Membership Benefits

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Membership Benefits:

The Hobstar
The association's highly educational journal is published 10 times a year and filled with interesting articles and pictures relating to American Cut Glass. Click here for a sample of articles.

Annual Convention
Conventions are normally held in the later part of July. Association members and friends get together for four days of seminars, lectures, workshops, and a whole lot of fun. The heart of the event is a dazzling show and sale of some of the finest American Cut Glass, presented by a group of knowledgeable and respected dealers. The dealer's show is a vetted show. Buyers can purchase knowing they are getting a piece of authentic American Brilliant Cut Glass.

Catalog Reproductions
As they become available, ACGA reproduces, publishes and offers original cut glass catalogs from a variety of companies in business since the end of the 19th century. While you do not need to be a member to purchase these catalogs, non-members pay a 20% premium. Join ACGA and save money!.

Regional Chapters
You may also join one or more of the 19 ACGA regional chapters. Chapters generally meet three or four times a year to share knowledge through programs presented on cut glass. They are an excellent basis for local programs and projects of an American Cut Glass nature and the development of friendships with others who share an interest in this unique subject of study in antiques. You must be a member of ACGA to belong to a Chapter. Click on the underlined chapters to read about them.

Eastern District

Central District

Southern District

Western District

Member's Only Website
A great source of information: Loaded with thousands of photo's of glass, 23,000+ auction results database, cut glass patents, tips on fakes & frauds, cut glass signature photo's, unpublished cut glass catalogs, more coming soon! This includes an area for member's selling glass. To aid in research, there's a search engine so you can find articles and photo's on a pattern you are researching. Welcome to American Brilliant Cut Glass in the 21st Century!

Collector's Insurance
The ACGA and Huntington T. Block Insurance Company, Inc. have partnered to provide ACGA members with a unique, low cost, broad coverage insurance program that will bring you peace of mind knowing that your collection is properly protected. Huntington T. Block Insurance Company is the leading provider of fine art/collections coverage and expertise. To learn more about this ACGA Member Benefit, please call Jeff Minett, 212 479 4674 or email: Jeff_Minett@asg.aon.com

Brilliant Weekends
Sponsored by ACGA Chapters, BRILLIANT WEEKENDS is a general term for a special event held during the springtime and occasionally in the fall, allowing another opportunity to congregate, acquire, discuss and share in the enthusiasm of collecting American Brilliant Cut Glass. Check the bulletin board on the home page for current scheduled weekends.

Membership Directory
Published annually, the directory lists ACGA members and all relevant data but should be by no means considered ordinary. It is decorated with photographs of some of the most exceptional pieces of cut glass possessed by the membership.

Pattern Identification
ACGA has a Pattern ID committee, which will try to identify the memberships' unknown patterns free of charge. Mike Kimberling tells me they have a 30 to 40 % success rate. Often times they have more attributions than actual ID's. Go to the Members only website for Mike's email.

The ACGA Collection
The ACGA Collection is located at the Forsyth Gallery, Texas A&M University, to which you can donate your glass and get a tax deduction.

Fellowship
One of the best benefits of all, the other members of the ACGA, who make all the difference for beginning collectors by providing a resource for collecting tips, research materials, avoiding pitfalls and celebrating victories.

Service	Cost through ACGA Membership	Approximate Cost to Buy Elsewhere
Receive 10 issues of The Hobstar per year via the USPS	Included with Membership	Cost to purchase privately - - if you could find copies???
Read Hobstar back issues archived on the ACGA website	FREE with Membership --Access to Members Only Area of the ACGA Website	$5 - $10 per specialized journal
Opportunity to purchase Cut Glass Reproduction Catalogs	FREE with Membership , discounts available to members only And Opportunity is available free to the public	Cost to purchase privately - - if you could find original catalogs ???
Opportunity to view Special Cut Glass Catalogs	Free with Membership ---Access to Members Only Area of the ACGA Website	Generally unavailable elsewhere or to the public
Opportunity to Join Regional Chapters of the ACGA for fellowship and learning	Approximately $10 - $20 per year per Chapter (Must first be a member of the ACGA)	Unavailable elsewhere
View Bulletin Board of All Upcoming Chapter Events	Free with Membership ---Access to Members Only Area of the ACGA Website	Unavailable to the public
Learn techniques to authenticate ABP cut glass	FREE with Membership	Cost for years and years of experience???
Links via the ACGA Website to museums with ABP cut glass displays	FREE with Membership And Available free to the public	Generally unavailable elsewhere
Opportunity to view Cut Glass Auction Database with over 20,000 records, many with photos	Free with Membership ---Access to Members Only Area of the ACGA Website	$5++ per Auction Catalog with Selling Price Results Page
Opportunity to view Photos and Information regarding cut glass Fakes, Frauds, and Marriages	Free with Membership ---Access to Members Only Area of the ACGA Website	Generally unavailable elsewhere or to the public
View, Buy, and Sell ABP cut glass Link to Cut Glass for Sale by ACGA Members This Members Only Area of the ACGA website is “under construction” at this time.	Free With Membership ---Access to Members Only Area of the ACGA Website Some ACGA members also sell on internet auction sites and through other venues. ACGA membership can be verified through the ACGA Directory available only to ACGA members.	---------------- HOWEVER, *some* internet sellers who “advertise” ACGA affiliation are not really association members. Buyer Beware! ----------
Access to Expert Guest Speakers	Included with Fees for Members-Only Venues at National Conventions and Brilliant Weekends	$500+++ through a Speakers Bureau
Access to View True Rarities of American Brilliant Period Cut Glass	Included with Fees for National Conventions	Unlikely to find such depth and breadth of exhibits anywhere else at any price!
24/7 Service via the ACGA Website	FREE with Membership and Some areas are free to the public	Can you reach your doctor in the middle of the night when you need something?
Opportunity to purchase specialized insurance for collectibles at very attractive prices	FREE with Membership	Comparable coverage is not available elsewhere at ACGA “member prices”
Access to fellow collectors’ specialized ABP cut glass collections	FREE with Membership	$15 - $20 per museum admission
Learn from experts – Get answers from cut glass experts	FREE with Membership	$60 - $100+ per hour for expert consultation
Pattern Identification Service AND Pattern Matching Service	FREE with Membership	$10 - $15+ per item/expert consultation AND Unavailable at Replacements, Ltd.
Opportunity to view Photo Galleries of ABP cut glass examples	FREE Via the ACGA Website And Opportunity is available free to the public	Generally unavailable elsewhere
Opportunity to view Cut Glass Patent Database	Free with Membership ---Access to Members Only Area of the ACGA Website	Cost to compile all the research from the US Patent Office???
Opportunity to view Photos and Information regarding Authentic, Fake, and Forged Cut Glass Signatures	Free with Membership ---Access to Members Only Area of the ACGA Website	Generally unavailable elsewhere or to the public
Service *Spend family time together enjoying a shared interest in American Brilliant Period Cut Glass.*	Cost through ACGA Membership Priceless!	Approximate Cost to Buy Elsewhere $$$$$ Value = our combined weights in gold