Opening a new site for cup plate collectors has been a challenge. I ask that other collectors help with comments, photos, and expertise. Anything that relates to cup plates, buying trips, shows and show reporting, storage and display, techniques, etc...will be of great help and interest to your fellow collectors. Thank you in advance for your help, Dave McDonnell

How do you display your collection?
Dolores Bowler has shared her storage solutions with us. She purchased 26 cases, 2 at a time from a catalog called "Traditions" ( not sure if they are still in business ) Dolores uses double stick carpet tape to hold the plates in place. It allows her to pull out a drawer and safely look at 10 plates at a time. Click Photo for larger image

Please send photos of your collection Displays and Storage ideas email

Bill Pearson discussing New Discoveries
I have some interesting items I picked up when J. Bilane's collection was sold and I would like to share them with collectors and maybe add these variations to CPD ( Cup Plate Discoveries ) or Dolores Bowlers Companion to AGCP). Photo 1 is a normal 447B with 14 concentric rings according to Bilane's CPD. Photo 2 is a 447B with 15 rings. This probably should be numbered 447B-X-2 to keep in sync with the numbering on the 447 varieties - ie 447 with 15 rings is numbered 447-X-2. Also pictured is Bilane's note on this plate. I think Jack was quoting James Rose who sold him the plate. "A new discovery, I guess. 3 7/16". 73 even serration's but with three concentric rings beyond the line of hearts. Not a world-shaking discovery but interesting and practically proof ".

Photo 3 is a close up of this plate. Photo 4 is a 447 plate Jack Bilane had marked "hold" I guess he was studying it. It has slanted hearts. Could this have been made accidentally by twisting the mold? Anyway, I numbed it 447-V-1 in my collection and am assuming it is a true variant.

Photo 5 is a close-up of the 447 plate with slanted hearts. Photo 6 is J. Bilane's note

Observations and Comments?

Sliding Glass Shelves from the Late William F. Page Collection These Custom Made wall displays were made to hold over 100 early glass cup plates each. They are currently for sale on the website Click here for details.

Legare's auction of the William F. Graham Glass Collection
as experienced by Matt Hardesty and Dolores Bowler

Dolores and I arrived in Hampton Falls, NH at around 11:30 am for day 2 (Wed. 9/14/05) of Legare's auction of the William F. Graham Glass Collection. It was held at Faro Gardens, a banquet/reception facility, which offered a spacious and comfortable atmosphere in addition to a snack bar and amenities. After getting our bidder numbers we previewed the lots available that day, focusing on the toddy plates and cup plates (with the exception of lot 260, which I will explain later). We were anticipating that the toddy lots (218-223) and cup plate lots (226-260) would go first when the auction started at 1:15 PM, however we were informed that these lots would be sold at around 3:30 PM after lots 445-684 were auctioned off. While waiting for the auction to start we chatted with some other collectors and had lunch.

There were about 100 +/- people present when the auction kicked off at 1:15 PM, and the action was fast and furious until lots 445-684 were sold by 3:15 PM By the time the toddy plates and cup plates went up for bid, the crowd had dwindled to about 20 +/-, in addition to two phones, and one person from the auction staff handling the absentee bids. The six toddy lots were gone in no time, and the bidding for the cup plates went rather quickly. The high cup plate lot was 234 at RL183B $2,900.00 (http://www.wyncolsys.com/legare-auctions/Images3/234_m.jpg) and described by Legare as: "Lee 183b, very deep blue, has chip on one foot, small rim chips, did not fill mold at end of 3 teeth, extremely rare" Lot 246 was the runner-up for high bid at RL185 $2,300.00 (http://www.wyncolsys.com/legare-auctions/Images3/246.jpg) and Legare described it as: "Lee 185, green with purple swirls in glass, has chipped tooth and flake on top"
Having previewed both of these items in person, I can confirm that they were remarkable specimens. Being unwilling to spend more than $225.00 on the lot 232 Ringgold (LR 585a), I was happy to take home lots 249 $250.00 (LR 247 blue-green, LR 253 blue-green, LR 191B deep blue/cobalt) and 257 $200.00 (LR 183, 179, 179A, 127, 126, 166B).

Now here's the rest on lot 260. It was a collection of 129 cup plates, which I was unaware of and therefore did not preview. Legare's description of this lot in the auction guide read "Collection of 129 cup plates", but what it did not mention was that it included a nice dark wood cabinet with 20 +/- flat drawers in which the 129 cup plates were contained. This lot sold for $350.00. $2.71 each with a free storage case!!! All realized prices can be found on Legare's web site at http://www.wyncolsys.com/legare-auctions/Results_List.html. You may view individual lots at http://www.wyncolsys.com/legare-auctions/Images3.htm

2005 Sandwich Glass Show, Hyannis, MA
as experienced by Dave McDonnell

If you recall, a hurricane was passing close to the Cape that weekend and they predicted high winds and driving rain. I believe that attendance may have been affected by the weather forecast. Just before 10:00 AM on Saturday 9/17/05 I joined a line of about 25 early visitors, hoping to get inside before the rain.

There was a good assortment of glass cup plates as always from Dealers like Chas MacKenzie , Bill and Ginnie Shugert , Art & Kathy Green , Donna Almon ( no email address ) I had tried to speak with each of the Dealers, but they were all busy each time I visited their tables. That's a good Thing!!!

Although I did not make any cup plate purchases, I did find and purchased a beautiful copy of AGCP with dust jacket. I also had the opportunity to renew my subscriptions to The National American Glass Club and The Sandwich Glass Museum. Green Valley Auctions also had a table and I was able to purchase some older reference catalogs at good prices. It did appear to me that Dealers were selling and although I don't know how Sunday visits went at the show....it was a beautiful day and should have attracted many visitors. It was a very good show.

Green Valley Auction 9/21/05 - 9/25/05
reviewed by Dave McDonnell

There were not many cup plates at this auction, but there was one Great One!!! Lot 1529 LR 227B Brilliant Deep Green Extremely Rare Estimate was $3,000 - $5,000 See Photo SOLD $6,600.00 Lot 1530 Cup Plate Reference Volume AGCP Ruth Webb Lee & James H. Rose Estimate $50 - $75 SOLD $44.00 Lot 1531 Cup Plate Reference Volume "Glass Cup Plates, A Guide To Collectors", Charles Burns ©1920 Estimate $30 - $50 SOLD $33.00 Lot 1532a-SOLD $143.00 b SOLD $88.00 two examples, LR531 strong yellow green Estimate $50 - $75 each Lot 1533 LR389 Brilliant Deep Blue Estimate $75 - $125 SOLD $330.00 Lot 1534 LR571 embossed, Victoria, colorless Estimate $50 - $75 SOLD $77.00

Best Regards,
from Cupplates.org