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| Version | User | Scope of changes |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 19 2007, 11:37 AM EDT (current) | kjacobso | |
| Jun 19 2007, 11:37 AM EDT | kjacobso | 231 words added |
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A common enthusiasm for milk glass binds together the members of the National Milk Glass Collectors Society (www.nmgcs.org). The opaque white material that has been molded into a thousand decorative shapes was first produced in Europe. The milky color is usually produced by adding tin oxide to the molten mix. Milk glass was promoted by 19th-century German and English manufacturers as a perfect substitute for more expensive porcelain. By the 1870s, American milk glass firms were supplying the domestic market with plates, bottles, and serving dishes in a variety of inventive shapes. Among the foremost producers were Atterbury & Company, Challinor, Taylor & Company, and Westmoreland Glass Company, all of Pennsylvania.
The 700 members of the Milk Glass Society keep in touch through an illustrated quarterly, Opaque News, which offers articles on milk glass forms and manufacturers and free classified ads. At the group’s annual meeting, members trade ideas and socialize. A highlight is the auction of about 300 lots of milk glass consigned by members. The night before the auction, bidders gather at a preview exhibit to examine and discuss the items. Other activities include lectures and an identification session in which experts ponder puzzling objects. Each year the society issues a commemorative piece, which members can buy at the convention or by mail. These pieces have become quite collectible, and some of the oldest are no longer available.
The 700 members of the Milk Glass Society keep in touch through an illustrated quarterly, Opaque News, which offers articles on milk glass forms and manufacturers and free classified ads. At the group’s annual meeting, members trade ideas and socialize. A highlight is the auction of about 300 lots of milk glass consigned by members. The night before the auction, bidders gather at a preview exhibit to examine and discuss the items. Other activities include lectures and an identification session in which experts ponder puzzling objects. Each year the society issues a commemorative piece, which members can buy at the convention or by mail. These pieces have become quite collectible, and some of the oldest are no longer available.
