Scott Beale
I guess I've always been a collector of something since I was a young kid. In my twenties I began to get interested in carnival glass after seeing a couple of pieces my mom had from her grandmother that she inherited. My parents moved from New Jersey to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and through trips to that area, I had the opportunity to regularly go to many antique shops, malls and shows in an area known for antiques.
I went to a Carnival Glass show and sale put on by the Keystone Carnival Glass Club. I was exposed to so much glass that it was an overload. Met many great people and a gentleman by the name of Lamar Sharp who really taught me so much. Lamar & Mary had a huge collection of 3,000 pieces and much of it high end stuff so I really got a lesson through hands on experience.
I guess that time span was between 1985-1990. In 1995, I began to get interested in Victorian Glass. One day, looking in a shop, I saw a very interesting salt shaker in the form of an Acorn. From that point on I was hooked on Victorian Glass shakers and condiment sets.
When I saw my first old carnival glass shaker, it was in an auction brochure. Given my interest in both things, I bid on it and won! I've been looking for them ever since.
The way I look at it, when it comes to collecting carnival glass, it's a form that is rarely seen and unique.