Go Texan

Many vintage Texas collectibles were produced for the tourist trade which took off when the highway system was completed after World War II, enabling tourists to do likewise. Individually crafted items of wood and hand-painted pottery, like miniature vases and pots produced by the Meyer pottery company, were painted with the state flower…bluebonnets. Stuckey roadside convenience stores stocked state souvenirs and collectibles: key chains, souvenir plates, ashtrays, etc., depicting scenes of historic significance like the Alamo and the San Jacinto monument. State plates currently sell for less than $20, but the asking price for Texas plates is always higher than other states. Glass tumblers depicting these same Texas landmarks in pen and ink sketches by renowned Texas artist, Norman Baxter, were given away at ENCO and ESSO gas station openings by the Humble Oil & Refining Company. The clear tumblers are the older version from the late 50’s to early 60’s. The Shell Oil Company later provided the same scenes by Baxter in a frosted tumbler. Unfortunately they don’t give them away at the antique shops. The clear tumblers are typically $10 or more; the frosted ones usually sell for approximately $5 each. Also for glass collectors, the U.S. Glass Company produced a variety of table serving pieces in the early 1900’s. One of the most popular patterns was the “Texas” pattern. Refer to Bob H. Batty’s book A Complete Guide to Pressed Glass, or Florence’s Glassware Pattern Identification by Gene Florence, to view this beautiful pattern.

Texana souvenirs can be everything from Texas roadmaps by defunct oil companies to souvenir ladies’ compacts. Some items are classified dual collectibles because they appeal to more than one collector market. For instance, items with the Battleship Texas emblazoned on them, appeal to both the Texana market and collectors of militaria.

At the high end of the Texana collectible market are rare and out of print books on Texas history. Antique dealer, Roger Synnott of the Spring Antique Mall, specializes in history books and topics of specific interest about Texas, in addition to Texas collectibles. Good Books In The Woods, located in The Woodlands, TX, is another great source for hard-to-find books on Texas.

Vintage western boots are also in great demand, short of supply, and high in price. Being a fifth generation Texan myself, I can attest to the fact that the competition for vintage Texas collectibles is fierce, but many rare and unusual Texana collectibles can be found at the Spring Antique Mall, located on the southwest corner of the I-45 & FM 2920 intersection (Exit 70A). Open seven days a week; for more information call 281-355-1110, or go to www.springantiquemall.com Regardless of the age of your Texana memorabilia, being a Texan is never out of date.