About Us
Glassclubs.com was an idea that was turned into reality by friends Warner Smith and Dr. Jerry Black. Warner and Jerry started Glassclubs.com on the heels of the success of the Lotton Glass Collectors Club. Glassclubs.com joins the Lotton Glass Collectors Club with two new clubs devoted to the works of Richard Satava and David Smallhouse. Like Charles Lotton, both Rick Satava and David Smallhouse are notable artists who have been working their craft for more than 30 years. Jerry and Warner chose to promote the works of the Lotton family, Rick Satava, and David Smallhouse based on their feeling that these studios all represent the required combination of skill, beauty, and investment potential for the collector.
Warner has focused on collecting glass after spending years in many of the fine art markets. Due to its beauty, colors, complexity, permanence, and proven ability to increase in value, Warner now focuses all of his attention on collecting glass. Warner strongly believes that the contemporary glass that is made by the artists that Glassclubs.com features has the highest potential for return on investment. Warner started the Lotton Glass Collectors Club and watched it grow from a site running on an old server in his basement that consisted of a few friends, up to the nearly 400 members that it enjoys today.
Warner met Jerry at the 2nd Lotton Glass Collectors Club meeting that was held at the site of the Early Auction. Finding a common interest in glass in general, Warner and Jerry quickly became friends. Warner continues to learn about glass from Jerry, drawing from Jerry's extensive 40 years of experience in collecting and dealing in various types of art glass.
Jerry is a solo-practioning Ophthalmologist who also has PHd's in Chemistry and Nuclear Physics. Jerry has been collecting and dealing glass since 1968, starting off as a "picker" who would find pieces and sell them to dealers to help fund his education. As is often the case, Jerry found that he had a love for glass and has been collecting various types of glass ever since.