Rare People’s Vase Collection Gains Elegant New Display in Millersburg

The Millersburg Glass Museum has a new centerpiece. On November 6 the museum installed a custom display case built by George Laurence of Museum Acrylics Company to present and protect four extremely rare People’s Vases, carnival glass attributed to John Fenton circa 1910. The case features cherry wood, acrylic panels, interior mirrors, LED lighting and an internal aluminum frame, and it was purchased for $4,800 with most of the cost covered by a $4,000 anonymous donation.

These four vases represent nearly half of the nine People’s Vases known to collectors and historians nationwide. The museum’s quartet was completed when staff located and purchased a rare fluted cobalt vase, a recent acquisition that joined items already held by Millersburg. The vases are fragile, historically significant examples of early 20th century carnival glass, and the new case is intended to improve preservation, reduce handling risks, and present the pieces to the public with greater clarity.

Museum director Chris Sieverdes and Holmes County Historical Society director Mark Boley commented on the importance and value of the collection and on the improved presentation. While the museum has long cared for regional glasswork, the installation of this tailored case marks a step up in conservation standards and display quality for Millersburg. The design choices aim to balance visibility with protection, allowing visitors to study the glass while limiting exposure to light and physical contact that can accelerate deterioration.

For Holmes County residents the installation has practical and symbolic consequences. The more secure and attractive presentation can draw collectors, students and tourists to Millersburg, providing a modest boost to local businesses and reinforcing the county’s identity as a center for glass history. More broadly, the investment highlights the ongoing challenge small cultural institutions face in funding conservation work. The anonymous donation that covered the majority of the case cost illustrates local philanthropic support, while also signaling the vulnerability of specialized museum collections that rely on episodic gifts rather than stable public funding.

There are public health and community wellbeing implications as well. Access to cultural resources supports social connections and educational opportunities that contribute to quality of life. Ensuring equitable access to that cultural capital matters in a rural county where resources for arts and heritage are limited. The museum’s move to enhance its display capacity offers an occasion for local partners to consider expanded programming, outreach to schools, and inclusive access strategies that ensure all residents can benefit.

The Millersburg Glass Museum’s new case is now on view and will be part of the institution’s efforts to document and interpret regional glassmaking history. As the museum preserves these rare People’s Vases, Holmes County gains a more secure record of its craft heritage and a strengthened cultural asset for future generations.