The Millersburg Glass Museum was rededicated, and received a new name to honor the man responsible for its success and growth, on Thursday evening.
A surprise ceremony, featuring proclamations by U.S. Congressman Troy Balderson, state Rep. Mark Hiner, Holmes County commissioners and Millersburg Mayor Kelly Hoffee, was held at to honor Chris Sieverdes, the museum’s curator. The museum is now named the Sieverdes Millersburg Glass Museum.
Sieverdes, a retired history professor from Clemson University, moved to Holmes County in 2007 and has been building the Sieverdes Millersburg Glass Museum ever since.
The recent acquisition of the ruffled Cobalt Blue Vase for $250,000 is one of four Peoples Vases on display at the museum.
Millersburg Mayor Kelly Hoffee reads a proclamation honoring Chris Sieverdes at the Sieverdes Millersburg Glass Musem dedication ceremony.
“It has been an absolute joy to appreciate history,” Sieverdes said. “The legacy of Millersburg (Glass) in this town is phenomenal; it’s one of a kind, the best carnival glass that was made. It had a short lifespan in some ways, but now it’s going to have an even longer lifespan because we appreciate the value that we have.”
Sieverdes dedicated his special collection of Millersburg Glass to his parents for their lifelong dedication to Germany’s finest quality chinaware and lead crustal imported from Bavaria
His father, Erich, worked in a porcelain factory in Germany before emigrating to America and serving as a salesman of the dinnerware and lead crystal.
In 2012, Sieverdes opened the Millersburg Glass Museum at 414 N. Washington St., adjacent to the Holmes County Historical Society.
The Peoples Vases was on display at Sieverdes Millersburg Glass Musem dedication ceremony Thursday in Millersburg.
Historical Society Executive Director Mark Boley said Sieverdes rescued the society when it purchased the building and ran out of funding during renovations.
“Chris came to me and said why don’t we just merge these two buildings,” Boley said. “We renovated this building, but we ran out of money, as many projects do. Chris came to our rescue and helped us finish this. The historical soceity has been indebted to him for many, many years.”
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Millersburg Glass Museum curator Sieverdes dedicates set to his father
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