When I went to the NIA National in Herkimer, I spotted some new varieties of 143 to tell you about, and I have also had some nice people write me about some other goodies. However, rather than talk about that now, I think that I'll wait until I've had time to get more responses to my August and September articles before I relay that to you, and in this article I'll mostly discuss my trip to Herkimer. 

(Drawing is by Clay Salzman)

Speaking of information or inquiries you send me about 143's, I love it, and I'll use as much of it as I can. I can't guarantee that I'll use all of it, however. Each collector has to make a personal decision as to the level of detail that he prefers. Some collectors want all of the nitty-gritty, while others want only general information. In cataloging 143's I have selected a level of detail that may not suit you, but it should serve as a good foundation for anyone to use. I do show a lot more color detail than what eventually will get into the price guide, though. 

Another reason that I sometimes hesitate to use some information is that there are just too many varieties listed which can't be located and which are felt to be non-existent. For instance, in my last article I asked if anyone had ever seen the "Canadian Pacific Ty Co". Or how about the "Canadian. Pacific Ry Co" (only one period after "Canadian"), or the CD 143 Withycombe (ridged) with the embossed patent date on the crown top? Maybe these exist, but I have never been able to locate one, and I sure would like to personally look one over. In fact, anything that is really unusual or exceptional I like to look over myself.

If you have something special you want to show me, don't hesitate to send it to me for a look-see. I will handle with care. Or, you can send me tracings or rubbings or a color photo. The latter is especially desirable if you want me to see a color variety. Colors are something that I always try to see myself, because what might be light aqua to one collector will be pale green to another and "ice" to a third. 

Now let me tell you about Herkimer! I drove there and back (7,000 miles) and visited lots of collectors en route. What a nice trip! I always go out of my way to try and visit collectors on the way. Some times, when you look up someone in an out-of-the-way spot, you find out that you are the first fellow hobbyist that this collector has ever met, and your visit is full of fun and fellowship and is most appreciated.

By the way, in case you hadn't heard yet, the 12th Annual NIA National will be held here in Sacramento, California, in 1981 (with yours truly as the host), and we are going to have a real dandy. We are plotting all sorts of interesting things, and I have already sold almost 20 tables!! At Herkimer the most-asked question was "Where is Sacramento?" So if you are being serious, I can tell you that it is almost exactly halfway between San Francisco and Lake Tahoe.

Well, anyway, back to Herkimer. Or sort of. Actually, the show was closer to Frankfort. But it was a good show, and everyone had a good time. I traveled there via Canada and got to see several old friends and met several collectors along the way. In Saskatchewan I visited Daryl and Carole Heron, Keith Ewart, and Bill and Marvella Lovely, and, as usual, I was treated to lots of hospitality. 

The next stop was Winnipeg, Manitoba, where I met two very nice people, John Robertson and Gilbert Mignot. I had nice visits with them and got to see their collections. By the way, right next to John is a home for sale. It is neat and clean and very attractive. It is a three-story building, and the price is $32,000. (In California the only thing you can buy for that much is a vacant lot.)

The trail to Herkimer then led to Ontario, a gorgeous province that is loaded with lakes and forests. We looked up Steve McLeod in Vermilion Bay, then later that evening had a very nice visit with Eric and Barbara Halpin in Thunder Bay. Then on to Toronto, where we met two really super people, Dean and Judy Axelson. Dean is a veterinarian specializing in the treatment of exotic animals, and he also has one of the messiest basements I have ever seen!! It was filled with lightning rod balls, rocks, bottles, insulators, etc. I thought I had died and gone to heaven when I started to grub around there. I found out that Dean was selling off most of his threaded glass (and will be specializing only in Canadian threadless), and so I found lots of 143's that I couldn't live without, most of which were varieties I had seen in other collections, but which I did not have in mine. 

The Herkimer show was really nice. I had lots of fun and even got to buy a few 143's, although while I was setting up my table, other 143 collectors picked up almost all of the goodies! A 143 Standard in Blackglass sold for $400, and two gorgeous Montreal Telegraph 143's sold for approximately $85 each. One was a beautiful emerald green, and the other was a stunning dark sky blue. There were other 143's there which looked interesting, but before I could get my card file and get back, they were gone. In the future I may have to spend the whole time running up and down the aisles with paper and pencil (and money) in hand.

I got to meet lots of people at the show, some of whom I had corresponded with, but had never met. Included in this group was Bernard Warren of Anchorage, Alaska. He is a school teacher who shares my love for 143's, and he has been really helpful and has contributed to my efforts considerably in the past. 

After the show we visited Mickey Dutcher (where I got to see my first real live Emminger), then struck out for Ohio to see Ray Klingensmith. Then we drove to Illinois and visited the Paul Plunketts. It was there that I acquired a fantastic item that I have to tell you about. It is a CD 730 threadless in green!!! The CD 730 is the threadless version of the 143, so I collect those also. The 730 it listed in four colors (I've seen only aqua), but the book does not list a green!! It's beautiful. 

Our next stop was Iowa to look up Paul Ickes, and then we headed for Utah to see Ted Lovett, and then to Nevada to meet Lee Bailey. Then we finished up by stopping in at the Reno Bottle Show before we headed home. All in all a wonderful trip, and my sincere "thanks" to all of the great people who hosted us and made the trip so fine.