The Heisey Collectors of Texas was organized July 15, 1975. Our study club is an affiliate of the Heisey Collectors of America, Inc. We are proud to have received Charter No. 16 during the National Heisey Convention, in June of 1976.
Below see our club president, Madeline Sullivan (left), receiving the club Charter at the June, 1976 National Heisey Convention
The Heisey Collectors of Texas started in 1975. The Heisey Collectors of America had a Newsletter with a small article in it from Woody Hardin of Dallas, Texas. Woody wanted to know if there were other Heisey owners that would be interested in getting together to enjoy talking about this beautiful glass. Madeline Sullivan called Woody and they talked and talked about Heisey Glass. Woody had a friend that had a nice collection of Heisey and would be interested in joining us. Woody said he would call me and set up a time for the meeting. Our first meeting was in March of 1975 at Woody and Pat Hardin's home. It was Madeline and A. C. Sullivan, John and Margie Allen (Woody's friends) and Woody and Pat Hardin. We had an enjoyable visit and we all seemed to get along nicely. John and Woody had another friend, and had also met another couple that were interested in starting a study club for Heisey collectors. Everything went very quickly. The second meeting was in July 1975. The two new couples were Ella and Ed Buttry and Erma and Rodger Hulslander. The meeting was at the Hulslander's home. It was a delightful time. We organized! We elected officers! President, A. E. "Woody" Hardin and Secretary, Erma Hulslander. We would meet the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. At that time, there was a discussion on naming the club. We wanted to name the club the Heisey Collectors of Texas since at that time, there was no other study club in the state. We decided to acquire the approval of National, since the two names were so similar. After several discussions of a month or so, the Heisey Collectors of Texas became official. Also, the members were making plans to submit charter papers in the near future to affiliate with Heisey Collectors of America in Newark, Ohio.
The charter members of the Heisey Collectors of Texas are: John & Margie Allen, Charlie & Jan Baird, Ed & Ella Buttry, Pat & Evelyn Halverson, Woody & Pat Hardin, Katie Huber, Rodger & Erma Hulslander, Trudy Miller, Frankie Penrod, Herb & Bonita Riepe and Arthur & Madeline Sullivan. The first President was Woody Hardin. Erma Hulslander was the first Secretary.
The year 1976, the Heisey Collectors of Texas affiliated with the national club The Heisey Collectors of America, Inc. and was granted a charter. The charter was/and is Number 16. This was executed on June 13th, 1976 in a presentation at the national convention at Newark, Ohio. Louise Ream, National President, presented the Charter to Madeline Sullivan, President of Heisey Collectors of Texas.
The Central Texas Area Museum, Salado, Texas had an Antique Forum on American glass and silver in September 1976. The morning speaker was Madeline Sullivan. Ms. Sullivan spoke on the history of Heisey glass. Samples of patterns, figurines and colors were exhibited and explained during the lecture. After the lecture, articles of Heisey glass were sold to members of the audience. Ten percent of the sales were donated to the Central Texas Area Museum for their building improvement fund.
Ken Deibel, another member of Heisey Collectors of Texas, was afternoon speaker for the Forum. His topic was American Silver with many beautiful pieces displayed and sold. Other members attending the Forum were Margie Allen and Joey Whittlesey.
The HCT club went to Canton First Monday in Canton, Texas, October 1976. They set up a beautiful display with different members offering their glass for sale. It was an enjoyable time for the group. Woody and Pat Hardin had recently moved to Canton and they invited each of us to have breakfast with them. Pat was a fine cook so everyone was there for the breakfast feast. The rest of the day was filled with warm, blue skies and much merriment. There was not to many pieces of Heisey sold, but it was a good experience with the members getting to know each other better.
The Heisey Collectors of Texas was asked by the Dallas Public Library to be included in their computerized data base of information about non-profit community organizations and agencies that serve the people of North Texas. This information service is available to answer questions for anyone wanting to locate particular services or interst groups in the area. It is maintained in cooperation with the North Central Texas Council of Governments. HCT voted to be part of that data base on May 19, 1977.
In August 1977, the Metroplex Glass Cub and the Heisey Collectors of Texas sponsored a glass show and sale at the Ramada Inn in Irving, Texas. Special guest was Frances Bones, author of the Book of Duncan Glass and Collectibles of the Depression. It was a large show and had Depression, Heisey, Cambridge, Fostoria, Duncan, Fiesta, Pattern Glass and more. Heisey's display was patterns and colors. All Heisey pieces sold sent ten percent of their sales to the National Heisey Museum in Newark, Ohio.
Early in 1977, the Heisey Collectors of Texas voted to have Junior Members join the club. The first junior member to join was Rosemary Sullivan. The 2nd junior member was Sheri Hulslander and the 3rd junior member was Kathleen Sullivan. The junior members were very stalwart in their attendance and participation.
The State Fair of Texas, in the fall of 1977, spotlighted a special exhibit of Heisey Glass. A very choice selection of Heisey pieces were displayed.
The second glass show and sale again sponsored by the Metroplex Glass Club and the Heisey Collectors of Texas was in March 1978. The HCT display was on Heisey candlesticks. Ten percent of the sales was donated for the benefit of the HCT treasury. The special guest was Jo Cunningham, author of "The Autmn Leaf Story" and the Editor of "The Glass".
Official stationary of the HCT was adopted in 1978. It was created by Madeline Sullivan and the Texas bond paper was donated by Ella Buttry. The design on the letterhead was an outline of Texas on the left with a Diamond H inside the Texas in the area of the Metroplex. In bold letters across the heading was Heisey Collectors of Texas and under the word Heisey is printed Affiliate HCA-Chapter 16.
Again the Central Texas Area Museum wanted the HCT group to present a program in September 1980. Madeline Sullivan spoke on Heisey Animals. Erma Hulslander and Rosemary Sullivan accompanied her to the Salado Antique Forum. The Museum was doing an expansion program and the money from the Antique Forum and other endeavors was helping this cause. That same fall, HCT had a booth at the Fair Park Flea market. Different members manned the booth and everyone had a lot of fun.
HCT acquires HCA slide shows. An animal slide show prepared by HCA member, Dick Marsh, and also his Heisey Toothpicks were bought by the HCT group. The slide shows are to help the group further the education of Heisey glass to other individuals.
The first blind auction was done in March 1982. All proceeds from the blind auction going to the Heisey National Museum in Newark, Ohio.
In 1981, the Heisey Collectors of Texas were really growing. They had twenty five adults and five junior members. The club always met in members homes on the second Thursday of each month.
The Heisey Collectors of Texas have been continuously active since 1975 and currently has twenty-seven members. Charter members Charles Baird and Erma Hulslander regularly attend meetings. The HCT study club meets on the second Saturday of alternate months at members homes. The meetings consist of a social hour, business meeting, program on Heisey Glass, refreshments served on Heisey glassware and members "show & tell" of recent Heisey finds. The club recently manned a Heisey display and HCA information table at the Looking Glass Show in San Antonio. We have a website, heiseycollectorsoftexas.org with a reference page to members glass. The club is currently transcribing the 1978 issue of Heisey News for the Lokay Initiative and recently held our annual auction to benefit the Heisey Collectors of America. Meetings are open to anyone with and interest in Heisey glass.
In October 2016, The Heisey Collectors of Texas hosted the Percy and Vivian Moore Dinner in Grapevine Texas. Recently, the club has begun an annual Heisey Calendar and a fund raising project for the Heisey Museum in Newark, Ohio.