Mianco Partners - The World of Wade

As so frequently happens, chance meetings have a profound effect on the future of the individuals involved. Neither one of us realized the route we would embark upon when we discovered our common interest in Depression Era Glassware. The discovery of this collectable range of glassware while browsing in an antique store in the early 1970s eventually led to a subscription to The Depression Glass Daze and to a close friendship with the owner and editor of "The Daze" the late Nora Koch.

It was Nora who persuaded us to write, and illustrate with photographs, a column featuring our trips around the Toronto area flea markets and antique sales. A number of these articles included Swankyswigs - the small decorated glasses produced by Kraft to hold cream cheese. A compilation of these articles developed into a publication "Swankyswigs a Pattern Guide and Check List" with Nora as the publisher. This publication proved to be an instant success and eventually went into four printings between 1982 and 1988.

It was in the 1970s that we became friends with Hazel Marie Weatherman - the author of the first books on Depression Glass. In 1977 Hazel asked us to help with the section on Swankyswigs for her new book The Decorated Tumbler. This led to a memorable visit with Hazel at her beautiful home in the Ozarks of southern Missouri.


	Ian, Hazel Weatherman and Mike in the Ozarks, Missouri, 1977.
In the mid 1970s, the editors desk at "The Daze" was inundated with letters from collectors with questions about the little 'tea figurines' that were then flooding the Ontario flea markets. Nora asked Ian to write a series of columns about these figurines and Mike was asked to illustrate the columns with his photographs. Further investigation of the tea figurines led to a pottery called George Wade and Son Ltd. Ian sent off a letter to the pottery which was soon answered by a gentleman by the name of Derek Dawe who ended his letter by saying he would be happy to help with any more questions. It was not too soon that more and more questions were raised regarding the number of figurines used in the boxes of tea, dates of issue etc., etc. Mr. Dawe soon became Derek and his help was incredible. Nothing was too much trouble and as more and more interesting facts were uncovered more and more articles on Wade were written for "The Daze." Through our collaboration, we met numerous columnists and authors with interests in both glass and pottery. One of the authors, the late William Heacock, a foremost authority on Fenton Art Glass and North American pressed glass, thought the articles on Wade and the information we had collected warranted a book on the subject. Bill suggested a meeting with his publisher - David Richardson of Antique Publications.
	William Heacock, Ian and Mike, 1982.
In 1985 permission was first sought from Wade to produce a book on their products and with their blessings research started in earnest. Derek, again was an incredible help. He searched what records Wade had along with shipping and order details and supplied copies of old catalogs and order sheets. We also spent many hours in the British Newspaper Library in London searching through past issues of pottery related magazines followed by several trips to the Public Records Office. After two and half years the manuscript was ready for the publishers approval. When David Richardson asked us what the title of the book was to be, William Heacock looked at some of the Wade literature which had a line drawing of the globe with Wade written across and immediately suggested The World of Wade. Thus began The World of Wade series of books. With work on The World of Wade coming to an end we were able to concentrate on more trips to flea markets and antique and collectable shows both in Canada and the U.S. After the long hours spent working on the Wade book we both said no more books but with the growing interest in head vase planters a book on the subject was hard to turn down. It was while antiquing in Michigan with author and fellow Daze columnist Betty Newbound and her husband Bill that we came upon an interesting head vase. Betty suggested that since "you guys have nothing better to do and that there is a need for a book on the subject of head vases why don't you write one." We started to investigate the origins of these collectables. Our research took us to many uncharted territories. A number of importing companies in the U.S., Canada and Japan were investigated as well as contact with the Japan Pottery Design Centre was made. The World of Head Vase Planters was published in 1992. During the early days of collecting head vases we had met and become friends with Maddy Gordon who produced and edited a quarterly magazine The Head Hunters Newsletter. In 1992 Maddy organized the first Head Vase Convention held in Kissimmee, Florida. We were invited to give a talk and slide presentation on head vases,
	Mike speaking at the first Head Vase convention.
	Mike, Harriet Kellman, Debbie Silver, Ian and Maddy Gordon at the first Head Vase convention.
It was at this convention that we met fellow head vase author Kathleen Cole. We spent many happy days comparing notes and experiences on our various finds and flea market trips.
	Ian, Maddy Gordon, Kathleen Cole and Mike at the first Head Vase convention.
The following year found us again in Kissimmee at the second convention where another author in the field of head vases, Polly Gipson, attended for the first time.
	Ian, Polly Gipson and Mike at the second Head Vase convention.
Robin Hood of the Sherwood Forest series was introduced in 1989. This limited edition figurine was followed by Maid Marian and Friar Tuck.
	Sherwood Forest series of figurines.
In 1990 we undertook a four week research trip to England which took us from Westward Ho! to Southend-on-Sea and from Plymouth to Portadown in Ireland via Stranraer and Larne. We drove 4000 plus miles on that trip which included more photography and many more hours spent in the Newspaper Library in London. The culmination of the trip was the publication and launch of The World of Wade Book 2 on July 14-15, 1994 at the Grand Kempinski hotel in Dallas.
	Mike waiting to board the ferry to Ireland.
	Ian at the hotel in Portadown.
	Mike and Ian with the Factory Cat at the Wade Pottery in Burslem, early 1990s.
In 1994, on the weekend of July 14-15 we were in Dallas, Texas along with Ralph Brough and Roger Ellis from Wade at the invitation of the Jim Beam Bottle and Specialties Club to attend their annual meeting. It was at this meeting that an agreement was reached between Wade and the Jim Beam Club to co-host the annual conventions, the first of which was held in Seattle, Washington. Further Wade/Jim Beam conventions were held in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, Buffalo, New York and San Antonio, Texas.
	Mike, Ralph Brough, Roger Ellis and Ian in Dallas, 1994.
	Mike and Ian at the Wade/Beam convention in Oconomowoc.
1994 was the year of the first Wade Fair which was held at The National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham on September 25th.
	Lining up for the first Wade Fair, September 1994.
	Ian, Mike and Ben Travers at the first Wade Fair.
Before the Fair however, we spent some time traveling with the publishers of the popular "The Wade Watch" newsletter, Carole Murdock and Valerie Moody.
	Ian, Carole Murdock, Valerie Moody and Mike leaving the motel in Sutton Coldfield for the Birmingham fair.
After the visit to the Wade Fair we visited with Wharton Lang, son of Faust Lang, at his studio in Cornwall. We gathered much information about the background of Faust Lang who had modeled many of the animal and bird figures produced by Wade in the 1930s. We were also given photographs of some of his carvings to illustrate our next book - Wade Price Trends published in 1996.
	Wharton Lang, Mike and Ian in Wharton's Cornwall studio.
Prior to attending the Wade Fair we spent a Saturday morning signing copies of our new Wade book at the Wade Factory Shop in Burslem.
	Mike, Roger Ellis, Carole Murdock, Valerie Moody, Ian, Freda and Sally Ball of Tom Smith signing books.
The second Wade Fair, again held at the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham on June 11, 1995, was as successful as the first we attended. After the fair we had the pleasure of visiting with the eldest son of Anthony Wade, Jeremy Wade and his family. Jeremy and his young son George, took us around the local villages which had buildings used as models for the Whimsey-on-Why village series. Included in the tour was a visit to the late Sir George Wade's home which was the model for Bloodshot Hall.
	Tony Hemmings, Unknown, Roger Ellis, Bernhard Burton, Ben Travers, Mike and Ian seated.
	Visiting Brand Hall, former home of the late Sir George Wade. This was the model for Bloodshot Hall.
	Ian, a young George Wade and Jeremy Wade, 1995.
	Ian, David Chown and Mike in Arundel.
	Ian, Russell Schooley and Mike in Arundel.
	Ian, Mary Ashby and Alan Clark at an Arundel Wade Meet.
For the past several years we have attended many Wade Fairs in both the U.K. and in the U.S. The first Kansas City Fair organized by Ed and Bev Rucker gave us a chance to meet and visit with Ed and Bev and their family and photograph their extensive collection.
	Mike, Ian and Father Cox at the first Kansas City Fair.
The year 1995 saw the 10th anniversary of the Mianco Award which we first established in 1985. This juried, annual award for excellence in ceramic arts is awarded to a 4th year student.
	Mike, Margarit Anne Megan Jones and Ian presenting a Mianco Award.
We always have pleasure in attending the very popular Summer Wade Fest held every July in Harrisburg/Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. This Wade Fest started in 1999 and is organized by Patty and Gary Keenan.
	Fay Thompson with Mike and Ian at the 2001 Summer Wade Fest.
In November 2006 we traveled to Windsor, Connecticut to the first Red Rose Tea fair organized by Redco Foods and the Windsor Chamber of Commerce.
	Ian, Mike, Jenny Wright, Doug Farrell and David Chown at the first Red Rose Tea Fair.
	Ian relaxing at home with William Harper.