, The
Angelus, Colonial, Catalina, and a number of scarce and unusual
unidentified/unnamed shapes. Overall, 72
different items and even a few period shaving brushes and a straight razor
shown for good measure. The display
unit is actually two halves that I designed and built specifically for
the exhibit.
They are finished in authentic Victorian
deep umber color. Each item had it's own descriptive sign
(in individual acrylic holders) with a title
and dating information.
