DICK BOURCIER:
Mr. Richard Bourcier was born in 1916, in the town of Malone, New York. From the Adirondacks North to Lake Champlain, over to Plattsburg and west through Malone, onward to the tiny hamlet of Redford; this is "Glass Country," where Richard Bourcier grew up.
Growing up during the great depression was no easy experience, running the farm and trying to survive; also working odd jobs when and where he could. Dick entered the service in 1944 and joined the United States Navy Hospital Core. Dick got interested in antiques while hanging around an old Army buddy while stationed in San Francisco. "It was the money the guy was making," that got Mr. Bourcier's attention. By 1951 Dick started a "second hand store," later that year he became a salesman, also building sport camps for fishing & hunting. One day, by accident, a woman came by and insisted on buying all the old lamps and furniture in his building and that fast, Dick was back selling antiques, this time it held. Dick developed a passion for lamps and liked to collect all types. While developing his collection, making contacts in the business, he came upon a well known collector of American Blown Glass, Mrs. Eva Boire, of Plattsburg, Clinton County, N.Y. Little did Dick know this meeting was an introduction to "Glass 101." It didn't take long for the two to become good friends. Eva had a wonderful grouping of genuine Redford Blown Glass. Out of all the pieces in Eva's collection, Dick was taken with a pair of large blown aqua whale oil lamps. She told him they were made at Redford and were very rare. Dick fell in love with the pair and had to have them, trying everything to acquire them, but nothing seemed to work, Eva was not letting them go, the answer was always "NO." After several years had gone by, still no lamps, and no Redford glass found anywhere, "the worm was about to turn." Dick had now been made aware of the desirability of Blown Glass, especially the local Redford, soon things were about to change. As good fortune would have it, he met two elderly women from Malone, sisters, who had lived together their entire lives. It was rumored that the sisters owned a pair of Redford vases that had been handed down in the family. After several visits, the two sisters agreed to sell the vases to Dick. He never fully understood the importance that the family had assigned to the vases, that is, until he showed them to Mrs.Eva Boire When Eva saw the vases she became obsessed with getting them. The lamps Dick had desperately wanted were out of his system, the "Shine" was now on his vases; it was his turn to say no. This is when Mr.Richard Bourcier discovered glass collecting; not only did he become aware of the beauty of the hand blown "Redford", as it is locally referred too, he now had something that the top collectors all wanted. Dick had always been aware of the local glass history, and had a few pieces over the years, but nothing like this. Everything started to fall in place; it was still the 50's, and still Malone. Now Dick started to get serious and look for glass, and what a time and place to look. It wasn't long before he discovered the Redford Covered sugar bowl, found a short distance from his home. Many wonderful pieces would follow over the years, some stayed some went.
Over the past 60 years Dick Bourcier has been a well known and respected Antiquarian, dealing in early glass, Native American works of art, Oriental art, fishing memorabilia, furniture, pottery, you name it. Dick is now 90 years of age, and I must tell you I had a hard time keeping up with him, he is as magnanimous of heart as he is tall. Mrs. Bourcier keeps him in line and is an absolute angel. In my short visit Mrs. Bourcier took such good care of me, making me feel right at home and latter sending me off with a care package of cheese, orange juice, crackers, a muffin, water, and a strawberry jelly doughnut.
Now the Bourciers are moving, and the task of liquidating their many collections after years of enjoyment has begun.I would like to thank Mr. & Mrs. Boucier from the bottom of my heart for the opportunity to represent this select group of American blown glass. I know they will be pleased at the reception their glass will receive.
Sincerely
John Decaro