Northwood Grape & Cable Purple Vase Whimsey From Hatpin Holder

This purple Northwood Grape & Cable hatpin holder had been converted into a vase when it was made over a hundred years ago. I purchased it at the 2017 Tampa Bay Carnival Glass Convention auction featuring the Gary & Sharon Vandevander collection. This year I did some live bidding from my computer because I could not go down to my yearly vacation convention. At first, when I thought I was going, I was asked to buy this for my friends and I agreed, warning them I had spoken to several people who planned on bidding on it. These are very rare. Mavis Loescher has one in green, possibly the only one known and there are at least two or three known in purple so many people, especially Grape & Cable collectors everywhere, were very interested in it.

When the time came near, and my friends learned my flights were canceled, they also canceled their request for me to buy it for them. The catalog showed it had beautiful color and I decided I would go for it myself.. During the auction, the bidding had stopped, and I had won it. When I moved away from my computer to get a cup of Joe, I heard the computer ding to say I had a message. As I turned to go back I notice the vase I thought I had purchased was back up on the screen and was being sold again! I literally made a dive for the mouse to bid again while seeing the bright blinking  "FAIR WARNING" signal saying it was about to be sold. I hit it just in time and bought it again. In speaking to the auctioneer, they mentioned there were left bids that had not been executed properly so the auction was restarted again. I am just glad my friend Shirley sent me a message with a good loud ding! to ask if I had purchased this vase. Luckily, I could say yes when I responded to her.

Now this was the first time Tom Burns Auction Service used Auction Flex's "Live Bid" feature. I really enjoyed using it for the most part and after this auction was over, most of the kinks of learning to use it had been ironed out and resolved. There was no buyer's premium charged to use it. This was really unheard of and very attractive to buyers that are used to paying upwards of 18% for the privilege of bidding from home. There was only an additional cost for the shipping and insurance of my items. I would like to thank the Tampa Club and Burns Auction service for the excellent job they did in bringing this great auction into my home. I look forward to being there in person next year! There's nothing like the real thing baby!

The Christina Katsikas Collection