| Peoples Vase, Millersburg Updated 12/13/2007 | |
 | |
| The most desirable of all Carnival vases--and perhaps of all carnival patterns. Apparenty made by Millersburg as a tribute to the people of Millersburg, Ohio, where the company was located. The pattern shows people dancing. There are only about 10 known. They include amethyst (all with ruffled tops like the vase on the right), green, blue, and marigold. The only two to sell publicly in recent years were amethyst. They were discovered in 1996 and sold at auction that year. The perfect one brought $43,000; a seriously cracked one brought $13,500. Shown are blue, green, and amethyst, all from the collection of Floyd and Cecil Whitley--though the blue one has moved on to another collection since the photo was taken.
Interestingly, the prices on the blue vase have been tracked over the years. It sold in 1963 for $75, in 1967 for $1,350, in 1969 for $2,700, in 1973 for $4,500, again in 1973 for $8,100, and in 1982 for $5,000. The vase sold privately several years ago for $75,000. At the 2006 Heart of America convention auction, it sold for $100,000--the first piece to reach that figure at auction. In 2007, an amethyst example sold for $65,000. | |