WLU held its own “Antiques Road Show”

On Monday, Nov. 14, John Holverson conducted an interesting program for members of the Antiques Club of the Woman’s Literary Union. Held in Alexander Hall at the Westbrook College campus, it was a fascinating hour, the club’s own “Antiques Road Show,” with Mr. Holverson describing and appraising the varied antique articles brought by members.

Ann Dox, chairman of the Hobby and Study Groups, introduced Holverson, who was director of the Portland Museum of Art for several years and also Director of the Jones Museum in Sebago. In describing a cut-glass vase, a pretty shape, tall and slender, which he called “very nice,” Holverson mentioned an old friend, Marion Dana, a well-known Portland lady, a retired professor, and a collector of Portland Glass. He asked how many members recalled Marion, and several raised their hands.

Each member brought three articles and Holverson was very knowledgeable about them. Included were a large cigar box of oak wood, from the 1890s, with a metal lining, handsome hinges on the box, and the word “cigars” printed on the cover, a small Navajo rug, with tan and red stripes; a pressed glass pitcher with a dahlia pattern; a Seth Thomas small clock, art nouveau, set in a bronze base, with a lady’s face above the clock, and her garment around the clock, and down to the base; a wooden 9-pin game, with three balls; a carnival glass dish, of a shiny purple color. Mr. Holverson said this later popular type of glassware put Tiffany out of business; a Flow Blue cup, of a set of eight, a popular color; a beautiful silver necklace, with a locket which opens, showing a picture inside – this item had a high appraisal price, from $400 to $700; a set of demi-tasse cups, with gold lining; a small blue Weller vase, made in Ohio. Holverson called that “a lovely piece;” a man’s small pocket watch, made before wrist watches took its place; a large porcelain pitcher, for lemonade, probably – the pitcher and cups made up the set; an antique chair, of mahogany; a framed picture, with a small pink animal in the center, and a pastel background.

I wish I had a tape recorder, so that I could include every article on display. It was a very enjoyable meeting, and John Holverson’s knowledge of all of our items was astounding.

Advice on how to stay warm and cut costs

A Nov. 26 Associated Press article had advice on cutting down on heating bills; it mentions long underwear in Korea, extra sweaters in U.S. classrooms, and rising sales of wood-burning stoves in Denmark. A spokeswoman for schools in Ohio’s Butler County said, “We are asking kids to layer, to bring in a sweatshirt in case you get a colder room.” Similar letters went home in New York state school districts, where increased energy prices are translating into a projected budget shortfall of some $98 million.

The AP said electricity is the main source of heat in Albania, and they’re already having brown-outs.

We’re already keeping the thermostat down in our home, and wearing an extra sweater or jacket inside the house. I hope that our taxes won’t rise because of the added costs of heating school buildings here in Maine. We’re all worried about oil shortages. Thank goodness we have a stove in our living room.

A safe idea on crosswalks from Ellie Saunders

I was pleased to receive a thoughtful note from Ellie Saunders of Westbrook, after she had seen a picture of Harry and me in the American Journal Anniversary issue. She also enclosed an illustrated clipping from the Tampa Tribune which should interest local pedestrians.

The headline is “Colorful Flags Air Pedestrians on Crosswalks,” and a 4-column picture is of a lady in Washington, carrying a bright orange flag as she crossed Connecticut Avenue there. The cutline said that other cities have similar programs. The flags remind drivers that city law requires cars to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. The person crossing the street picks up the flag on one side of the street, waves it at drivers as they cross and then deposits it on the other side.

Kirkland, Wash., a suburb of Seattle, started using them after a resident saw them in Japan and presented the idea to the city council in 1995.

Some areas have abandoned the project, as many of the flags were stolen. Berkeley ended this program, as within a year the city’s entire stock of 3,000 flags disappeared. Each installation costs about $2. In Madison, Wis., the flags are stuck in big flowerpots with flowers.

Salt Lake City began its program in 2001 and flags are now at every downtown intersection.

It seems like a good investment to me. Ellie wrote at the top of the article, “Good idea!”

RECIPE

Barbara Bell and I were talking about a pie with cranberries, after our last week’s Thanksgiving dinner at our house. I had made pies of apple and mince.

Now I must try Greta Wallace’s cranberry pie recipe which I found in the Westbrook Lions Club cookbook, “Home Cooking.” I’m sure it will be a success, as Greta is an excellent cook.

CRANBERRY PIE

2 cups cranberries, 1 cup seeded raisins. Put these through a coarse grinder.

Add:

1-1/2 cups sugar

2 Tbls. flour

1 cup boiling water

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Mix all together and let stand while preparing crust. Greta says she makes a lattice top. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes and reduce heat to 350 degrees. Then bake about 30 to 40 minutes. This makes a 9-inch pie.

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