Cranberry Glass Birthday Surprise

Cranberry glass, a rich, deep pink colored glass that is very pleasant to look at, tends to be very expensive.

The first time I ever saw it was in the shop windows in Cape Cod. It was so stunningly beautiful that I stood, mesmerized, looking at it.  Why, oh, why is it so darned pricey, I remember asking.

The reason is because it's made with molten gold!  That's what makes the color of the glass so appealing and the price so unappealing!

My late mother started to buy the glass for me on birthdays, Christmas, and other special occasions so she is responsible for many of the  treasured pieces  I have in my collection.  In addition, whenever a few extra dollars came along and I saw something affordable I'd buy it but most of the cranberry glass in my collection came as gifts.

This fall, while attending a very high quality estate sale,  several pieces of cobalt blue glass, charming blue and white plates, Hummels, and all kinds of other really top quality items were all for sale. Then, lo and behold, on a table in the back of a garage,  there were six pieces of cranberry glass!  The prices on them seemed quite affordable---far less than their worth---but I hesitated. With so many expenses coming up, could additional glass pieces be justified?

Reluctantly, I passed-up the cranberry glass.  Once back in the car, I told a sister that if money were not an object, every single piece of that glass would have come home with me. After dropping off my sister, I had a flash of insight. The glass was collectible and its resale value would be high so I flew to the bank, took some money out of my savings, and returned to the estate sale.

     "I came back to buy all the cranberry glass, " I said to the proprietor. 

 

     "Too late," she said. "A lady came and bought it all."  Drat! My own hesitation caused me to lose out on additional pieces of this beautiful glass.

    "He who hesitates is lost," kept flashing through my mind.

      While I felt badly, it was better to just forget about the missed opportunity cranberry glass.

      Recently, one of my sisters hosted a delicious luncheon in honor of my birthday.  After a sumptuous feast of homemade spaghetti and meatballs, rolls, and salad, homemade apple cake and ice cream,  it was my delight to open gifts.

     While unwrapping the contents of one birthday bag, I was thrilled to see a piece of cranberry glass!  Then a second, third, and so on.

     "OMG," I exclaimed. "Did you go back to that estate sale?"  My sister nodded.  She was the  lady the estate sale proprietor said came and bought every single piece.

      Wonders never cease and sisters are true gifts from the hand of the Father.  Mummy, for sure, is looking down from the other side, very pleased that my collection of cranberry glass is growing by leaps and bounds.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOR OF GLASS?