The Founding of the Fenton Art Glass Collectors of America, Inc.
Just the Facts
FAGCA was founded January 1, 1976, in Appleton Wisconsin. It was founded by Otis and Ferill Jeane Rice, as well as four other couples in Ferill's "Adventures in Antiques" class.

The Story of FAGCA's Founding
Ferill was a writer and assistant editor of Yesteryear magazine, published at the time in Appleton. She wanted to write an article for the magazine on Jacob Rosenthal, a glass chemist and plant manager responsible for making Chocolate glass at the Indiana Tumbler and Glass Factory. He had also been the first plant manager for the Fenton Art Glass factory. Ferill was not satisfied with writing the article using materials that had already been published, and therefore arranged a trip to Williamstown, West Virginia, to interview Frank Fenton.

While Ferill was talking to Frank and Bill Fenton, Otis took a tour of the factory. He was so interested in the process, in fact, that he turned right around and took a second tour of the factory. On the way home, Ferill insists that the tour was all that Otis talked about. He had been completely fascinated with the process of making glass, including mould making.

For about a year, he insisted that a club should be formed. Finally, he called Frank Fenton, asking, "If we start a club, may we use the Fenton name?" Frank hesitated; he was not sure what the reasons would be for such a venture.

Otis told him that while many people collected old Fenton Carnival glass, there was a large group of people who did not know that Fenton made anything other than white hobnail glass–therefore, education would be a prime reason for starting such a club. Also, since Fenton was still in business, it gave young people and children an opportunity to collect art glass pieces without having to pay the kind or prices that "old" glass often commanded.

With that in mind, Frank gave his blessing, and Fenton Art Glass Collectors of America was born.

Initial Growth
For the first six years of its existence, the club headquartered in Appleton, with Ferill Jean Rice and Betty Wolfgram, along with a part-time helper, handling the secretarial work. The club grew rapidly, even though nothing was published about the founding until April 1977, when incorporation papers were issued by the State of Wisconsin. That August, the first "Convention" was held in Neenah, Wisconsin. It was a one-day affair, with the public invited to an open house to see the founders' collections. At the time, there were already forty members. By the next summer, when the second Convention was held, there were over three hundred members; one hundred attended the second Convention.

FAGCA Now
The office, which handles all memberships as well as book and glass sales, is now in Williamstown, West Virginia–within sight of the Fenton factory. The club now is quite large, and has had membership figures of over six thousand members at one point.