Carnival Glass Society annual weekend in West Midlands

A tour of the Carnival Glass Society’s exhibition at Stourbridge Glass Museum and a talk at the historic Himley Hall in Dudley, West Midlands, will be highlights at the Society’s upcoming annual weekend this Autumn.

Taking place from Friday 29 September to Sunday 1 October 2023, the event is for Carnival Glass Society members only, for whom attendance is free. Anyone interested in joining the Society can do so online and then they can sign up for the weekend.

The programme begins on the Friday evening with a drinks reception and tour at Stourbridge Glass Museum, where there are over 300 items of carnival glass on display, including rarities never exhibited before. Participants will hear the fascinating story of carnival glass, which spans more than 150 years from its early inspirations through to the current day. They will also be able to browse the Museum’s other exhibits.

On the Saturday (9.30am to 4.30pm) the event moves to Himley Hall, where there will be carnival glass for sale at prices to suit all budgets, as well as an afternoon filmed presentation by author and historian, James Measell, on the Stourbridge glassmaking pioneers Thomas Dugan and Harry Northwood.

There will be a raffle to win a rare, 3-inch high carnival glass ‘Rex’ vase made by Eda Glasbruk in Sweden in the 1920s and a ‘straw draw’ where every even number wins a piece of carnival glass.

An optional buffet is available on the Friday evening (£10 a head) and an optional meal will be available at Himley Hall (£25 for two courses or £30 for three courses).

On Sunday 1 October members can enjoy a canal boat trip from the historic Bonded Warehouse along the Stourbridge canal (£9 per person).

Email autyt@aol.com or call Trudy on 0759 526 1735 for further details and information on how to register.

For anyone interested in joining the Carnival Glass Society, there is a special membership offer of £14 for electronic membership (up to two names per membership) which runs to 31 October 2024 and includes eight 40-page newsletters. Find out more and join via this link.

Image: A selection of carnival glass.