Collectors' Favorites 2011 From Bruce Gidoll

Here is the 1st. submission of Collectors' Favorite Floats from 2011.

My good friend Bruce Gidoll started asking me a few months ago if I was going to do another series to start the year? My answer: "You bet! It was so much fun doing it, and got the best response of anything written on the blog."

At some time during our numerous October and early November telephone conversations, Bruce brought the subject up, telling me that he was working on getting photos together, soon they would be sent, and after they were sent, he phoned, and excitedly asked...

"Did you get my email with the photos? Do you like them? Can you use them? I'll get them done again if they're not right."

Bruce's photos arrived before Thanksgiving. His exuberant determination is a joy.

I'm lucky to have a glass float friend like Bruce here on the East Coast (only a few states away) to talk and email to. Bruce is the proverbial "kid in the candy store," whenever he gets a new float. He wanted so badly to have fun again by sharing his great acquisitions and joy. As you all know, it gives me great pleasure to share with the readers the fun that other collectors have. I would imagine all collectors experience the same thrill of a new acquisition?

For me, to be able to walk into my float room, and see the new one brings happiness to moments in a day. Holding the wonderful float. Looking at and photographing it from every angle within the light streaming through my south-facing window. Placing it in just the right display spot. All of these experiences add to the surge of happiness...and wonder...that this new beauty is really with me to enjoy whenever I wish. As time passes, an example procured months or years earlier is suddenly noticed. Lighting makes it shine out from the rest, or for some other reason - the float happens to catch my eye, and does not allow me to forget that older "new beauty". Certainly, there are other emotions experienced by you to add to my list. Submissions of photos and writing by you, are why I enjoy these "new year illustrating the old year," posts so much. Here are Bruce's favorites:


Hey There Tom,

The following floats are the finest I obtained on 2011. I am quite thrilled with this year's catch, despite little help from Ebay.

(I think that all seasoned collectors experienced a lot of time between great float auctions last year. Although, I tried to remain positive that there were great floats appearing, and that it was just a case of the long time collectors already having examples of the goodies that did appear, I too was waiting and looking hard to find something. As the weeks and months passed, I kept saying and writing to my friends: "The Fat Lady hasn't sung yet". For Bruce that was the case. He had a great acquisition at the beginning of the year, then a long lull, followed and ended by a great December. It's time to stop digressing, and allow Bruce to tell you his story:


My top 6 are listed in the order in which I obtained them with some details. I hope you and other collectors will enjoy seeing them.

Keep up the great work with your Blog.

All the Best, Bruce






1) February Giant Black Egg Float





This type float,one of the earliest to be used in Norway, is 7 inches in length. It has a complete Mold Line around the glass, and is very heavy, while being nearly opaque,even when held in direct light.
NORWEGIAN





2)May Lavender Bullet Rolling Pin





One of the most highly prized type and color of Rolling Pins, this Bullet is a wonderful Lavender in color. 6 1/4 inches long, with abrasions from it's many years of Rolling on the sand, being quite evident.
JAPANESE





3)June Basketball size Cranberry Float





This is the only Cranberry Float known to exist in this Large Size. It is a bit darker than the more common 2 1/2 inch size.
JAPANESE









4)June Basketball Size Dark Swirled Cobalt Float





With its very heavy Glass, along with its many Dark Swirls and Large Seal, make this float quite striking when displayed with other Cobalts of different Sizes.
JAPANESE





5)June Basketball Size Black Pumpkin Float





Of all the colors beachcombed of this strange unusual float, none is more sought-after, or is as rare as the Prized Black Pumpkin. I have a number of Pumpkins of this size, and no two are alike in any way.





In every color of Pumpkin I have, all are different in many ways, such as the Number of Patches, their Weight, and especially their Shapes. Some are 100% Opaque, with absolutely no light visible when held up to the sun. As of now, still no one knows their origin. These are my favorite type of all Floats.
ASIAN







6) July 16 x 11 Teardrop with a Beautifully Woven Net







Teardrops of any Size are not very common. This example with it's Absolutely Beautiful Hand Woven Net, makes this one a prize to display. The Net is so tightly woven, it is impossible to detect the color of the glass.
NORWEGIAN






One late spring Saturday morning, while looking for floats, I spied a Norwegian offer to sell a batch of floats found in a boathouse. The sale contained a pair of Teardrops, one of which was Bruce's float. Immediately, an email was sent to the Raven, hoping that he could purchase the floats for us. He wrote back to say that they were no longer available. Later, the buyer of that sale sold one of the Teardrops. Months passed. During a telephone conversation, Bruce told me that he had been given the opportunity to add one of the pair of floats to his collection. The vagaries of float history provided an opportunity to share Bruce's happiness having this beautifully netted glass Norwegian Teardrop with you.

I would like to end this post by extending an invitation to the readers of this blog to submit float photos from your collection for publication in this year's series of Collectors' Favorites. A bit of commentary (length is totally up to the writer/sender) makes you and your float photos come alive for the readers. Kindly do not feel intimidated because your collection does not contain the rare. It is much too enjoyable to just see and read about all collectors' floats and motivations to worry about competition. This blog and the stories are all about fun, history and beauty. You can send submissions to me at the email address found on the right hand side of the page, at the bottom of the photo and the caption "About Me". The More the Merrier! Thank you in advance.