About the Ruby Stain Museum

My parents cooperated on only two things. I am the product of one. Their collection of ruby stain pressed glass was the other. Years ago I thought it was a beautiful collection that should be preserved. I started talking to museums and people who had donated collections. I discovered that museums really do not want collections and will accept them only if they are accompanied by a ton of money or have no restrictions placed on them. With no restrictions, donations can be "deaccessioned" at any time in any amount.Museums get nervous when they "sell" your donation and avoid the word. Actually, dollars and unrestricted is probably better from the museum's persepctive. Long time ruby stain collectors remember the Vincent Collection at the Bennington Museum in Vermont. The museum said it was only on loan, but it is indisputable that it was sold. And, it was replaced with pots!

While working on the preservation problem, I found Bill Heacock's book Ruby Stain Pattern Glass from A to Z. [See References] Wow! My parent's collection did not contain all of the patterns, much less the forms. Willi and I decided to "buy a few pieces to fill in the collection." Somewhere in this process I decided that I would build my own museum for ruby stain pattern glass and thus create my own irrevocable by-laws. This web site is one of the products of that decision.

We presently have a proto-museum, a 1,200 square foot building plus additional storage, study and handling space. Willi and I will create and perpetuate a permanent, larger ruby stain museum. If we can obtain the financial resources, we would happily apply our resources to a larger pattern glass museum which could be filled with donated collections that also would be preserved.

The museum, ruby stain or pattern glass, will have the following characteristics:

• The museum is to be focused upon pattern glass, with the goal of creating a comprehensive, in-depth study collection Ruby stain pattern glass will be the first category of pressed glass to be collected

• The collection is to be built by actively seeking donations of collections of pattern glass. Collectors do not want their work broken up and are aware of the problems with donations to existing museums. The museum will prepare a written agreement covering the terms and conditions in accepting a donation with the intent to preserve collections and not deaccession them

• In so far as possible, the museum will operate in an open mode. Storage areas will be set up so that visitors may browse through them, while keeping the glass safe. Office and work areas will be visible. Specimens of glass will be available for hands on examination. How else can the visitor understand the mold work and the nuances of various patterns? The glass does not have to be perfect. The scratches and chips represent its history and that is what we are about. No other museum has taken this approach.

• The collection will be electronic photo indexed and available to the visitor and researcher. A complete inventory of the collection will be available through this web site along with information about the museum and its activities.

• The museum will work toward becoming a fully accredited museum within five years and will seek an affiliation with the Smithsonian Instition.

• The museum will seek to aquire, restore and occupy a historic building as an appropriate structure to hold 100 year old glass