First, for those on this e-mail list who are members of the Club, you should have received by e-mail a membership list. In the process of adjusting the e-mail list for this, some members may have been missed. So, if you’re a member and didn’t get a membership list, please let me know.
Next, I had an interesting conversation with Audrey Lipton of Manhattan. Audrey said that we
need to position ourselves differently if we hope to be recognized by the art market. As part of the discussion she said she doesn’t like to belong to collector clubs. When I asked why, she said they diminish credibility as an art form. There are all kinds of clubs. Clubs for beanie babies, toys, and everything imaginable. Most of these collectibles, while proper collectibles, aren’t an art form. They’re just collector cards, or dolls or whatever. Nothing wrong with that, but it isn’t an art form. If we want displays or recognition by museums and other art magazines or galleries we need to present ourselves as something more exclusive or special than merely another collectible club. I thought this was a most interesting and insightful perspective. I hope I have properly relayed Audrey’s thoughts. I can vouch for the difficulty in getting attention from art magazines and museums. It’s not the product, which is of the finest of art forms in the glass world.
Perhaps we shouldn’t call ourselves a club, but rather a society. I’d like comments and perhaps it addresses something we should take up at our next members meeting.

I’ll be sending out several more e-mails. The philosophy of what we’re collecting and why has stirred a tremendous amount of comment from a substantial number of people. So, here comes some more.

First from Jo Ann Godawa
I don’t think the word “club,” per say, connotates a lesser degree of sophistication re
the level of quality when it is, in fact, a club that meets to discuss a specific area of
collecting. However, I do agree that the name could use spiffing up a notch!
“Society” seems rather snobbish. Why not call it a group, discussion group or study
group, or even an association? Personally, I like association.

From Joan Walter with emphasis on purpose:
Hi, Alan — I am a former Treasurer and Board Member (and current member) of the International Perfume Bottle Association — which has around 900 members worldwide when I last had to count. Jay Kaplan is the current President and Board Chair, and Bonnie Salzman is a former Convention Chair and Board Member. The “IPBA” does avoid the term collecting club and has a mission statement that emphasizes raising awareness of and educating people about perfume, cologne and scent bottles and presentations for both men’s and women’s fragrances (or something like that — I don’t have the by-laws close at hand).

Gerry Eggert observes:
Alan,
Audrey has a point. Art is not the same as collecting. Art is art!
We have our affiliation with CMOG. Maybe we can lean on this more. For example, “Steuben
Collectors Society, affiliated with the CMOG”.
See what others think!

And, Viviene Richard simply states:
I agree.

Miriam Paul responds:
Alan,
What a wonderful idea. The name “Society” brings much more to the surface than “club.” It is something that the club as whole ought to consider and take it to a vote. Just my 2 cents.

From John Clayton–
Alan,
I was very moved by your interest in what makes a club “tick,” so I thought I would share some free professional consulting. As I may have mentioned, I spent the better part of the last 10 years of my life as VP of Strategy for Brierley & Partners, the nation’s largest Relationship Management agency. In that role, I managed the formation of, and communications for, many for-profit clubs, including:
Walt Disney Collector’s Society: $400+ price point, limited edition collectibles; 25,000
members.
United Airlines Red Carpet Club: Membership club for frequent travelers; 400,000+
members.
Neiman-Marcus In-Circle Club: Frequent buyers of NM who spending exceeds $2,000/yr.; 100,000+ active members
Norwegian Cruise Lines Latitudes: Frequent cruisers with a minimum of 2 cruises per year
on average (average customer, though, had 10 cruises+)
Audrey has voiced the kinds of concerns that often come up in qualitative (focus group) research. To understand what makes a club successful, one has to parse out the component parts:
The club has to have a mission that all members understand, communicate to the outside, and
promote (e.g.,” To promote the artistic and investment value of Carder Steuben glass.”)
The club needs to have multiple communications vehicles. In this day and age, online is key to a successful club, but that does not mean having a static website. It means organizing online chat, buyers’ forums, online appraisals, etc.
I edited and sold a subscription newsletter for collectors of Liberty & Co. Arts & Crafts
Silver & Pewter designed by Archibald Knox (Knox and Carder, by the way, are known to
have met and had many mutual acquaintances). For upscale items like silver and glass,
excellent (not just good) photography is key, which is why I hired a professional
photographer who had experience in tabletop photography (the correct technical term for
photo shoots involving still objects). Examples of the Knox Newsletter can be found at:
www.perezworks.com/redmacaw/phl
www.perezworks.com/redmacaw/teapot
One person cannot do all the work and have the club succeed; it needs to be a living entity
where multiple people are actively involved week in and week out so that buzz is created and
there is a “reason for being.” Members of the club need to feel responsibility and ownership for it. The club needs some PR, it needs to be recognized, and it needs to constantly refresh itself.
This can be achieved through frequency of meetings (online and offline), communications
(individual and group; online and offline) and introduction of new members who have a desire to actively participate.
Many successful clubs have annual awards that give them “permission” to obtain the PR
they desire. A club benefits by having members with a specific skill set who are willing to extend themselves to all other members for the purposes of (1) learning more about the subject matter, (2) acquiring the items advanced by the club and (3) finding new members who have a similar level of commitment. One of the finest examples of such a club is the one I am actively involved with, the California Art Club, a 100-year old club of plein air artists who advance their craft (“realistic” art painted on-site outdoors, for a simple explanation). Their website can be viewed at www.californiaartclub.org
If anyone of our members would like to speak with the California Art Club’s chief “mover &
shaker,” Elaine Adams, I can arrange an interview.
In summary, I believe we have what it takes to make a great club, but we need to have an open discussion, pull down silos and become active.
Perhaps this email will help start a dialogue on the topic of what our club stands for and why we all should want to be active members.

Other input from Gary Volz:
I think there is merit to this idea. Tina & I are past-presidents of The American Art Society of Cincinnati, an organization of about 130 members, based here in Cincinnati, focused on appreciation and scholarship surrounding American art, paintings and sculpture. This organization is similar to the Carder Steuben Club in many ways. However, the “acquisition” aspect is secondary to the appreciation and scholarship. In fact, commercial activities are not endorsed by the Society, as a way of remaining neutral. That said, there is always a certain amount of “commerce” among members and dealers who are members, but on their own.
This group is quite well recognized among local and regional museums, and national magazines have been interested in its activities.

From Bonnie Salzman:
I belong to several “collecting clubs” as I am sure many of us do. They are called many things – some are even organized as formal “associations” designated as 501(c)(3) organizations. But the bottom line is – they all serve a purpose, and that is, to allow people who love something with such passion as to want to get together and share information, educate others, and simply enjoy what they are collecting. This connection and involvement is contagious – and is what brings more members to the club.
Call it what you will – but it is, and I hope will always be, a collecting club, and while I think that it’s very special, I certainly hope that we will never become exclusive to please the art world. I hope that we will welcome anyone who has an interest in art glass, and wants to learn more about it and the man who made it all. That’s why I joined; that is why I collect.
Perhaps a review of the club’s mission statement, articles and bylaws (do we even have those?), and some establishment of club goals might be a better starting point rather than just a name change.

Tom Dimitroff brings another point of view:
This brings to mind Abraham Lincoln’s comment, “You can call a sheep’s tail a leg, but a sheep still has only four legs.

And, an addition from John Clayton
Please, please, please let go of this very tactical (e.g., dirt under the trees in the forest) issue of whether you call it a “club” or “society.” That does not matter for now. What matters are the big issues I surfaced in my email.
The only sensible reason to move from “club” to “society” would be as part of a bigger transformation of the existing club into a living, holistic entity. When you have that transformation plan in place and are ready to re-launch, then change the name. Changing the name now would just be cosmetic and would not make a difference.

Well, I’ve been inundated with comments. Lots of exchange of great ideas.
Having trouble finding time to begin sharing them. I thought since we haven’t
changed our name that I should revert to our proper name. While not everyone
likes some of these ideas, in general, there is a lot of affirming that perhaps a
change or adjustment from looking like a collectors club of stuff to something
more may be a good idea. Anyhow, I’ll begin sending some of these out. Also,
since our purposes have been brought into issue by these comments, I’m
including that as well.
The objective of the Club are to provide a structure within which collectors, scholars,
dealers, and friends can work to encourage, publicize and promote the enjoyment,
collecting and researching the history and artistry of the glass of Frederick Carder at
Steuben. The efforts of the Club will be aimed at maintaining and developing programs
related to publicly displayed Carder Steuben collections wherever located.

From Reyne Haines:
I agree. I think a title like Steuben Glass Society, Friends of Frederick
Carder, or something a little more “uppity” if you will might get more
attention from the magazines, museums, etc that you are looking for.

Dick Stark responds:
I don’t know Audrey but she so aptly articulated my sentiments which as
you recall, we had a go around. I have never been a member of anything in
my community despite being considered somewhat of an authority and my
collection used at gatherings.

And, from Dean Six, another point of view:
My activities in the somewhat rarified world of Silver in the past 2 plus years
has given me insights into the culture that defines Their Interest as other than
a collectable. I suggest issue with collectable versus Art is a function of elitism and while it may play well in the NYC gallery scene it – if championed to any degree- lit oozes
interested potential collectors (which is what we/you) seek in Peoria, Memphis or
WV!? In Silver we loosely define those at the Top of the realm as the Bow-tie
crowd- a few, well heeled, and vocal. They indeed haunt a world of galleries,
lectures in NYC and jet about. But NO museums/, NO club, NO society can
survive on their few dozen numbers.
I see NOTHING wrong with being a Society- I was VP of the National Early
American Glass Club when we invested TWO YEARS in the decision to drop the
word Early from out then 70 year old name. It caused hard feelings but has had
little other impact, positive or negative.
The name may have impact- but it will be marginal. IT IS WHAT YOU DO that
defines how you are treated and what attention you garner