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[Photo from the Midwest Fruit Jar Club's newsletter.]
Such sad news... Don Burkett passed away Friday May 1, 2015, due to complications from a fall.
Don lost his sweet wife, Glenny, in 2010. The loss took its toll on Don, but he was always smiling when around his fruit jar hobby friends.
Our deepest condolences go out to Glenny and Don's family. Words cannot express how he was loved and how much Don will be missed.
Don was beloved by so many collecting friends, and the fruit jar hobby will miss him terribly. This is a sad day indeed.
Obituary and funeral details will be posted here when they become available.
Glendine Burkett / 1924-2010 / Obituary
The Legendary Don Burkett
Author and fruit jar collector Bruce Schank profiled our beloved "Mr. Mason" in the Legends of the Jars series. Read it here: Don Burkett.
Don Burkett, Comedian
Video clip, from the 2010 Muncie Get Together, of Don Burkett sharing a story about a jar (of course) having been shot by a bullet during the Civil War, and making the crowd laugh at his jokes!
Don during Show'n'Tell at Summer Muncie 2011.
Don Burkett with his Mason's Patent solid pour. [Source]
Don Burkett holding court in his room at Muncie.
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Is there a doctor in the house club?
Doctor, Doctor! Findlay Bottle Club Founder to Receive Honorary Doctorate
Our "Congratulations, Doctor-Doctor!" go out to Jim Houdeshell, one of the earliest members of the Findlay Antique Bottle Club.
Dr. Houdeshell already has a doctorate of education, and now he is receiving a second doctorate. It is a well-deserved honor from Findlay College, where he has worked and taught for over 60 years. Doesn't that make him a Doctor-Doctor?
According to the UFNewsroom press release, the Board of Trustees of The University of Findlay approved the awarding of an honorary doctorate to James D. Houdeshell.
"The University will award the honorary degree to Houdeshell at its commencement on Saturday, May 2, 2015. The Office of Alumni, Parents and Friends will host a Retirement/Roast Celebrationfor Houdeshell on May 16. The Dr. James D. ’53 and Mira M. Frost ’78 Houdeshell Scholarship Endowment Fund have been established in their honor. (To make a gift to this fund in honor of their legacy, visit this link.)"
They write about Jim:
" A 60-year employee of The University of Findlay, Houdeshell was hired in 1955 as assistant professor, athletic director and head coach of football, basketball and baseball.
He went on to hold many other positions at the University, including dean of students and chair of the Division of Teacher Education.
Houdeshell had primary responsibility for adding one of UF’s first graduate programs, a master of arts in education and also helped develop the health and physical education major, along with the equestrian studies program.
Currently, he serves as special assistant to the president.
A graduate of The University of Findlay (then Findlay College), Houdeshell received a master of education with a minor in school administration from Bowling Green State University and a doctor of physical education from Indiana University, Bloomington.
A standout athlete as an undergraduate, Houdeshell was inducted into the Findlay College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1975. As a member of the UF faculty/staff, he was president of the NAIA in 1990-91; president of the NAIA Athletic Directors Association, 1981-82, and received the Athletics Administrator of the Year (Charles Morris Award), 2001-2002.
A pottery collector, Houdeshell has published a book on Houghton and Dalton pottery and has presented several lectures and reviews. "
His Pottery Collection Display
Here are some photos of DOCTOR-DOCTOR Houdeshell's Houghton and Dalton Pottery collection display at the 2010 FOHBC National Bottle Show.
The book is out of print. (A copy is for sale here.) (Read an excerpt here.) (See images of H-D pottery marks here.)
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Bill Baab is looking for bottle show commemorative bottles. He writes:
Did your club ever have any bottles made to mark anniversaries, recognize special members?
I have started a collection of FOHBC and club bottles. I’ve accumulated four from the Antique Bottle Collectors of Colorado and am buying a huge collection of bottles and ceramics made for the Iowa Antique Bottleers. I have three FOHBC bottles, including one from the St. Louis Expo of 1976.
The Clevenger factory in Clayton, N.J., made most of the bottles. It’s now out of business. The ceramics (mini jugs, a piggy bank) were made by potteries in the clubs’ locale.
Anyone having club bottles and would like to sell them, contact Bill Baab, 2352 Devere St., Augusta, GA 30904, or by e-mail at riverswamper@comcast.net
Thank you. bb
Read the post about Bill's book on Augusta GA glass companies and dairies: Augusta on Glass - here.
And his FOHBC Hall of Fame profile is here. |
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The Mexican Amole Soap Company of Peoria Illinois eventually became the House of Lowell Cosmetics Company in Ohio.
But first, what's AMOLE?
[Bud and flower of the Wavy-leafed Soap Plant, Chlorogalum pomeridianum. Clipped and reduced from a photograph taken by Stephen Lea]
Wikipedia tells us: Mexican Amole is a plant with scientific name Chlorogalum. They are native to western North America, from Oregon to Baja California, and are mostly found in California. Commonly referred to as SOAP ROOT. It is its own species now, but was originally classified in the Lily family.
Soaproot had a diverse range of uses. The tough fibers surrounding the underground bulb were used for creating the predominant brushes used by so many Native California Groups used in the processing of the important food of acorn flour. The second most important use of soaproot was the use of the raw soaproot bulb as a shampoo or soap for body cleansing. The saponins present in the raw bulbs would produce a substantial lather when agitated with water. These same saponins also worked as an effective fish stunning chemical. The Native California groups would pulverize the bulb, mix it in water to create a foam, and then add the suds to a stream. This would incapacitate the fish by blocking the oxygen absorption in the gills, which would cause the fish to be stupefied and to float to the surface for easy gathering.
Other companies had products that used Amole in the name, but we're just going to look at the Mexican Amole Company, started by Abraham Brayshaw.
"The Mexican Amole Soap Company of Peoria, of which Abraham Brayshaw is President and General Manager, is entitled to more than passing consideration, for the manner of its conduct, and the excellence of its productions.
From a long line of ambitious ancestors, devoted to the manufacture of cloth, Mr. Brayshaw inherits the requisite force of character, tact, and knowledge of human nature, for the management of a concern fast attaining a world-wide reputation. He was born in England, December 21, 1838, and is a son of Benjamin and Anna (Berry) Brayshaw, who were also born and reared in England. It was but natural that Abraham Brayshaw should emulate the example of his forefathers, and, for some time at least, engage in the manufacture of cloth. Of the twelve children in the family he was the one exception who found a larger field of enterprise in America, and he came hither when thirty years of age as superintendent of the woolen mill of James Standring, in New York. At the expiration of two years he came to Illinois and located in Peoria, and until 1884 engaged with varying success in the carpet business. In the meantime, about nineteen years ago, he became interested in the prospects of a company organized for the manufacture of a high-grade soap, and which was incorporated under the firm name of Albaugh’s Mexican Soap Company, the president being M. H. Haverhill. The realization of the original promoters falling far short of expectations, and more or less money being lost in a venture at bottom containing real merit, an emergency was created into which the shrewd business sagacity and common sense principles of Mr. Brayshaw came in recognition of an undeveloped opportunity. When the new order of things was brought about the name also was changed to that under which the firm now conducts its business.
The Mexican Amole Soap Company’s products have long since passed the experimental stage, and have stood the test and approbation of several years. At the present time the company does a business amounting to $100,000 per annum, and, judging from the unprecedented increase within the last two or three years, much larger returns may be expected in the near future. Much of the soap manufactured is composed entirely of vegetable ingredients derived from the Mexican Amole Soap tree, the peculiar qualities of which are utilized by a patent process. Aside from bath and toilet soaps, the latter of which is best represented by the fragrant and refreshing Amole-ine, a shaving soap has been perfected by the company which not only gives a fine and lasting lather, but is as well a great skin tonique. The Amole Shampoo is most efficacious for all scalp disorders; the Amole Rose Cream is an excellent balm for the skin, and the Amole-ine Washing Powder is unexcelled for the laundry. As evidencing the more than local prominence of the articles manufactured by this enterprising firm, it is necessary only to state that the United States Army specifications for 1901, for supplies to be furnished to the post commissaries of our American and foreign possessions, call for an amount of Amole soap larger than all other kinds combined, the soap specified being the Amole Diamond King. The soaps turned out from this factory, which has the most modern equipments possible, are in demand in all parts of the world, large shipments being made daily to different parts of the United States, Canada and Cuba, as well as frequent consignments to England, France, Germany, Australia and the Philippines. It will thus be seen that, in the war of competition, Peoria may boast an enterprise in this line based upon genuine superiority, and therefore of lasting benefit at home and abroad."*
*This info is from the Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois, Volume 2, Part 2 By Newton Bateman, Paul Selby, published in 1902 / read it here on googlebooks / page 485 was transcribed by Danni Hopkins here:
http://www.peoriacountyillinois.info/bios/1902book_brayshaw%20abraham.html
MIXING IT UP!
Joe Clevenger shares with us his research, below, on how Brayshaw's company became Ohio's House of Lowell Company, known to bottle collectors by its common but interesting cosmetics and perfume bottles, figural or in cobalt blue glass.
This is an image - read the article as a pdf with a few more photos, here.
Read about the Amole Company's bankruptcy here.
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What time is it?
It's Bottle Show Time!
Here are a few MAY 2015 shows:
THE MANSFIELD BOTTLE SHOW IS ALMOST HERE!
Saturday May 9, 2015
Make your hotel reservations now!
Early Bird on Friday May 8 is well worth your $$ & time!
*** Remember, the contracts for the Findlay Bottle Show will be "released" at the Mansfield Bottle Show -- and last year we almost sold out that day! Watch for Show Chairman Fred Curtis hollering: "Contracts! Get your red hot Findlay Bottle Show contracts here!"
The Ohio Bottle Club’s 36th Mansfield Antique Bottle & Advertising Show & Sale
- May 8 & 9, 2015
- Friday Early Bird Adm. $25 // 3pm - 6pm
- Saturday Public Adm. $3 // 9am - 2pm
- Richland County Fairgrounds, Trimble Road Exit, U.S. Route 30, Mansfield, Ohio
- Dealer set-up, Friday, May 8, 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm // Dinner @6pm
- Matt Lacy, Chair, 440.228.1873, info@antiquebottlesales.com or Louis Fifer, Co-Chair, 330.635.1964,fiferlouis@yahoo.com
- www.ohiobottleclub.org
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Columbia City IN Bottle Show Info:
PHOTO BY MICHELE K. / ©AMERICAJR.com
Columbia City Indiana
Insulators & Collectibles Show
May 15 & 16 2015
(Friday & Saturday)
Columbia City, Indiana
- 581 Squawbuck Road, Columbia City, Indiana 46725
- Whitley County 4H Center (Fairgrounds) / 1 mile south of US30
- Show Times: Friday, 3:00 – 5:00 pm, Saturday 8:00 am – 3:00 pm
- Free Admission
- Set-up: Friday, noon – 3:00 pm, Saturday 6:00 am – 8:00 am
- Contact: Gene Hawkins @ 574-377-0171
- gene.hawkins@mchsi.com
Note: the flyer says 581 Squawbuck, but googlemaps doesn't agree. They show the Whitley County 4H Center (Fairgrounds) as being at 680 Squawbuck Rd, Columbia City, Indiana 46725 [ map link]
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Washington PA Bottle Show Info:
You'll find all kinds of antique bottles and vintage advertising & go-withs at the Washington PA bottle show.
Washington County Bottle Show
May 17 2015
Sunday 9am-2pm
Washington, Pennsylvania
- Washington County Antique Bottle & Glass Club Bottle Show & Sale
- At the Alpine Star Lodge, 735 Jefferson Avenue, Washington, PA 15301
- Admission: $3
- Directions: Exit 17 off I-70; approx. 1/2 hour from Pittsburgh (Map link)
- Contact: Ed Kuskie @ 412-405-9061
- bottle wizard@comcast.net
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