Page Title

February, 2006. Approximately fifteen years ago, Phil and Katharyn
Yonge attended a meeting of the Golden Gate Chapter of the Cut
Glass Association. They “came in so quietly, almost timidly and shyly,
[we] never imagined they’d be such a force in our Chapter,” says
Terry O’Connell of San Francisco, reflecting on Phil and Katharyn
Yonge.

Phil Yonge [pronounced “young”] longtime glass dealer and
collector, passed away unexpectedly after a short illness on October
18, 2005, at age 69. A graduate of the University of Colorado with a
B.A. in Physics, Phil Yonge spent 35 years as an engineer in the
aerospace industry, retiring from Lockheed in 1972. After living in
the same house in Cupertino for 36 years, Phil and his wife of more
than 41 years, Katharyn, moved from Silicon Valley to Grass Valley
in the Sierra foothills four years ago.

Phil and Katharyn Yonge enjoyed collecting kerosene lamps, old
railroad lanterns and antique glassware, especially Victorian
toothpick holders and American Brilliant Cut Glass. Their toothpick
holder and cut glass collections number more than 500 and 300,
respectively. He was former Publicity Chairman of the National
Toothpick Holder Collectors Society, Museum Coordinator with his
wife for the American Cut Glass Association and served as President
of the Golden Gate Chapter of the American Cut Glass Association
from 1999 to 2001. He was currently serving as president of the
chapter for a second time when he passed away. He was also a
member of the Early American Pattern Glass Society and Night Light,
the Miniature Lamp Collectors Club. Since 1993, the Yonges
participated in antique shows as dealers, specializing in glassware.
They especially enjoyed doing the Twin Bridges Antique Shows at
De Anza College in Cupertino and the Gold Country Antique Show in
Auburn after their move to the Sierra foothills. They were also
familiar faces at the Glass, China and Pottery Show & Sale in San
Jose and most recently at the International Depression Glass Club’s
China, Glass and Pottery Show & Sale in Sacramento at the Scottish
Rite Temple.

Marian Mickaels Hayward, a longtime cut glass dealer says of Phil:
“Phil Yonge created an atmosphere of friendship and cooperation
with the golden Gate and Eldorado Hills Chapters of the American
Cut Glass Association (A.C.G.A.). We have been blessed to have
him as a friend and gentleman. He will stay in our memories often.”
Terry O’Connell of San Francisco, a longtime cut glass collector and
friend since the early 1990's, remembers Phil Yonge as possessing
a “quiet efficiency. He got things done in a quiet way. “ She
remembers when no one wanted to take on the position of President
of the A.C.G.A., Phil took it again because it was needed. In 2000,
during only their second national convention, the Yonges took on the
arduous task of handling the special exhibit which was a trademark
of each convention. The theme for that year’s convention in Costa
Mesa was Libbey Glass. The Yonges solicited the loan of pieces
from members nationwide for the display. They handled all aspects
of the presentation, which included more than 250 pieces of Libbey
glass, ranging in size from punch cups to punch bowls. The process
included inventorying and displaying the pieces in cabinets, twenty-
four hour security and staffing, and safe return of the pieces to their
respective owners. “Although not old hands, they volunteered and
did an efficient and beautiful job,” remembers Marian Mickaels.

Ben Smith, current President of the Golden Gate Chapter of the Cut
Glass Association remembers Phil Yonge as “a very quiet, educated
individual. He had a vast collection of antique kerosene lamps. He
was a very mild, gentle man, very knowledgeable on cut glass.” Judy
Lang of Miracle Glass Repair, Grass Valley, Show Chair of the
International Depression Glass Club’s China, Glass and Pottery
Show & Sale in Sacramento, and longtime friend for almost twenty
years, found Phil Yonge to be “a quiet person with a good sense of
humor, always interesting to talk to. He loved old glass, what more
can you say?”

Continuing the Yonges’ longtime involvement with the world of glass,
Katharyn continues to serve as Secretary to the Golden Gate
Chapter of the Cut Glass Association. Despite her loss, she recently
participated as a dealer in the International Depression Glass Club’s
February 2006 Show in Sacramento. Of Katharyn, Terry O’Connell
says: “If it weren’t for Katharyn, we’d fall apart!”