Stepping outside in Texas, in summer, approximates the sensation I imagine a lobster feels when it lands in the pot. The heat encompasses you. It permeates you. It triggers action from sweat glands you didn't know you had. So even if the annual Red Wing Collectors' Society Convention didn't take place from July 7 - 9, Paul and I probably would have had to head north anyway. One can only endure so much.
Weather got cooler and grayer as we drove up through Missouri. The testy, edgy start to our journey (which reached a cranky peak near Bugtussle, Oklahoma) yielded to a mellower, gentler attitude. By the time we got to the first rest stop in southern Iowa, where it was in the 60s and drizzling, we were delirious. We frolicked with our dogs in the damp grass, giggling like children, catching raindrops on our tongues, while other motorists shivered and huddled under black umbrellas, shaking their heads at us and shielding their young children's eyes. "Those men are not well."
Refreshing weather aside, the convention this year was a bit of a disappointment. We did have tremendous fun at the parking lot sale outside Pottery Place, where all our collector and dealer friends promptly advised us to check out Larry's Jugs. Apparently, Larry had taken over the Icehouse Antiques space and had broadened his inventory to include art pottery and dinnerware. "Don't turn around and walk out when you step inside," warned Monica. "The first floor is still all crocks. Your stuff will be upstairs." Indeed, we coveted much of his second-story stock, from rare Mur-sen polo player and Bobo the Clown clocks, to pumpkin and King of Tarts cookie jars, a white Katrina cookie jar, a complete set of Kermis, and more. Unfortunately, the prices were a bit high, and we wanted to save ourselves for Saturday's sale. But the eye candy whetted our appetite.
A quick trip to the RWCS auction preview proved most disappointing. Of the 300 or so lots, only a handful were art pottery. Several complete dinnerware sets were available, but none floated my boat. Paul and I had no trouble passing up the auction.
As we approached fellow collectors Matt and Todd in the line for Saturday's show and sale, we were definitely in a buying mood. In what always feels to me like the start of a race, the opening of the doors to the sale sent the four of us dashing through the gymnasium. The first booth I always go to once again had terrific rarities (including a 1940s Charles Murphy vase in the unusual hyacinth glaze). I snapped up a long-sought Murphy Chinese lady figurine/candle holder in crackle blue with a bronze base. She looks great on our shelf next to Pan (or terrorized, depending on your opinion of the Murphy satyr figurine.) Unbenknownst to me, Paul also bought a pair of these candlesticks, in a lovely minty-blue matte glaze. 
We are simply crawling with Chinese ladies.
Also found a Belle Kogan Emperor to accompany my Empress, who was on the verge of becoming a spinster. He is in a light green glaze which provides a nice counterpoint to the Empress' matte white. It's interesting to me that I had such a hard time marrying my Empress. There are far more single ladies out there than single men. Just ask my Belle Kogan Cowgirl. She's been having an on-again, off-again thing with the Charles Murphy "Gentleman Caller," but you can tell it's only a relationship of convenience. GC is way too pampered and proper. She needs to rope herself a Cowboy, and fast.
But beyond these figural pieces, I had a hard time getting excited. It appeared like several dealers didn't show up -- a sad reflection on the economy and the price of gas. And speaking of the economy, some dealers apparently hadn't heard about the recession -- or they were trying to replace their 401(k)s with their pricing. Rare pieces -- which once were "aspirationally priced" (i.e., if I really wanted them, I could find a way to afford them) -- were now well out of my league, perhaps in a different sport altogether. I did find a nice duplicate for my collection, though. This amoebic modern vase by Murphy in a fleck yellow glaze remains one of my favorite Red Wing shapes. It's playful, suprising, and it shows flowers beautifully. 
The cutout is a delight; it echoes the shape of the mouth of the vase and serves as a grip. It will look great in an arrangement of fleck yellow pieces once Paul and I move into our new house.
