Annual Corn Flower Festival

Mark your calendars!
12th Annual Corn Flower Festival
Sunday, June 6, 2010
10am - 4pm

DCMA celebrates 12 years of the famous Corn Flower glassware pattern at this Annual Festival. Visit our new exhibit “Cupboards of Corn Flower”. Meet fellow enthusiasts and collectors.  Be sure to get your copy of Corn Flower: Creatively Canadian by DCMA Curator Wayne Townsend, or Corn Flower Price Guide by East Garafraxa native Krista Taylor. Presentations, ‘share sessions’ and a consignment sale of Corn Flower glassware are also planned for this exciting day. Contact the Museum  for more information and to find out how to become a member of the Corn Flower Collector’s Club!

Overview of Last Year's Festival (11th Annual!)
Sunday, June 7, 2009

Yet another successful festival! Our many visitors came from near and far, from Vancouver and Halifax, and there was plenty of exchanging of knowledge and, as usual, a wonderful "Corn Flower" buzz inside the Museum.

A special "Thank You" to Pete and Lois (Hughes) Kayser for joining us again at the DCMA. Pete spent a great deal of time ensuring the many pieces within our consignment sale were authentic. The successful sale featured 377 pieces, most of which were sold. Funds raised from the sale are dedicated to purchasing additional "Corn Flower" items for the DCMA collection.

The "Sharing Sessions" were lead by Pete, Lois and "Corn Flower" specialist Krista Taylor. We discovered many new snippets of information, useful insights, and helpful hints in the study of the wonderful "Corn Flower" pattern. Most of our visitors who bought along items were thrilled with the news that their pieces were genuine and were able to note further information, such as dates or blanks they were cut on. Unfortunately, a few visitors heard that their pieces were not in fact "Corn Flower", but having your collection authenticated by the former owner and operator of the "Corn Flower" Company is an important and valuable part of the Festival program!

We enjoyed hearing our guest speakers: Joan Drysdale (daughter of former "Corn Flower" cutter Bob Clifton), Norm Zimmerman, and Krista Taylor. The live auction sale was kindly lead by faithful and longstanding "Corn Flower" enthusiast Lynda!

A note to "Corn Flower" Club Members:
If you didn't make it to the last Festival, be sure to renew your membership to continue receiving your "Corn Flower" Chronicle. Call to pay with your credit card, or mail in a cheque. Our new "discoveries" will be published in the next few issues.

  


Attention Corn Flower Collectors & Enthusiasts:
Become a member of the Corn Flower Collectors Club!

The DCMA Corn Flower Collectors Club is a national group of enthusiasts of W. J. Hughes “Corn Flower” cut glass. Membership includes:

  • Participation in our Annual Club Meeting, held at the DCMA’s Corn Flower Festival in June.

  • Three issues of our newsletter, the Corn Flower Chronicle, including information and articles of interest to collectors, full colour photos, collecting tips, shop and dealer directories, W. J. Hughes & Sons Corn Flower Limited company information and more.

  • Membership supports DCMA research into the company’s history and product lines.

Membership Fee:

  • One year membership $25.00

  • Two year membership $45.00

Payment may be made to the DCMA by cash, VISA or MasterCard, Debit/Interac or cheque. 

Call or visit the DCMA to sign-up today!

The "Corn Flower" label and the words "Corn Flower" are the registered trademarks of W.J. Hughes & Sons Corn Flower Limited, used by the Dufferin County Museum and Archives under licence.
 

 

Photo: Pete Kayser who operated W J Hughes and Sons "Corn Flower" Limited for many years takes the stage for the 11th Annual Corn Flower Festival Sharing sessions.  By studying each piece brought along by festival visitors, Pete and Krista Taylor are often able to identify the blank that it is cut on, the country of its origin, the era in which it was cut and on occasion even the cutter's name.  We all learn a little more each year when we hear how or why a piece fits neatly into certain cutting period.  It is always a thrill to watch!