I’ll never forget the first depression glass show I attended. It was back when the Dearborn Civic Center was undergoing a transformation to become The Ford Community & Performing Arts Center. For those couple years, The Michigan Depression Glass Society held their show at the Southfield Pavilion.
I was in high school when I started gaining interest in depression glass after remembering my grandmother using her pink dishes to serve lunch to me. When I learned about the depression glass show, I thought it would be interesting to see what other patterns and colors were out there. I expected to enter a room with assorted glassware laying flat on tables. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I entered the showroom and saw shelves and risers that allowed for stacks of glassware three feet above the table top!
As I started to look around my first depression glass show, I was amazed at the variety of shapes, patterns and colors of dishes. There were hundreds of patterns to choose from and every color in the rainbow. It honestly was too much to take in, which is why I didn’t purchase anything that day, but it was definitely an experience to remember.
I encourage anyone who has never been to a depression glass show to attend one! Even if you don’t plan on starting a collection, the way the room glows with color is worth the minimal price of admission. And for collectors, a glass show offers an excellent opportunity to expand a collection, or start a new one. No antique mall in America can provide the selection you’ll find at a show. And unlike eBay, you can inspect the glass firsthand to make SURE there is no damage, and you don’t have to worry about anything breaking in-transit.
Ten years later, I still look forward to the Michigan Depression Glass Society’s annual show and sale with giddy anticipation. As soon as the cooler temperatures of fall come around, I know it is only a matter of months before I can see the sparkle from thousands of pieces that glisten in the naturally lit ballroom. I hope you’ll join me this year and experience first hand the magic of a depression glass show!
~ Jonathan Fuhrman