|
|
This latest edition of SOTW is overdue
and I apologise. I've been working on getting the new database up
and running. It's still not ready for an official launch but you can
get a sneak preview if you're interested. I have yet to tweak a
couple of features so it may disappear briefly on occasion, but it's basically
functional. More on this later on the "What's New" page.
I'm actually relieved at having a
distraction from what's going on on eBay at the moment. I'm sitting
here looking at the carnage of the last few days, weeping tears of -- well
I'm not sure if it's frustration or mirth. ARE YOU GUYS *BAD
WORD* *VERY BAD WORD* NUTS?????
What am I talking about? Well,
we'll get to that, but I hereby announce an official http://www.pre-pro.com/ (sound trumpets
please) "More Money Than Sense" award.
Looks like
I'll have to put in a JUMBO order for plaques because there are so many
contenders, but what else can one do when presented with the following
evidence??
| For
example - here's a nice-looking glass from Schweyer of
Chicago. It's actually quite a common one that a year ago,
almost to a day, wouldn't have been able to get any bids at
$9.99. Just ask lad121 or dlaumbach. We
had one on the site 6 months or so ago and I was feeling guilty
about having to ask $20 for it. Yet a scuffed version of this
same glass precipitated
an all-out fight between thekralikkid and
lincolnmt. And the MMTS award goes to... (drum roll)
.. lincolnmt for paying $62.22!! Congratulations to the
winner! |
 |
 |
Then
there was this "King
of the Valley". Not such a common glass but there's
nothing as ugly as a scuffed-up reverse etched glass. Two
years ago in mint condition, maybe $20. Yesterday,
lincolnmt pummeled boobeez all the way up to $50.10 for the chance to stick it in
their display cabinet! And the award goes to (drum roll)
.. lincolnmt!! Congratulations to the winner! |
Are we having fun yet? :-)
snapsnert is - he's laughing all the way to the
bank.....
 |
Now
this IS a nice glass. We see it show maybe once a
year and I was thinking (silly me) maybe $60 would take it. So
did several others - the pack took it to around $67, but the two
contenders for the MMTS award (laderdude33 and
thekralikkid) stood there throwing wads of bills at each
other until their noses were green and bloody. And the MMTS
award goes to... (drum roll) .. thekralikkid for paying
$102.50!! Congratulations
to the winner! |
Among other notable auctions was a
1905 Souvenir glass from Victor Liver Syrup. The 1905 is the most
common of this Truog series and hence can typically be picked up for $40 -
$50. The
example below fetched $89 (aquabluecreations chased by
glasshopper8). Yet within a couple of days, the much
rarer 1897 example from Frederick at right went for only $60.99
(glenn40292 chased by lakerdude33).
 |
 |
| OK,
enough of the insanity already, what about the SOTW?
There were several potential
contenders.
| My favorite was probably this railway
souvenir that showed up with a grossly bloated reserve
that xxxtruk tried to find -- and failed -- at
$67.00.
(Kurt tells me $67 was
enough to return it to the yard via a back-door deal:
Ed) |
 |
| "IN 1828, THE SWITCHBACK
GRAVITY RAILROAD WAS BUILT, AND IS REPORTED TO BE THE SECOND
RAILROAD IN THE UNITED STATES. ORIGINALLY OPERATED BY GRAVITY
AND MULEPOWER, AND LATER CONVERTED TO STEAM. IT BROUGHT COAL
MINED IN NEARBY SUMMIT HILL TO THE LEHIGH CANAL IN MAUCH
CHUNK. AS THE NEED FOR COAL WANED, THE SWITCHBACK RAILROAD WAS
ABANDONED AS A COAL MOVING RAILROAD. AROUND 1870 IT WAS
CONVERTED INTO A RIDE FOR SIGHTSEERS. THE OLD COAL CARS WERE
CHANGED TO RESEMBLE OLD TROLLEY CARS AND TRAVELED AT SPEEDS OF
UP TO 65 MPH. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE SWITCHBACK RAILROAD WAS
THE FIRST ROLLER COASTER IN THE UNITED STATES. THEN SADLY,
DURING THE DEPRESSION THE SWITCHBACK RIDE DECLINED. IN
SELTEMBER 1937, THE SWITCHBACK RAILROAD WAS SOLD AT AUCTION
FOR $18,100.00, OR APPROXIMATELY $1.00 PER RAIL. ONE YEAR
LATER IT WAS SOLD TO JAPAN, WHICH WAS BUYING SCRAP FOR ITS WAR
EFFORTS" (seller's
notes) |
But any time an enamel in good
condition shows up it has to be a serious contender. This
one was a "Gold Seal", shown below.
Several companies were recorded
using a "Gold Seal" brand but this glass was probably from
A.M.Hellman & Co. of St. Louis MO. It attracted
surprisingly little attention. Serious contenders included
aquabluecreations and nuffbarn, but it was
junkmoney (another SOTW Hall-of-Famer, not to mention MMTS
Hall-of-Famer!) who basically stole it for a measly $134.50.
Congratulations Bill! |
"Ok, first I really dont know how old this is but was in the
box with all the pre pro glasses I have and was seperated in this
collection as such. If its not that old and someone knows for sure,
let me know and I will post that information.
This is a real
sharp looking glass, thin wall and has the name Gold Seal in raised
white letters. it reminds me of when you used to make a line of glue
and let it dry. Above, below and on left of the letters are some
gold designs really making this a sharp looking glass.
This
one measures 2 1/4" tall and 2" across the top with no rim chips, is
in excellent condition as you can see by the picture". |
 |
Note that some previous picks
for "Shot of the Week" can be found in The
Archives. |