THE SECOND ANNUAL BIG SKY SWAP MEET

was held on the sprawling Ron Yuhas compound just outside Helena, Montana. It was co-hosted by the Yuhas family and Montie McDowell. Ron tells the story best, so I am going to let him take it from here, "We had an informal show-and-tell at my house on Friday evening, September, 12th with pizza and beverages for dinner. On Saturday, September 13th setup was 8:00 am in our back yard. Fortunately we had fairly good weather with it clearing up by 9:00 am and it warmed up into the mid 60's by noon.

Ron went on to say, "This is the 2nd Big Sky Swap Meet and is largely due to the prodding by Bill Reid and my co host Montie McDowell. I felt we had good attendance with about 30 to 35 people from a large area. [When Ron says 'a large area' remember that he lives in a state where a three hour drive is 'just down the road.'] Dave Brown and Bob Merzoian were here from CA. Others included Bill Reid, Jim Sinsley, Gary & Mary Boyd from Idaho; Bill Winters, and Doug Moody from Washington; Michael Jones and his grandson, Jack Bretch, Jack & Marcia Riesselman, Vicki Miller, Sam Dean, Steve Hosteller, Bill Russell, and Henry Feistner from Montana, as well as some others that I am sorry to say I may have overlooked."

What about the cool glass that was there, Ron?

"I saw some nice glass change hands that included; CD 123 cobalt EC&M, CD 735 Tillotson & CO., CD 162 peacock HG CO, CD 162 cobalt Hemingray, CD 257 Green Mickey, CD 214 7up Hemi 43, and a CD 263 Columbia."

When we saw that really nice, green American Insulator Company beehive Bill Winters brought to the meet, we could not resist adding a picture of that jewel into this report.

Swap meets are also about food. Ron comments, "We had a great lunch with barbequed beef and many salads and dessert. My non insulator collector friends volunteered to do the beef which was a great help. They told me that the insulator people are, "very nice, and seem quite normal, except for that insulator thing." Everyone seemed to have a great time and they were hounding me to be sure to do [another swap meet] next year. One thing that was super to see was Michael Jones grandson having such a good time trading for new insulators for his collection. We need to encourage these new young collectors for the future of this hobby. I had a free insulator drawing and the winners were; Mary Boyd who won the CD 327 Pyrex 441, and Dave Brown who won the CD 303/310 Hemingray Muncie, and Steve Hostetler who won the CD 248/311 Hemingray 79."

The Gang's all here at the Big Sky Swap

Joe McGee and Vicki Miller are working out a trade.

Michael Jones (left) Bill Reid (center) and Jim Sinsley (right) 
share stories of their latest insulator collecting adventures.

Michael Jones and Jack Bretch enjoy some great glass.

Ron Yuhas

Thanks Ron for that great show report! So, the second Big Sky Swap Meet is in the books. Dave Brown and Bob Merzoian thoroughly enjoyed themselves at that show and they are already talking about going back up there again next year!

Now, all you thread-heads listen up: Getcher glass and mud traders into a good, sturdy box. Getcher swap lists and price guides updated. Flip open yer Crown Jewels to Coming Events and click in the Show Finder for details on the next swap meet or tailgater in your area. Dig that dusty wad of cash out-o-the Fred Locke pinhole and get all yer friends together for an insulator road trip because....

IT'S SHOWTIME!

Dave Brown from Exeter, CA wins the Muncie Raffle!