7th Annual Cookie Jar Show

The 7th Annual Cookie Jar Show

by Sandi Phillips

On June 3rd and 4th Belleville, Illinois became a cookie jar Mecca! It was my job as the unpaid/unofficial roving reporter for the ACJA to be there! Here is what I saw, heard and felt.

Belleville was: The sound of much laughter, the warmth of many hugs and the sight of over 4,000 cookie jars and go-withs on display at the Belle Clair fairgrounds.

Friday afternoon, ACJA members only were allowed a preview of the show, a first at the national cookie jar show. It was a thrilling sight to see over 40 dealers and all their jars early!

After the preview the ACJA hosted a Meet-n-Greet at the Days Inn. We spent several happy hours snacking, admiring each other's pictures, getting acquainted and taking pictures. Honestly, it was like we were famous folks and the paparazzi were present, there were so many cameras going off! At one point in the evening we went around the room and everyone shared something about themselves. I was very touched by Jarmanray Davis' lovely wife Glenda and her heartfelt sharing of Ray's grave illness last December, when he had to have surgery to remove a brain tumor. Today thankfully he is hale and hearty and on the cookie jar trail as often as possible. For us "chatters" we were able to put more names with faces! I was thrilled to meet Lucky and Hands. (Later in the weekend, I also met Bills.)

Saturday dawned bright and beautiful with about 100 or so folks in line to view the show. Inside was a mixture of vintage and new jars. Shawnee was everywhere! So many rare pieces, what a beautiful sight! There were many rare jars there, including not one, but two of Regal China's Alice in Wonderland, a jar that has always topped my wish list. I gaped at them in awe! (I am sure that if you DNAed the jars, you would find traces of my drool!) My pocket book was too skinny for their price tags of $2,900.00 and $2,550.00 but never having seen the jar in person before, it was enough for me to just look at them. The dealers who had them let me take pictures and I am sharing one with you. There was also a wonderful array of the new jars that are so appealing and affordable.

Saturday afternoon AJCA member Dave Ransburg, who had a wonderful booth set-up at the show, gave a talk about the company his grandfather founded, Ransburg Pottery. His talk was interesting and heartfelt. Dave has a new book out called "The Ransburg Collection." You can visit his website at: http://www.ransburgcollection.com/ to get information about this fine American company.

The ACJA table was a beehive of activity! The officers and members manned the table to sign-up new members and to sell T-Shirts, raffle tickets and magnets. We also had fliers out on various cookie jar related subjects, such as how to properly prepare a box to ship a cookie jar, etc. Thanks to ACJA members Karen and Lorie Wuttke of Remember When, we also had a display of original and reproduction jars that we answered many questions about during the course of the weekend. Nancy Allen and Barbara Crews brought their collection of cookie jar books for folks to browse. Merla Davis had the ugly cookie jar contest board set-up there too, as well as a map of the USA pin pointing the many states that our members reside in.

Saturday night after the show closed, ACJA member Jim Boshears auctioned off a one of a kind original jar by Don Winton. Charlie and Rose Snyder of Kansas were the high bidders.

The banquet followed with guest speakers Don and Norma Winton. The Wintons are pictured below. They were delightful! After the banquet ended there was an informal gathering in the hotel lobby. ACJA member Candice Barnard of Oklahoma entertained us with a song about cookie jar collecting. The lobby echoed with happy sounds as we took up where we left off the night before, getting acquainted.

Kudos to Norman and Evie Vitez! All their hard work made for a very well run show. Contact Norman at primecjs@intertek.net for questions concerning the show for 2001. Norman and Evie are pictured below.

Sunday morning was our annual meeting. The minutes from the meeting are up on the website. The ACJA has been blessed to have a very conscientious, dedicated President in Gwen Mauger. Ron Pahl, our ACJA "first fella" has been such an asset also! All during the weekend, you could find Gwen and Ron working to keep things running smoothly. Gwen and Ron, you have our thanks for all your efforts!

Sunday went so fast! The ugly cookie jar contest was such fun. (Look under Articles & News for June on this site to find an accounting of it.) The winner was Johnny Sutton; you have got to check out the picture of the winning jar! Thanks to Merla Davis for sponsoring this fun contest. It was hard saying "so long for now" to the folks leaving that day! I keep telling myself that a year goes fast and soon we will be spending time together again!

Sunday night everybody was gone except for Gwen, Ron, Merla, Chris and me. The five of us went into St. Louis for dinner, then drove around the downtown area to see the sights. St. Louis is such a beautiful place!

Monday morning Merla Davis and I hunted for another motel. Our room accommodations literally stank this year. Thankfully we found an excellent place with a meeting room for next year, if the ACJA decides to have their convention in conjunction with the 8th Annual National Cookie Jar Show.

The 8th Annual Cookie Jar Show will be held in Belleville, Illinois on June 2nd and 3rd, 2001. Plan to attend so you can experience the camaraderie with other cookie jar collectors and take in the awesome sight of over 4,000 cookie jars for yourself!

*Editor's note: Go to: http://members3.clubphoto.com/beverly228302/ for three pages of wonderful pictures by Beverly Sutton of the sights that highlighted the weekend.

You can also go to: http://collectibles.about.com/hobbies/collectibles/library/jars/blshowpics2.htm where you will find more pictures from the show by Barbara Crews.

http://members3.clubphoto.com/chris234619/ COLLECTION_OF_PICTURES_OF_BELLEVILLE _COLLECTION_OF_PICTURES_OF_BELLEVILLE/ takes you to the photo site of Chris Hunsaker who also displays Belleville pictures.