Waterford Artist to Visit Nielsens for Signing
Waterford artist Joseph O’Mahony will visit Nielsens Exclusive Gifts at The Plaza on 81st Street and Lewis Avenue, Saturday, Nov. 12 to educate the people of this area about the fine art of Waterford Crystal and to sign and date Waterford pieces purchased between now and Nov. 12. O’Mahony resides in Ireland and has worked in Waterford Crystal for 35 years. After his apprenticeship, he began cutting Waterford’s stemware patterns. He excelled as a cutter and graduated to cutting the more difficult large heavy items. In the many years O’Mahony has worked for Waterford, he has had the experience cutting every pattern introduced by the Company. O’Mahony now works in the special department cutting Waterford Masterpieces and commissioned trophies. This is a crystal cutter’s dream job where he takes cutting crystal to a higher level. O’Mahony is also an accomplished sportsman and plays squash and golf.
He has been married to Ann for 25 years and has four children. He has found a good balance between Crystal cutting, sports and family life.
Accompanying O’Mahony on Nov. 12 to Nielsens will be the very knowledgeable Waterford representative, Susan Bormann. Both will be at Nielsens to educate the public about Waterford Crystal and to share new ways to enjoy Waterford for innovating home entertaining and to answer questions.
O’Mahony will sign and date any Waterford purchases made at Nielsens between now and his visit. This exclusive signing event will take place at Nielsens Exclusive Gifts from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12.
“We invite everyone to come to Nielsens Exclusive Gifts at The Plaza now to enjoy the Waterford art on display and on Sat. Nov. 12 to help us welcome Mr. Joseph O’Mahony to Tulsa from Ireland” said Andrea Nielsen. “Nielsens will have refreshments and a fun party for Mr. O’Mahony and guests. Please be our guest.”
Waterford is now a common name in beautiful crystal but it hasn’t always been so and 40 years ago it was unavailable in Oklahoma. But in 1965, Art and Dorothy Nielsen and their little girl, Andrea, were at market planning an Irish Belleek event for their store. Mr. Nielsen noticed a sparkling crystal pitcher on a bottom shelf at the back of the showroom and asked, “What is that?” He was told, “Oh… that is another Irish handmade product called Waterford.” Mr. Nielsen replied, “I have customers who would appreciate that. Please bring in more Waterford and I will buy it for Nielsens!” And that was the beginning of Waterford in Oklahoma.
When Waterford came to Oklahoma, Mrs. Dorothy Nielsen, co-founder of Nielsens, who was a teacher and speech therapist by profession, went on an “educational tour” to many members of clubs in Tulsa who wanted to learn about the Irish art of mouth-blown, hand-cut crystal. She told how Waterford was still hand crafted in the same way it was made in its beginning in 1782.
In the 1980s, Andrea Nielsen continued educating people about Waterford. She told how the “Waterford beauty,” like in the fairy tale, slept for a hundred years from 1849-1949. Waterford reopened in 1949 by popular demand because people were still collecting the old crystal from the original factory. The first crystal from the “new” factory was produced for sale in Ireland in the very early 1950s.
“Only 15 years later it was available in far away Tulsa, at Nielsens.” Nielsens has enjoyed a very special relationship with Waterford since.
Nielsens carries the now very full line of Waterford Crystal (and Waterford china ) from the beautiful $59 candle holders to the fabulous hard-to-find Limited Edition works of art. The Waterford stemware is always in stock as well.
“You must come in and see our “fairy land” of treasures to believe it!” says Andrea. “Through Nielsens’ special relationship with Waterford, we enjoy getting to know the talented artists who take the raw materials of sand, pot ash and red lead oxide and turn them into useful items of beauty to enjoy today and pass down to loved ones in the future.”
A charitable donation will be made by Nielsens for this Waterford Signing Event when a customer mentions their favorite charity when making a purchase at Nielsen between now and Nov. 12. Nielsens suggests the following charities: Ronald McDonald House, Philbrook Art Center, Theapetics, Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges, Greyhound Rescue, Dillon International Adoption agency or Make a Wish Foundation of OK.
Updated 10-25-2005
READER COMMENTS
About Post Author
