2col #17 Before

Before irradiation process.

2col #17 After

After irradiation.

FOR 5-4

GREEN VALLEY AUCTIONS TO OFFER GLASS TALK MAY 18 w/1 cut

avv/gs set 4-24 #697252

MOUNT CRAWFORD, VA. — An educational presentation, “The Color-Induction Effects of Gamma Radiation on Nineteenth and Twentieth Century American Glass,” will take place Friday, May 18, at 5 pm, at Green Valley Auctions, Inc, in conjunction with its seventh annual spring cataloged auction of glass and lighting May 18–19. Admission is free.

Rod Elser, president of Open Salt Collectors, the national organization that supports the network of regional collectors’ clubs, and editor of the national newsletter for open salt collectors, will present a summary of the initial results of a project that subjected a broad cross section of Nineteenth and Twentieth Century glass open salt dishes to gamma irradiation.

This is a scientifically oriented project initiated and funded by Open Salt Collectors to learn more about and assess the potential impact commercial irradiation sites could have on the hobby of collecting glass open salts.

The concern is that the increasing number of commercial irradiation sites, which are commonly used now for not only the sterilization of medical supplies but also for imported fruit, vegetables and meats, will make it easier for unscrupulous individuals to induce color changes in collectible glass items, potentially “transforming” common items into rare ones.

While this is a significant concern for collectors of early lacy items, which were often produced in a variety of colors, it is also of concern to collectors of other early nonlacy pieces as well as glass items made in the second half of the Nineteenth Century and into the Twentieth Century. More than 300 open salts, from those made by Sandwich to Fostoria, were subjected to gamma irradiation with interesting and sometimes troublesome results.

While the first full review of the results of this project will be at the tenth National Open Salt Collectors convention to be held June 7–9 in Indianapolis, Ind., this presentation will summarize all the knowledge gained to date and will include numerous examples of the irradiated results.

Glassblower and historian Art Reed of Sweetwater Glass, DeLancey, N.Y., will also provide insights into how and why irradiation affects glass. Reed and Green Valley’s Jeff Evans will also provide details of their ongoing experiment involving the color reversal of irradiated glass including examples.

Green Valley Auction is at 2259 Green Valley Lane. For information, 540-434-4260 or www.greenvalleyauctions.com.