The dilemma of Rande Bly of Birmingham, Alabama
This morning I have to ask myself is original price what makes the Ugly Duckling a Swan or is it simply Steuben genetics? Over the last 2 years I have been watching how rare color affects price. We also clearly know how rare shape affects value. What I ask myself today is how original price affects rarity. A very fine piece of Steuben in Colored Transparent Crystal recently found its way through e-bay. It came in the shape number 6332 and was listed as a duck bowl.

When I first saw it I immediately told Susan how rare it really was. The seller had it listed as a rare piece but hey I have often seen that claim placed on a 6030 vase. I told Susan no one else would know how rare this piece really was and prepared her to be the new owner.

I fixed my bid into auction sniper early in the week with confidence. The morning of the final day of the auction I went back and raised my bid driven by a burning desire we have all felt. It was that
uncontrollable feeling that we just had to have it….regardless of the price. Five minutes later I went in and raised my bid again. On my way out the door to work in a final move of desperation I raised my bid for the third time that morning thinking to myself, hey if I am willing to pay that, surely I am willing to pay $25.00 more. Much to my dismay the leading bid was going up as fast as I was raising mine.

This piece is pictured in Bristol Yellow in my Country Life Magazine 1927 color add that hangs directly above my desk therefore justifying my “partial ownership” attitude toward the piece presently for sale. Besides surely I was the only one in the club who had taken the time to pull out my jewelers loop the read the fine print in the late 1920’s Newspaper add in Mr. Dimitroff’s book on page 259 showing the astronomical original price for this piece. My rationalization now was I deserved this piece for my diligence. I could see it in my China cabinet now. French Blue. One of my favorites! Of course, what of the approx. 46 colors in Transparent Colored Crystal wasn’t one of my favorites?

Well one last check to e-bay before walking out the door….a silent teardrop falls to the keyboard. My duck was gone. Double my bid. The original price for this piece was $21.00 and pictured right beside it is the 10″ 6030 Vase for $3.00. An astronomical 7 times the price of the 6030 vase! You have got to be kidding? Why did it cost so much? With a sticker price like this no wonder why this Centerpiece Bowl is so rare today. How many people bought one?

Marshall shows record in 2002 for centerpiece duck bringing $775.00 Another feeling some of you have possibly shared flooded through me as I was grossly overbid. It is bittersweet. At least somebody else really knew in their heart how great this piece actually was. They saw it for the swan it really was. Not the duck bowl it was being called.

Yes, maybe someone else saw the original $21.00 price in that add that portrayed it as a Swan. Then again, maybe there is just no changing Steuben DNA and once a swan always a swan. Maybe the new owner was driven by by the whim just like the original owner……what a darling piece! I think I have just gotta have it….. regardless of the price. Even if it is going to cost me $21.00. Was it called a duck in the original factory records? I am not sure I even want to know the answer to that. I will always see it as the Swan it was advertised
to be in the color add right above my desk.

Everybody have fun at the symposium. I couldn’t come this year and my heart truly breaks that I am missing meeting everyone in person.
Rande Bly

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