DEXTER CITY, OH — Going once, going twice, gone for good. Fenton Art Glass is holding its final auction this weekend. The pieces up for sale are very special. They are part of the Fenton Art Glass Museum which closed down last year.
Fenton Historian Jim Measell, helped curate the museum when it first opened in 1977. He called the final auction a bittersweet moment but also a chance to own a piece of classic Fenton.
“It’s an opportunity for many Fenton collectors to have an item from the Fenton Museum and it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to buy some really, really rare pieces,” stressed Measell.
Just how rare are some of the 585 lots up for sale on Saturday? Measell said some go back to the very beginning of the company in the early 1900s. There are a few very desirable pieces that were created by European glass makers who worked at the factory for about 16 months in the 1920s.
“We had a Karnak red piece in our April auction and it brought 15-thousand dollars. We have several pieces in this auction,” according to Measell.
There will be some stiff competition for the glass. Two Fenton conventions are taking place this coming week and collectors from across the country will be at the auction to take home some history. However, Measell stressed not every piece is a one of a kind and average collectors can get in on the bidding.
“These are pieces that reflect all periods of Fenton Art Glass production from 1907 to 2011,” said Measell.
Fenton is located in Williamstown but the auction is being held in Dexter City, Ohio. That’s about 20 miles north. You can look at all 585 pieces for sale at www.randyclarkauctions.com. The auction gets underway at 11 a.m. on Saturday.