Northwood Diamond Point Purple Vase With Original Northwood Label

I’m not sure when I bought this vase the first time, but I'm thinking it was around the year 2000.  I recently purchased it for the second and last time from the Tampa Bay Carnival Glass Club Convention Auction last month (February 11, 2017). 

Traveling two, sometimes three days a week and driving anywhere from 250 to 400 miles in a day, I’d head in a different direction, where ever I had a feeling that I should go.

On this particular day I decided to head towards Midlothian, Virginia which butts right up to the city limits of Richmond, the Capital because my family was with me and we were going to visit my Aunt there.

Right at the limits of Midlothian there is an antique mall, then a shop in a small shopping center, and then a quarter of a mile down the road further there's another small shop called Shackleford's Antiques. Although this shop is closed and the high strung little ole lady has passed on, it was always a pleasure to visit her shop.   She had purchased one of my books and we became friends over the years.

Now since we were supposed to being going to visit my Aunt, everybody grumbled when I mentioned stopping in at the three places close together there.  The first two places I came out empty handed.  I said; “Okay, just one more place and I’ll be done”.

They all sat in the car as I went in. Going down the aisle leading toward the desk that Mrs. Shackleford used to make transactions, she greeted me with a big hello and immediately told me that a picker from Massachusetts who came down about twice a year had brought her two pieces of Carnival glass and told me to get the key and unlock the old china cabinet, that they were sitting on the top shelf.

I immediately saw this Diamond Point vase and by the iridescence I would likely buy it, depending on the price (she never gave any discount whatsoever).  I picked it up, turned it over to see the price and was surprised, to say the least, to find the first 100% mint Northwood paper label I had heard of to date.

Next to the vase was a little emerald green Leaf Chain 6" plate. I noted the price and quickly picked up the two pieces, laid them on her desk and said, "I'll take them both." I then got my third surprise when she actually gave me a discount. Bottom line was, I walked out of Shackleford's Antique Shop with two great pieces of glass for one great price. 

The plate when down south to North Carolina and I kept the vase for about a year before I was talked out of it and West Virginia bound it went, to my friend Gary Vandevander. 

I always regretted selling it but I am happy that it's come back home to me now, for good this time (I hope). 

 The Mike Carwile Collection