As I write, the number of coronavirus-related deaths in the US stands at 400.
Schools are closed, bars and restaurants are closed, theatres are closed. Since the only effective way of avoiding getting infected with the dreaded bug is avoiding all contact with humans or anything that other humans might have touched (the virus can live on surfaces for 72+ hours so you should quarantine all incoming glass purchases for 3 days, minimum), suddenly there’s a lot more time to talk glass. And coronavirus.
Here’s the coronavirus:
Remind you of anything?
This is a Father Time glass from Philip Freiler of Elgin, IL. Note the similarities between the background on this image and the virus. Note also that Father Time was the companion to the Grim Reaper and that Freiler’s death occurred shortly before the Spanish flu pandemic killed in excess of 17,000,000 people between 1918 and 1920, which is the year that Prohibition began. Clearly this glass is a message from the past. The Spanish flu was obviously a Government-engineered virus designed to distract attention and allow the eighteenth amendment making alcohol consumption illegal to be rammed through Congress. This time around, it’s a Government-engineered virus designed to distract attention and allow bills making gun ownership illegal to be rammed through Congress.
If this conspiracy theory goes viral (no pun intended), remember, you read it here first….. but the essential truth is that everyone is very distracted at the moment.
These past few weeks have been notable for the number of interesting glasses selling in buy-it-nows and special deals offered by sellers. The latter have becoming an increasingly popular way for sellers to keep stock moving on eBay.
The Grave’s and the Old Comstock shown below both sold in $25 buy-it-nows. The Grave’s is a rare San Jose glass. The Old Comstock is a previously-unlisted UT glass from Salt Lake City – a rare find.
The Uneeda was a little pricey at $59.99 but a nice bold label makes for a great display glass. The Pete Cooper is another unlisted glass and a classic pre-pro design; it was grabbed in a $45 buy-it-now.
The Foust lug at left was snapped up for $175, which is a good buy for a LUG, even though a relatively common black-on-white Foust. The one on the right was an even better deal – it sold in a seller private offer for only $117.50. Last but not least is a 1901 Louisiana Purchase Expo glass with superbly detailed graphics – binned in a private offer for $36.
Hunted in the Wild award goes yet again to eBay old-timer nuffbarn, who found the A.D. Germanus glass below at an antique show. This is a rare Portland glass that I’ve never seen listed on eBay. If it looks familiar, it’s one of the first drawings in Barbara Edmonson’s Historic Shotglasses. Thanks to Brad for sending in the pic!
Some stats for the number crunchers: in the past four weeks, 170 pre-pro glass auctions listed on eBay. 57 closed without bidders; average price of the glasses that sold was $30.70.
Here’s hoping you all stay hale and healthy and our thoughts should all be with those on the front lines of healthcare, often with little or no effective protection from the virus.