Clearwater Depression-era glass club shares its passion with weekend show

CLEARWATER

Chances are you've inherited some colored glass in some fanciful patterns along the way.

You're not sure how old it is, how much it's worth or where it came from.

Do you toss it or add it to your collection?

This weekend's vintage glass show could provide some answers.

The Sparkling Clearwater Depression Glass Club is hosting its 31st annual show and sale at the Harborview Center.

Twenty-five dealers from around the nation will offer thousands of pieces of American-made glass, including some from the 1880s, the Depression era, and the '40s, '50s and '60s.

Collections include carnival glass (translucent, iridescent glass), elegant glass (sold in upscale stores), Depression glass (given away as premiums in the '20s and '30s), china and pottery.

In addition to dinnerware, visitors will find decorative pieces such as baskets, perfume bottles, decanters and punch bowls — even a cocktail shaker in the shape of a lady's leg. Antique and collectible reference books also will be for sale.

"It's the biggest and best show in Florida," said Tom Campbell, show chairman. "We'll have between 25,000 to 50,000 pieces for sale. It's always a very well-attended event and has held up extremely well, even during the economic downturn."

The Sparkling Clearwater Depression Glass Club has held its show at the Harborview Center for 11 years, and this will be the last one there. The city of Clearwater, which subsidizes the building to the tune of $350,000 a year, plans to close it in March.

For Campbell, it's, well, depressing.

"There's nothing like the Harborview Center, and I don't understand why Clearwater wants to close it."

He's not sure where the club will hold future shows.

By day, Campbell, 61, is a technology project leader for the city of Tampa.

By night, he's a glass guru.

He and his wife, Becki, residents of Safety Harbor, have amassed a collection of about 7,000 pieces of vintage glass that they keep stored in 1,500 banana boxes in three storage units. He has hundreds of books on the subject, too, and swears one day he's going to organize them alphabetically.

"Glass is my vice," he said. "It's not about the money. The fun is in the research. We enjoy the hunt, learning about the background and selling it to someone who really appreciates buying it."

Campbell, who will have a booth at the show, said visitors are encouraged to bring pictures and an inventory of pieces they own.

"We'll give them a free appraisal and identification," he said.

They can also chat with the dealers to learn more about the varieties of American glass, along with their value.

"Generally, the rarer the color and design and the better the condition, the greater the price," Campbell said.

Depression glass was mass produced primarily during the Great Depression.

Smaller pieces — cups and saucers and such — were often stuffed in soap detergent boxes or given away at movie theaters and gas stations.

It was a way for a housewife to have something new, beautiful and colorful for the home, when times were tough.

Now it's highly collectible.

"Generally, Depression pieces go from $5 to $15 apiece, but if you have a dinner plate that required collecting coupons and may be more scarce, it may go for $30," he said.

Some items can fetch much more.

"I have an ad from a seed catalog company from the 1930s," Campbell said. "If you sold 40, 10-cent packages for them, they'd give you a 122-piece glass dinnerware set.

"Today that set is worth thousands."