China association to hold convention

COLUMBUS – White Ironstone China Association’s seventh national convention will be held May 3-6 in historic Worthington, Ohio, a northern suburb of Columbus.

This year’s preconvention theme is “Discover Columbus”. Members will join together May 3 for an authentic 19th century dinner at the Colonel Crawford Inn in Ohio Village, an Ohio Historical Society site.

Bill Gates, the society’s curator of ceramics, will speak on “White Ironstone in Ohio”. Gates spearheaded the creation of the Museum of Ceramics in East Liverpool, Ohio.

The morning of May 4, members will tour the Ohio Statehouse and Ohio Theatre. Lunch will be at Schmidt’s Banquet and Meeting Haus in German Village. The tour will continue with a final stop at Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Garden.

Official convention events will begin Friday evening at the Clarion Hotel Worthington with a welcome buffet at 6 p.m. A bargain mart and tops and bottoms extravaganza will follow. The evening’s final program will be show and tell.

Horticulture is the theme for Saturday. “Nature’s Beauty. Botanical Themes in Staffordshire White Ironstone China and Early American Pressed Glass, 1840-1890” will be presented in the morning by association members. The annual meeting will follow.

For membership information and a convention news packet contact Diane Dorman, membership committee, White Ironstone China Association, P.O. Box 855, Fairport, NY 14450-0855.