Members of the Mid-Atlantic and Carolinas Chapters of the American Cut Glass Association Meet at Ferrum College
For immediate release:
November 18, 2008
November 18, 2008
Contact: Natalie Faunce, (540) 365-4301
nfaunce@ferrum.edu
nfaunce@ferrum.edu
It was a meeting full of "firsts" for members of the Mid-Atlantic and Carolinas Chapters of the American Cut Glass Association. About 40 members gathered on the Ferrum College campus recently for a first ever joint chapter meeting. Professor of Mathematics and Curator of the Giesen Gallery of American Brilliant Cut Glass, Tony Giesen, arranged for the joint meeting to be held on campus for members to view his cut glass collection that is on display at Franklin Hall.Giesen's collection, amassed over a 50-year period, includes a number of select rarities and represents examples of the world-renowned artistry of the "American Brilliant" period, circa 1876-1916. Many of the nearly 300-pieces in the collection are complete with the maker's signature, adding to the overall value. Representative pieces of the total collection are continually rotated for this exhibit. Among higher education institutions, only Texas A&M has a similar collection on display. "Pictures don't do them justice; it's something you have to see up close to really appreciate," explains Giesen. "I wanted these collectors to come see this exhibit because I knew many of them would see pieces here that they, themselves, have never been able to find."
Members of both chapters not only toured the collection but the college campus as well. Many have said they had heard about Ferrum, but had never visited and were extremely impressed with the campus.
During a special luncheon held inside the Blue Ridge Mountain Room for the group, members heard from guest speaker, Tom Duncan, who has been a cut glass appraiser, collector and dealer for 45 years. Duncan spoke about rainbow glass, which is extremely rare, and had a piece on display that members could see for themselves.
One of the highlights of the meeting was when Ms. Susan Dunlap presented a very special gift to the college and the Giesen Gallery. Her gift, a signed Libbey punchbowl complete with matching cups and ladel in the spillane pattern, was presented during the luncheon and will add yet another rare and exquisite piece to the exhibit. Ms. Dunlap says she was given the piece from her grandmother who received it around 1907 as a wedding gift. She held onto it through the years, even during the depression when she could have sold it to make money. Because this piece was so dear to her grandmother, Ms. Dunlap wanted to make sure it got a good home, and donated it to the College. It is now on display in the Gallery with a presentation card.
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About Ferrum College
Ferrum College is a four-year, private, co-educational, liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Ferrum offers a choice of nationally recognized bachelor’s degree programs at a cost well below the national average for private colleges.
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