Charlie Sanders - ©2001 - Wisconsin Pottery Association

The following article appeared in WPA Press, Vol. 9, July 2001

Introducing WPA Member Charlie Sanders

After being publicly “volunteered” by another WPA member for this interview, Charlie Sanders (sometimes known as Mr. Barbara Budig) agreed to submit to this interrogation regarding his pottery collection habits. Truthfully, Charlie was cheerful, quick to respond to the questions and eager to help out with the newsletter. Read on to learn more about his interest in the WPA and in collecting pottery in general.

Q: How did you get involved in the Wisconsin Pottery Association?
Charlie: My wife Barbara (Budig) signed me up. There always seemed to be a meeting going on in our house. The WPA members seemed to be pleasant, though initially I had no idea what cult was meeting in my home.

Q: When did you join the club? collected?
Charlie: About 4 years ago, though I only recently started going to the meetings. I helped at the annual August show and I was floored by the quality and quantity of the pots.

Q: What do you enjoy most about the club?
Charlie: Definitely the members, their knowledge and willingness to share that knowledge.

Q: What are your suggestions for changes to the WPA?
Charlie: None, I like it the way it is.

Q: What do you collect?
Charlie: Actually, I collect fly fishing gear and flies. But, I like Norse pottery and may begin a modest collection soon ( is there a vaccine to protect against this?)

Q: When did you start? Why this particular type of pottery (what do you like about this particular pottery)?
Charlie: I like the straight simple glaze on Norse pottery. Also, I always fancied myself a Viking. Leaping from a boat wearing animal skins and swinging a battle-ax, intent on mayhem. It would be quite an entry at an auction. Who would out bid me?
(Editor’s Note: Hmmm, not a pretty picture(?) but he may be right about the bidding aspect...)

Q: What was the first thing you collected?
Charlie: A McCoy with a hairline.

Q: Was there pottery in your childhood? Perhaps a grandparent or someone else had a cherished piece of pottery?
Charlie: I'm afraid not. I had a typical Tupperware childhood.

Q: Did anyone influence your collecting?
Charlie: My wife (Barbara Budig), Nicol, the Tims, Terrance, Jim, Barb, Betty and Dave, etc. They opened my eyes to a form of created beauty I had not noticed before and I appreciate it.

Q: What do you do when you aren't collecting - to support your habit, so to speak (i.e., what is your day job, if you don't mind us asking)?
Charlie: I am retired from the Wisconsin Legislature after 30 years.

Q: Where do you like to do your shopping: online? in malls? at estate sales?
Charlie: I get around to many estate sales, auctions and antique stores and malls as an employee of Tabby antiques and the Artful Garden.

Thanks so much to Charlie for his interesting and entertaining answers. We look forward to more of his delightful perspectives - perhaps at a WPA presentation sometime in the next year??

Kari Kenefick, WPA Press Editor