The Tea Leaf Club International (TLCI) invites collectors of Tea Leaf ironstone and its copper lustre variations to its upcoming national convention. Registration is now open for the 36th annual event. The theme this year will be "Experience Tea Leaf in Grand Rapids," and the convention will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids, Mich., from Thursday to Sunday, Sept. 17 through 20.
The TLCI is dedicated to the study and collection of Tea Leaf ironstone and its variants made in England and the United States from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century. The organization has members from coast to coast.
This year's convention will renew the club’s emphasis on education with the introduction of the new online “Tea Leaf Identification Guide” currently under development. Mike Compton, education chair, and his committee are working diligently to deliver this new education resource, which will be available to the public at no charge. Convention programs will include hands-on workshops on how to make the best use of this new guide and new club website. Chris Schafer will present an overview of the club’s use of social media sites Facebook and Pinterest. Tea Leaf experts Dale Abrams and Sue Chrisman will present interactive Tea Leaf educational games featuring “Tea Leaf Ironstone Potters and Patterns.”
Attendees are already busy completing inventories to identify items needed to round out their collections and items they plan to consign to the annual auction or sell at table sales to make room for new treasures. The annual convention auction is always a highlight of the weekend, and this year will be no exception.
The Thursday evening welcome dinner has grown in popularity. It will be held at the Pepsi Stadium Club Ballpark. This unique venue is a popular gathering place in Grand Rapids and offers state-of-the-art facilities. The Friday tour will include a narrated Grand Rapids city tour including the Heritage Hills historic district, a tour of the Meyer May Frank Lloyd Wright home and Michigan apples (and wine) at Robinette's Apple Haus and Winery.
Convention attendance is open only to Tea Leaf Club members, but membership fees are nominal and may be included with convention registration form. The club encourages new members to join and experience the convention in Grand Rapids for the fun-filled weekend.
For ongoing updates, visit "Tea Leaf Club International" on Facebook. For additional information concerning registration and membership forms, visit www.TeaLeafClub.com.