New Glass Museum to open on the Isle of Wight

New Glass Museum to open on the Isle of Wight on Saturday 19th March, 2016 at 11am.

You are invited to attend. It's free!
There is no need to register your attendance; just turn up on the day. Please put the date in your diary or calendar on your mobile.

Target for exhibits
700 items now in cabinets …. aiming for 1000!

The programme for the museum opening event on Saturday 19th March has been finalized. 

An excellent lineup of speakers has been assembled, including Mark Hill, an expert on the BBC Antiques Roadshow and co-presenter of Cracking Antiques, Uncovering Antiques and Collectaholics for BBC2;  Richard Harris, managing director of Isle of Wight Studio Glass;  Michael Rayner, founder of Island Glass and Alum Bay Glass;  Timothy Harris, master glass maker at IOWSG;  and Ron Wheeler, the foremost expert on IOWSG, having been the studio's appointed secondary market specialist for over 35 years.

Read more on the official museum website here: http://isleofwightglassmuseum.wikidot.com/blog:12

Broadfield House Glass Museum

My dearly beloved and I finally managed to get to Broadfield House Glass Museum in May and it was well-worth the trip! What a fantastic collection of glass from through the ages right up to stunning contemporary work.

The current exhibition is Take 30 where thirty leading glass artists, all of whom have had connections with the Museum during its thirty-year history, have been invited to exhibit their work, including a great selection of contemporary pieces by our favourite glassmakers Adam Aaronson and Allister Malcolm.

Having explored Take 30, we set off round the rest of the displays and were just blown away by the glass we saw.

From everyday pressed-glass items like we own, to rare handmade pieces from the 18th and 19th centuries, we ooohed and ahhhed over them all.

The fabulous ewer above was one of my favourite pieces - how much would I like to have that in my possession?!

We spent a couple of happy hours exploring, enjoyed a cuppa and a chat with one of the Friends "manning" (or should that be "womanning"?) the tea bar, and another with the helpful friendly folks on the desk. All-in-all it was a great visit and we loved going.

My dearly beloved now says he realises why the glass community is so determined to keep the Museum open: it won't close whilst he lives, he said. I can just picture him lying in protest across the doors to prevent closure!!!

So, if you've not been then go, you won't regret it! And whilst you're at it, why not join the Friends of Broadfield House - every new member is more power to their elbow! :)

Linda Waltho, MP, raises Broadfield House in Parliament

Watch Linda Waltho speak. followed by the Minister for Museums, Barbara Follett's response here: (starts at time 07:16:00 ends 07:49:17)
http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=4213

Well done to Linda for expressing the concerns not just of her constituents, but also of us glass enthusiasts wherever we may be. Let's hope that the commitment which Barbara Follett appears to have to keeping the collection intact and on display is borne out by reality, and that Dudley MBC take note that the eyes of voters in the borough and beyond are watching them, and that they do the right thing by the collection.