Hi Alan,

As long as we are on the subject of Frank and Mary Elizabeth Reifschlager, I would to contribute an interesting tale from my glass collecting days.

After moving from Corning to Winter Park, Florida to work at the Morse Museum of American Art, I continued to attend numerous “local” auctions to see what might be available in art glass. I ventured to Lakeland, Florida one Saturday where an auction was going to take place at a Holiday Inn. While I was waiting for the auction to commence, I struck up a conversation with the couple seated behind me. After a few moments of verbal “Art Glassing” the gentleman introduced himself and his wife as the Reifschlagers from Texas. As the conversation about Tiffany, Steuben, the Rockwell’s, and museums continued, Frank produced a rather large pile of photographs of their collection highlights which he kindly shared. Needless to say, I was somewhat speechless at the extent of their collection. They were attending the auction solely to pass the time, while I was after a Steuben Art Glass shade which I acquired. However, the real treat of the day was making friends of two very lovely people.

Cheers,

David P. Donaldson, MFA