The Cambridge Glass Company began operation in 1901 in Cambridge, Ohio. Until the 1920′s the company producedcrystal dinnerware and well designed accessory pieces. Several different designs or patterns were etched into the glassware. In the 1920′s the company introduced colored dinnerware which became very popular in the American dinnerware market. Always maintaining a high standards of quality and elegance, the company produced many lines that became bestsellers. Through the 1920′s and 30′s the Cambridge Glass Company as the largest manufacturer of this type of glassware in the world. The company stopped production and closed its doors in 1958. Of the various marks the company used; the “C in the triangle” is their most familiar and most sought after by todays collector.
Cambridge Glass
August 2nd, 2010Star of the North Antique/Collectable Show
June 21st, 2010Odds & Ends Ent. will be exhibiting at the Star of the North Antique/Collectable Show on June 25 – 26, 2010 at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, Education Building, 1265 North Snelling Ave., St. Paul, MN. If you are in the area please stop by for a visit. We will be displaying Russian Collectables, including Matryoshka’s (Nesting Dolls), Lomonosov Porcelain, Lacquer Boxes, Icons as well as R.S. Prussia, handpainted china and silverplate.
Anoka, MN Show
June 15th, 2010Approximately 100 dealers exhibited at the Anoka, MN Antique/ Collectable Show & Flea Market. Things were going pretty well when the rtain came and put everything to a halt. We did well enough to try it again next year if we head up this way again.
Memorial Day Weekend at Traders Market
May 23rd, 2010Odds and Ends Ent. would like to invite you to Minnesota’s largest Memorial Day Antique/Collectable Show & Flea Market May 29 – 31 @ Traders Market in Elko, MN. Only 20 minutes south of Minneapolis/St. Paul (35W (South) & County Rd. 2 (Elko/New Maket) exit #76. Hours: Saturday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Monday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Stop by andand see us if you are in the area.
Olmsted County Gold Rush Antique Show/Flea Market
May 5th, 2010Odds & Ends Ent. will be exhibiting at the Origianl Olmsted County Gold Rush Antique Show & Flea Market on May 8 – 9. Show hours are Saturday 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. We will be in Graham East (building #2) in booths 3 & 4. They have 11 buildings plus outsaide vendors selling all kinds of treasures. Stop by and see us if you are in the area.
Moorcroft Pottery
May 2nd, 2010
Anemone Plate
Moorcroft Pottery is made in Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire, England in the original factory that it has been in for over 100 years. The factory was started by William Moorcroft (1872-1945) whose name first appeared in the pottery market in 1897. William Moorcroft started out producing potteryt of his own style and techniques for James Macintyre & Co. where his name gained international recognition. But when Macintyre wanted to stop production of ornamental pottery within his company, Moorcroft sought out and recieved financial backing to start his own company. William Moorcroft’s pottery first came to the United States in 1904 and has been collected here ever since. In 1929 Queen Mary, who had been collecting his pottery, made him “Potter to the Queen” and the pottery was so stamped up until 1949.
Today, the artists who carry on the Moorcroft tradition us the same techniques that originally defined Moorcroft. Different shapes of pottery are created by hand and then a mould is made of the original so that copies can be made. Once a pot is removed from the mould the piece is hand-turned on a potters lathe to ensure a perfectly smooth and even surface. Directly onto the shapes of the unfired pottery the artist lays out his design in full round (ie. the designs are created specifically for the unique shape of the piece). The designs are then traced from the master sheet onto the pot. Just as William did back then, todays artists use a small squeeze bottlew and trace over their pattern lines with liquid clay in a process called tube-lining. These raised lines give the piece a lovely surface texture. olored glazws are hand-painted onto the piece which is then fired. After the initial firing the piece is dipped into a special clear glaze which, after a second firing, brings out the richness of the colors and gives the whole piece an amazing glass-like sheen.
Each piece has different stamps and markings on the bottom which tell who the designer was, the year of the design, the year the piece was made, who the tube-liner was, who paintedit and also the Moorcroft stamp and if it is a limited edition.
Gold Rush Antique Show & Flea Market
May 1st, 2010Odds and Ends Enterprises would like to invite you to visit us at the Original Olmsted County Gold Rush Days Antique/Flea Market May 8-9 at the Fairgrounds in Rochester, Minnesota. Hours: Friday 8 a.m. – 7 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Hope to see you there!
Art Nouveau
April 30th, 2010The term Art Nouveau comes from the famous”L’Art Nouveau” shop in the Rue de Provence in Paris, France. This “New Art” spread across the European continent and arrived in the United States in time to add its unique artistic elements and asymetrical ornamentations t0 the ostentatious remains of the Rococo revival of the 1800s. The Art Nouveau style appeared in every facet of decorative art. In glassware Tiffany turneed the Art Nouveau concept into a commercial success that lasted well into the 20th century and created a style that inspired other American artists and designers for decades. Furniture, Lamps, Bronzes, jewelry and even automobiles were designed within the realms of its dictates. There are many wonderful examples of Art Nouveau available today’s collector allowing them to choose one or more areas that may hold special interest.
Russian Hohloma (or Khokholma) Ware
April 26th, 2010
Khokhloma Spoons
The artisans in Khokholma in the Volga region of Russia have a long tradition of creating striking lacquer ware, with red and black designs on wooden utensils. The “gold” basecoat is not real gold but the ingenious invention of the Russian craftsmen. To achieve the gold effect on the wood is not an easy task. First, the unpainted articles are primed and coated with a drying oil. Next the pieces are polished with powered aluminium (powered tin was used in the past). The “silvered” wares are then painted with heat-resistant oil colors, varnished and fired in kilns. The heat turns the varnish yellow, the aluminium into “gold” and mellows the design with an even golden tone. Primarily decorative objects the motifs of Khokholma paintings are simple, consisting of floral and geometrical patterns. This wonderful Russian decorated craft dates back to the 17th century. Modern Khokhloma factories contain laboratories where artists can work on extending the range of their popular products such as folding nursery tables, vases, decorative panels, and other items. Today Khokhloma pieces are refined and have a richer and more sophisticated coloring. Artists have mastered every technique to create varied designs in vibrant colors giving every piece of Khokhloma its unique elegance.
Collectable Fans
April 23rd, 2010The Japanese are credited with inventing the fan. From there the fan found its way to China, and Portuguese traders took the idea to Europe. The fan is usually considered a lady’s accessory, the gentlemen of 17th century England carried fans! Usually more fashionable than practical, some fans were made of feathers as well as handpainted silks with carved ivory or tortoise shell sticks. Fans were made for all occasions including mourning fans, matrimonial fans, calendar fans and advertising fans. Antique fans from the 18th century with ivory or mother-of pearl sticks are some of the most desirable to collectors.