Category: Sea and Beach Glass

Genuine, Artificial and Altered Sea Glass

nasgawebsite3 Comments

“When any true item becomes of value, a faux or artificial product is not far behind.” –Mary Beth Beuke “Genuine Vs. Artificial Sea Glass: Why It’s Important

It is the mission of the North American Sea Glass Association (NASGA) to educate collectors and consumers about pure, natural sea glass. NASGA requires that its Professional members “leave sea glass in its natural state and do not create imitation sea glass; meaning that the sea glass will not be altered by, acid etching, sand blasting, tumbling, or by any other means so as to artificially replicate genuine sea glass.” This article is provided to provide information to consumers in order to help identify some of the differences between genuine, imitation and altered sea glass.

At the North American Sea Glass Festival and certain other festivals where noted, only genuine sea glass is allowed. At some events, craft glass and other altered sea glass is used and it is up to the consumer to determine what they’re buying.  NASGA feels our Professional member artists who create only using genuine glass can’t compete with those using those much less expensive materials. Ideally, as long as vendors at various regional sea glass and coastal festivals don’t label their items “pure,” “genuine,” or “wave-tumbled” sea glass it’s not a huge problem because essentially they can use any materials they want. But consumers should know what they’re buying. Sometimes it can be easy for people to tell the difference between real or tumbled glass, and sometimes it can’t, especially online.

The number in manufacturers of artificial sea glass has grown in recent years as demand for pure sea glass has increased and its supply has dwindled. Beaches are overpicked, with more and more people hunting for sea glass. Entire businesses have been created in which “sea glass” is being created nowhere near the sea by savvy individuals with a good working knowledge of what real sea glass should look like. Some of the manufacturers of eco-friendly or “green” glass very clearly label their product this way and make it clear to consumers that what’s being purchased is not glass from the sea, and some do not.

Many producers trying to pass off non-genuine sea glass as real go to a great deal of trouble to make the counterfeits look natural. Unlike the rock tumblers of the past that made fake glass easier to spot, they’re using advanced tumbling, sandblasting and acid-washing processes that give glass a similar appearance to real sea glass, and buyers think if they see the “c” marks and white-coated “frosting” layer on glass, it must be real, and this isn’t always the case. Sometimes manufacturers purchase vintage glass (including marbles, perfume stoppers or figurines) from antique stores or other venues and put the glass into cement mixers or even cages in the ocean and let it tumble around for a period of time, then sell it online in Facebook groups, Etsy shops and on eBay as real sea glass.

Feeling the glass in your hand is often the best way to tell real from fake because textural differences in the surface make the consistency of genuine sea glass in your hand nearly impossible for a machine to reproduce. The depth of the pitting in the surface of genuine glass is something that goes nearly to the center of the glass that historically spent time in the body of water; while in a tumbled piece, only the surface has been made smooth, leaving a shallower appearance to the glass. Real hydration over time in a natural body of water in random wave patterns will always leave a different finish on a piece of glass than anything a machine or artificial process can produce.

Unfortunately, people are spending a lot of money on fake sea glass at shows, in shops and online every day and may not know the item they have purchased is not genuine sea glass. Here are some things to consider.

Signs the “sea glass” you’re buying might be fake:

  1. Does the seller keep selling similar batches of the same rare styles and colors and shapes of glass over long periods of time with hundreds of sales? No beach in the world produces endless hundreds of pounds of rare colors in repeated jewelry quality perfect shapes and sizes.
  2. How trustworthy is the seller? Did they beachcomb the glass themselves or purchase it from another party? Do you know them personally? The sea glass community is small enough that if you want to buy, often someone can point you in the right direction (whether it’s a Facebook group or reputable eBay seller known by a friend) without having to buy from complete strangers. Only buy from people you trust. This is simply the best way to know you are buying genuine glass. Reviews on eBay and Etsy are not always the best way to get information, since people have been buying fake glass and not knowing it for a long time from many sellers.
  3. If you’ve bought a piece you suspect is fake, does it feel unusually smooth compared to other pieces in your collection? Sea glass often has a rougher texture to it after tumbling in the ocean. Fake glass is more likely to have an odd perfect satiny sheen on it. However, this can often depend on which beach it comes from as sea glass surfaces depend on ph levels in the body of water. For example, sea glass from different parts of the world can have a more satiny sheen. There is still a difference between the finish in the glass from these beaches and the glass a machine tumbler produces- the main clue being the similarity in shape and size and color across batches. So texture can be one clue to determine genuine glass, but is not always the best one since some beaches do produce silkier glass. If you hold a handful of genuine glass in one hand and a handful of tumbler glass in the other, you can feel the difference in a very clear way. At NASGA’s annual show, educational samples showing the difference between genuine and manufactured glass are available to help you learn the difference.
  4. Another way to spot sea glass that’s been in a tumbler is tiny diamond “glints” on the surface. If you turn the piece in your hand, often the tiny “cuts” will catch the light and will reflect in a diamond-like glinting fashion that pure sea glass generally does not. (This feature can be found on genuine sea glass sporadically because of the way it broke in the surf, but if you are holding a handful of fake glass, you can find these glints consistently across the pieces).
  5. It is very difficult to tell genuine from fake glass, especially in photos. Knowing your seller (and whether they have beachcombed the glass themselves or know exactly who did) is key! Keep in mind that when you buy sea glass from North American Sea Glass Association members, you can be certain they are required to sell only genuine sea glass, so ask if the seller is a member of NASGA.

In addition to manufactured fake glass, other methods are used to alter sea glass from its original form. Some are allowed by NASGA as part of our Professional memberships and some are not. For example, the drilling of sea glass in order to create a jewelry piece is not restricted, because this method is used by the artist in order to create the piece of jewelry and it is also clear to the consumer that a hole has been drilled, so no effort to cover up the alteration has been made. Similarly, some artists paint on top of the surface of sea glass in an artistic manner. For example, artistic renderings of sea life are depicted on the top of a piece of white sea glass. This is also allowed since the alteration of the sea glass is clear to the consumer purchasing the art piece.

Glass that has been altered using paint or coloring added to create the illusion of color. Can be genuine or tumbled glass, either way, it is not genuine authentic unaltered sea glass.

A newer method of altering sea glass called “colorization” has entered the industry in which sea glass is permanently altered using a chemical process from the backside of a piece of white sea glass (see photo on the left), which is then placed into a bezel setting and sold as genuine sea glass. Also “staining” (see two photos on the right) sea glass is taking place where the color of white sea glass is changed in a dyeing process. It is the opinion of NASGA that since the color is being presented to the consumer as an “illusion” this violates our guideline that Professional members should “leave sea glass in its natural state and not create imitation sea glass”and that “sea glass will not be altered by …any other means so as to artificially replicate genuine sea glass.”  These artificially created colors have the potential to confuse consumers both at sea glass shows and online since in a bezel setting or (with staining) even loose, individuals cannot tell the difference between genuine and artificial colors, especially when natural sea glass colors are being replicated.

It is the opinion of NASGA that sale of colorized sea glass undermines sale of genuine rare and common sea glass colors by artisans and sea glass hunters who obtain these colors in natural bodies of water and that this glass should not be labeled “genuine” since it has been permanently, irreversibly altered and therefore does not represent genuine colors found in glassmaking history.

Beer and sea glass bottles in Wilmington, Delaware

nasgawebsiteLeave a comment

The 12th Annual North American Sea Glass Festival will be held on Saturday, September 23, 2017  and Sunday, September 24, 2017 at the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington, Delaware along the revitalized Christana River waterfront.     Wilmington is a city in Delaware on the Christina and Delaware rivers. Downtown’s early-20th-century DuPont Building is part of the local DuPont family legacy, which is also evidenced at the Hagley Museum. Those grounds include the 1802 DuPont gunpowder works and the family’s Georgian-style home. The Old Swedes Church, between the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, is from 1698.  European settlement had begun with the arrival of the Swedes and Dutch in the 1630’s and were the first European settlers in the Delaware Valley.

This year the North American Sea Glass Festival is excited to take place in one of the first locations in the United States to brew and bottle beer.  Why is this fun fact relevant to our festival?   Because as all sea glass collectors know, beer bottles and their colors, clear (white), amber and green are still plentiful to find and still makes sea glass collectors happy to find, even if they are considered sea glass common colors.

Here’s some interesting information and excerpts from Delaware Beer History about the history of beer (and bottling!!) in Wilmington, Delaware.

“Brewing began in Delaware with the arrival of the first sizeable European settlement.  Shortly after establishing a trading fort, Fort Christina, at present day Wilmington in late March 1638, Swedish and Finnish settlers immediately began making preparations to grow barley and locate hops for brewing beer.  Beer was a staple of the European diet in the 17th century, as it was recognized as the healthful alternative to drinking water.  Back in their native homelands, water supplies were often polluted and unsafe for drinking.  Of course, they had not yet discovered that boiling  during the brewing process killed bacteria.  Ale was consumed throughout the day by men, women and children, though the latter two groups tended to be served drink with a lower alcohol content.”

Bavarian-Luxburger label (John Medkeff collection)

Skip ahead a few hundred years and prohibition stopped beer operations in America.  However, one of Delaware’s beer pioneers, Carl H. Eisenmenger maintained ownership of Wilmington’s Bavarian Brewery at 5th & DuPont Streets.   “Eisenmenger, who understood that Prohibition would likely soon be a reality, had began brewing a ‘near beer’ cereal beverage as early as 1918.  In 1919, the Bavarian Brewing Company officially changed its name to the Peninsula Products Company, Inc.  The company continued with its Quex ‘near beer’ product and added a line of soft drinks.  After an initial surge in business, the venture ultimately failed and, in 1925, Peninsula closed its doors for good.   Eisenmenger, who maintained ownership of the 5th & DuPont property, rented the complex to other soft drink companies and businesses.  He temporarily withdrew from the beverage industry but would return again to revive brewing operations after repeal of the 18th Amendment.

When Repeal came in April 1933, Eisenmenger immediately formed a stock company and began working on plans to revive the brewing business.   Delaware granted Bavarian-Luxburger the state’s first post-Prohibition brewery license on September 1933.  After securing a Federal brewing license a few weeks later,  the company began production.  On November 27, the first cases of bottled Bavarian Beer finally left the plant.”

Read more Delaware Beer History here>

After the North American Sea Glass Festival, meander along the Christina waterfront to find modern day craft brewers to quench your thirst, such as Iron Hill Brewery, located a short walk from the Chase Center on the Riverfront.

View a map of the Wilmington Riverfront here>

Hartmann and Fehrenbach Brewery, had its origins with the “Father of Lager Beer in Delaware”.  The year 1890 also saw the Hartmann & Fehrenbach Brewing Company expand their operations into bottling,  which were beautifully embossed with the company’s logo, the mythical winged stallion, Pegasus.

While other regions in America have been better known historically as centers of beer production, few have been brewing as long as Delaware brewers.  For nearly four centuries, First State brewers have been producing high quality, award-winning ales and lagers.  Explore the state’s fascinating and, until now, largely unknown brewing history on this site and in the pages of the book Brewing in Delaware by John Medkeff, Jr.

More fun facts about beer history and how to date bottles:

“Until the late 1800s, most beer was sold in kegs since bottled beer had to be consumed quickly or it would spoil. But the advent of pasteurization in 1876 made it safe to bottle fermented products, and along with America’s growing rail system, the bottled-beer industry boomed.

In the early 1890s, Congress passed taxes on bottled beer, along with legislation allowing companies to bottle their brews onsite and bypass an archaic process of barreling, transporting, and packaging their drinks into bottles elsewhere. Prior to this action, beer bottles often featured a bottling credit on them in addition to the name of the brewer, which is one way to date a beer bottle. While early beer bottles came in a variety of glass colors, including brown, blue, green, and clear, the first American bottles were made from ceramic stoneware. This style was often used for dark beers like porters and stouts or non-alcoholic drinks like root beer or ginger ale.

Since bottling was costly, many early containers were embossed with a company’s name to help ensure their safe return, although this didn’t deter bootleggers from reusing them. At the time, many would-be brewers made their products out of their homes and used their bottles for multiple beverages, so some of these embossed bottles never even included the word “beer” on them (the brewer’s company and city names were all a customer needed to know). As these fledgling enterprises grew into mature companies, though, phrases like “Brewing Co.” were added. Less common embossing features included a company’s phone number and graphic icons like animal mascots. William Painter’s invention of the single-use “crown cap” in 1892 sealed the deal for mass-produced beer bottles. The innovative design, with its crimped edge and cork lining, overtook some 1,500 different styles of bottle stoppers used prior to 1892. The crown cap also led to more uniform, machine-made bottles.” – Collectors Weekly

Have you found old bottles, beer, soda, liquor, medicines?   The body of a bottle has an assortment of characteristics or diagnostic features that can assist a person trying to date or at least tell a more complete story of a given bottle.  Learn how to date your bottles on the Society for Historical Archaeology website here>

Happy hunting!

Excerpts in this post from Collectorsweekly.com and DelawareBeerHistory.com 

Find out more about the 2017 North American Sea Glass Festival in Wilmington, Delaware here>

Sea Glass Insulators: Intriguing, Illustrious Finds

nasgawebsite4 Comments

The History surrounding Sea Glass Insulators: Intriguing, Illustrious Finds
By Ellie Mercier, member North American Sea Glass Association

Discovering remnants of historical significance is certainly one of the most fascinating thrills of the hunt, and uncovering finds boasting the romantic charm of those derived from the bygone era of insulators is no exception.

Blue insulator
Blue insulator

The desirable attributes of insulators are not limited to beauty and nostalgic appeal, but the invention of these sought after collectibles was integral to the advancement of technology. During the nineteenth century, hopes for a promising future following the discovery of the telegraph began to fade when it became apparent that society lacked a viable means to transport electricity. However, attributed to the debut of the insulator in 1844, public faith in the innovative technology was soon restored. Originally produced from glass, in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes, insulators were installed on telegraph lines (and eventually, on telephone and power lines) to separate the wires from the tall wooden poles used to secure the lines in the air. Their purpose was to keep the wires isolated to allow electricity to pass through without interference. As technology progressed, particularly as the railroad expanded and electricity was required to operate train signals at stations throughout the nation, the demand for insulators skyrocketed, and hundreds of millions were manufactured between 1875 and 1930.

aqua insulator - a common color
aqua insulator – a common color

Alike bottles (and sea glass remnants), the majority of insulators were either colorless (clear) or produced in the shade of aqua (due to the fact that glass possesses a green tint in its natural state); however, glass insulators were fabricated in many other colors as well, including amber, cobalt, darker greens, and purple. Around the turn of the century, the onset of higher-voltage electric wires prompted a demand for ceramic insulators, of which offered more protection for wires than their glass counterparts. Ceramic insulators were also manufactured in multiple hues, ranging from yellows and greens to blues and browns. In addition, factories tested insulators of various shapes and sizes to develop models that would efficiently hold the electrical wires in place and ensure the wires remained insulated.

After an entire century of active production, the demand for insulators significantly declined as utility and electric companies began to install wires underground, and by the 1960’s, it was common to observe retired insulators, in an array of colors and styles, strewn on the ground in the vicinity of railroad tracks and construction sites. Not surprisingly, individuals began to seek out the charming, but no longer practical objects, prompting a flurry of passion for insulators that would ultimately inspire a generation of collectors and continue into the twenty-first century. In fact, the 1960’s onset of  “insulator fever” was so intense that by the end of the decade, pioneers of the hobby had founded The Crown Jewels of the Wire, the first national insulator magazine, and another major milestone transpired in 1973, with the establishment of the National Insulator Association.

Blue insulator sea glass - photo by Lisa Crabtree
Blue insulator sea glass –
photo credit Lisa Crabtree

 

As enthusiasm for the hobby continued into the 1990’s, the value of insulators skyrocketed, and it wasn’t unusual for rare specimens to fetch thousands of dollars at auction houses. For the most part, insulators manufactured between 1885 and 1960 are considered collectible, yet those produced prior to the turn of the century are the most desirable. Generally, collectors determine the values of insulators based on the same characteristics used to rate sea glass and bottle finds, including color, shape, condition, and the presence of, or lack of embossing. Since they were produced in 460 shapes, 2800 different embossing patterns, and almost 9000 color combinations, it often takes time to become familiar with the multiple varieties of insulators. Therefore, insulator price guides are an extremely helpful resource for novice and experienced collectors alike. The guides are not only ideal for identifying manufacturer marks and style numbers commonly embossed on insulators, yet they feature sections dedicated to topics such as foreign produced insulators, the countless styles of insulators (IE: pin type and non-pin type), and favored collectibles, including the beloved ‘Mickey Mouse” shape and highly prized examples comprised of carnival glass.

Insulator sea glass - photo by Lisa Crabtree
Insulator sea glass – photo by Lisa Crabtree

Today, support for the pastime remains strong, as reflected by the numerous clubs and shows that exist around the globe in celebration of the vintage beauties. In addition, hobbyists have access to dozens of insulator-related websites. Two particularly notable online presences include www.nia.org, hosted by the National Insulator Association, and www.insulators.info, a site referred to as “Insulator Collectors on the Net,” which has a following of 1500 members.

In addition to history buffs and railroad enthusiasts, it’s common to encounter sea glass and bottle collectors at insulator shows due to the fact that the pastimes share a direct connection to the history of glass manufacturing and the timeline of bottle production. Whether admiring a lustrous insulator made from carnival glass or discovering the smoothly tumbled remains of a cobalt insulator ashore, the experience is bound to arouse nostalgia for the romantic charm of an earlier

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marbles or Hearts? What would be your favorite sea glass find?

nasgawebsite5 Comments
Red heart sea glass specimen found by Lynn Vigue of Connecticut
Red heart sea glass specimen found by Lynn Vigue of Connecticut

Every sea glass collector seeks their “Holy Grail” of sea glass.   For many it’s finding a multi-colored frosted marble, to others it’s finding a perfectly shaped heart, of any color, but to find a red shaped heart?  Amazing!

Lynn Vigue of Connecticut did just that!

We saw this photo of Lynn’s special red heart sea glass treasure and wanted to know more about her special find, and in her own words she answered some of our questions.

1.  When did you start collecting sea glass and where did you get the “bug”? 

I started collecting sea glass in autumn, 2008. I had retired in 2006, so it was the perfect time to discover sea glass!   The ironic thing is that, a year or so earlier, I had decided to visit a Maine island, and was told that Monhegan was the best, if you could only visit one.  There were two little girls selling sea glass on the island for 10 cents a shard that day, and I took a picture of them.  I looked at the glass and couldn’t imagine why anyone would want to buy it!  Anyway…  My mom (who lives in Maine) had a friend whose daughter was born the same day and year as I, and so the friend wanted me to meet her. We took a trip to the Maine coast, where the friend lived, and I discovered she was an avid sea glass collector.  She had several containers on display in her home, and they all looked so attractive!  She offered to take me to her beach, where I found about five small pieces.  I was hooked!   I live in Connecticut, so I decided to get to the CT coast as soon as I returned home.  I went to perhaps CT’s most popular beach, and I spent about three hours combing the beach there.  I found about three very rough pieces, but I wasn’t about to give up! I decided that the best place to find glass would probably be near large coastal cities, so that’s where I looked next.  It was a bonanza!  Lots of sea glass.   I have learned over the years NOT to pick up every piece that isn’t sharp.  I still find lots of glass on my favorite beaches, though it seems to have diminished in the five years I’ve been hunting it.

2.  Where did you find the red heart piece?   What do you think it was in it’s first life?

I found the red heart on a beach near Bridgeport, CT.    I have found four or five gems of different types on this beach (blue, emerald, and round red), and a friend found another when we were hunting together.  When I found the emerald, I wondered if it was real…but I was told by another collector that precious gems don’t frost like glass does, so I figure that all the little gems I’ve found there are glass rather than precious stones.  So, my guess is that this was a faux gem of some type.   I don’t know if it would have been used for jewelry or perhaps on a jeweled piece of clothing.  I keep thinking “sweater,” because I remember that jeweled sweaters were popular when I was young.   The pic actually shows what I believe is the backside…the side that would have been glued to the bezel. The other side is more faceted, like a gem.  It sits better this way for a photo, though!

3.  What did you do when you found it?

 I remember the day I found it…I was on my way to Maine to visit my mom, but low tide was early that day, so I went to the beach first (even though it was 30 miles in the OPPOSITE direction from Maine!).   I, of course, was delighted when I found the heart, and couldn’t believe my good fortune, as I had ALMOST quit a few minutes before.  But I decided to go a little further up the beach, in an area where I usually didn’t find much sea glass.   The first thing I did when I arrived in Maine was pull the little heart out to show my mom and her friend, who was visiting.   To be honest, they didn’t seem that impressed!  It is quite tiny, of course, and they probably didn’t appreciate what a truly rare find it was!

4.  What do you plan on doing with it?

I keep this little heart in a seashell on display with other tiny treasures.  I love beachcombing in any season…it never fails to lift my spirits!    A treasure hunt in a beautiful setting that is warmer in winter and cooler in summer than inland…what could be better?!  And, it’s an inexpensive way to decorate your home in a unique way!  I now have a room filled with my favorite sea glass finds, plus several suncatchers and other things I’ve made with my glass.

So, now we ask you, What has been your favorite sea glass find?

written by Kim Hannon, NASGA Board

The Sea Glass Center…A Traveling Sea Glass Museum

nasgawebsite1 Comment
The Sea Glass Center, a traveling sea glass museum
The Sea Glass Center, a traveling sea glass museum

The Sea Glass Center, a traveling sea glass museum, is taking the love of sea glass on the road, and they need your help!   The Sea Glass Center has started a KickStarter campaign to jump start their fundraising to make their idea become a reality.   This will be the first of its kind and NASGA is behind the idea of a traveling sea glass museum.    We decided to ask the creators of The Sea Glass Center a few questions to learn a bit more about their idea, fundraising and future.

The Sea Glass Center, NASGA Blog interview via email danielle@theseaglasscenter.org  and  katherineshine@gmail.com

1.    Can you tell us about your ideal reader for this blog article?

It is our hope that this blog would be read by everyone who has an interest in sea glass, from the occasional beachcomber to the professional who makes a living doing something related to sea glass.

Red bottle Before and After, Photo credit Michael Wilson
Red bottle Before and After, Photo credit Michael Wilson

       2.     How did the idea of  The Sea Glass Center come about?

Danielle Perreault and Aimee Thorman, sisters and co-founders of The Sea Glass Center have been picking up glass since they were little girls.  As adults, they both make livings running businesses they own related to sea glass.  Over the years they have observed that not only is there a growing number sea glassers out there combing the beaches, but there is less old and rare sea glass to be found.  Even so, there isn’t a day that goes by in Danielle’s shop that a customer doesn’t come in and asks what sea glass is.  Being so very curious themselves, Danielle and Aimee are always researching their own finds to uncover the mystery and the history of each piece.  After many trips to the NASGA sea glass festivals over the years and seeing all the treasured pieces, they had this idea to create a permanent collection, owned by the public, and put on display for the whole world to enjoy in their home town.

Antique gun handle piece, Photo credit Michael Wilson
Antique gun handle piece, Photo credit Michael Wilson

       3.    What do you want your potential donors for The Sea Glass Center KickStarter campaign to know?

We started this venture as a nonprofit because it is our hope and dream to leave a legacy behind for future generations; a legacy of education and preservation – documenting the history of our favorite pastime.  It is not our goal to travel the world at the expense of the public and amass this collection ourselves.  Rather, we want this to be a community of kindred spirits each giving a small piece of their treasure to this public collection for everyone to see, learn about, and explore.  By making this a nonprofit, the sea glass donated will forever remain in the hands of a nonprofit and not part of a private collection.

Bottle and sea glass pieces, Photo credit Michael Wilson
Bottle and sea glass pieces, Photo credit Michael Wilson

4.  What are three implications if your KickStarter campaign does not reach   its goal?   What would be the next step for The Sea Glass Center?

We have a pretty lofty goal of $60,000.  The average museum exhibit costs $250 a square foot to build so that it will withstand all the rigors of traveling from place to place.  We are talking about needing close to $750,000 to complete this project and do it on the grand scale that we have imagined.  We are not waiting to see how we do on Kickstarter to trigger next steps.  We are taking those steps now.  Aimee has a very successful background as a professional grant writer and she is seeking out grants from private foundations and federal agencies now and applying for the funds that are out there.  Senator Collins, from Maine, where The Sea Glass Center is based, works hard to help nonprofits in Maine to find and successfully apply for grants, and we are taking advantage of this.  We are working hard to partner with museums and corporate sponsors.  We will have a presence at many events here in the United States that are focused on sea glass so that we can get the word out and garner support.  Whether or not Kickstarter is successful will not hinder our business plan.  We are here to stay and will see our dream come to life. 

Green bottle Before and After, Photo credit by Michael Wilson
Green bottle Before and After, Photo credit by Michael Wilson

 5. Can you describe The Sea Glass Center as if I knew nothing about it or the market?

The Sea Glass Center is a nonprofit organization that exists to preserve and present the historical, artistic and cultural significance of sea glass through education.  Our mission is to educate the world about all aspects of sea glass and to preserve a world-class collection for the public to explore and enjoy.  We are embarking on a journey of collecting, cataloging and preserving some of the most beautiful and unexpected treasures that have washed up on shores of oceans, lakes and rivers, all over the world!  We will create a world class traveling exhibit that explores and presents the world of sea glass and all its beauty, history and wonder!  This exhibit will be available to all museums, science centers, aquariums and other educational outlets so everyone can learn about this wonderful part of history!

Pipe, Photo credit Michael Wilson
Pipe, Photo credit Michael Wilson

       6.     What do you feel is the single most important takeaway from this interview?

We are humbled by the love and support that this community has shown us.  We are so very thankful for the opportunity to share our mission with you and your readers.  This project will create demand in the marketplace by raising awareness on a national level, which will grow the consumer base of people who want to know more about sea glass and its historical significance.   

Sea Glass Museum- Kickstarter
Sea Glass Museum- Kickstarter

       7.     What action do you want the reader to take?

We ask that your readers will take the time to check out our project on Kickstarter and make a pledge.  If everyone who loves sea glass gives one dollar and one special piece, it would surpass our wildest dreams.  We are going to give this everything we have!  Help us make this dream a reality! 

Relevant links for The Sea Glass Center:

website: http://www.theseaglasscenter.org/home.html

 facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theseaglasscenter

 twitter: https://twitter.com/seaglasscenter

 instagram: http://instagram.com/theseaglasscenter/

 Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1986940391/sea-glass-a-world-class-traveling-museum-exhibit

UPDATE:   March 3, 2014.  There are 8 days left of the the KickStarter Campaign.    They have plans to continue forward on starting The Sea Glass Center.  With the help of you, the sea glass collector, they will succeed.   Check out this very special letter received from the former First Lady Barbara Bush.

Barbara Bush letter to The Sea Glass Center

written by Kim Hannon, NASGA Board