SYMPOSIUM

Surely one of the highlights of the 2009 Symposium was setting an attendance record. While much of the conversation at the Symposium focused on the distressed state of the antiques business, the declining attendance at shows and auctions, and the difficulties of glass and collecting clubs in general in maintaining membership and attendance, we were able to attract the largest crowd to date to our Symposium. Our net club membership increased about 10% in 2009 and in 2010 it is up about 5%. We must be doing something right.

I’m happy to report that our Symposium attendance in 2010 will set another attendance record – that’s two years in a row. If you still want to come, it’s still possible to register though it will cost a bit more. Send in your registration sheet and check as quick as you can and drop me an email (hngseh@aol.com) and let me know the money is on the way. We need to commit our food order to the caterers very soon and we want to make certain that our numbers are as accurate as possible.

The New Bedford Museum of Glass held their Grand Opening this weekend in their new space. Kirk Nelson, the Executive Director of the New Bedford Museum of Glass, will be our opening speaker on Friday morning and he has promised to fill us in on the new space and the Museum’s collections. A nice little surprise addition to the program. We have a couple other surprises in store during the Symposium but you’ll have to wait until the Symposium to learn of those.

Marshall Ketchum, our auction chair, reports that auction items continue to be contributed for the Saturday night auction. Among the items he has received recently are a set of 8317 stems, a VDS 3067 salt, a piece of jewelry fashioned from a shard of Carder Steuben glass and some Steuben ephemera. Contact Marshall at mdketchum@yahoo.com if you have items you wish to contribute to the auction.

Late next week we’ll publish a reminder list for those of you attending the Symposium. Just let me know if there are any questions before then.

Scott Hansen, Symposium Chair

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