The 63rd Annual Convention of the
American Bell Association, International, Inc.
July 3-6, 2008, Omni Interlocken Resort
Broomfield, CO (Denver area)

At the 2008 ABA Convention, you can

• Stay in the luxury of a four-star hotel for just $89 per night (ordinarily $289 per night!)
• Enjoy warm greetings, entertainment, and refreshments at the Welcome Reception
• Shop in our Sales Room where you’ll find thousands of bells in all price ranges
• Attend educational programs (bell talks) and learn about bells and bell-related items
• Bid at our fabulous six-hour long Bell Auction that features a maximum 360 bells
• Meet and network with hundreds of people who share a common interest in bells
• View exhibits that feature bells from members’ collections
• Spend time in the Hospitality Room looking at historical memorabilia, making new friends, and sharing information about your collection
• Receive your pre-ordered 2008 Commemorative Bell
• Dine on meals prepared with the freshest of ingredients
• Watch a spectacular 4th of July fireworks exhibition

Follow the 3 Easy Steps

1. Register for the Convention Your $130 registration fee is a bargain when you count the many meals and banquet, the easily accessible meeting rooms, outstanding programs, fun activities, scenic tour, and the opportunity to buy incredible bells in the sales room and auction. A printable form may be found here. 2. Reserve Your Hotel Room You will want to come early and stay late. Nestled against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, you’ll be swept away into a world of opulence at this luxury resort. Our special ABA rate of $89 is truly a bargain and must be reserved by June 10, 2008.

The convention sales room is a bell buyer’s paradise. Thousands of bells are shown on many tables and they are all for sale. This picture shows fewer than half the sales tables at the 2007 convention!

3. Schedule Extra Days
From Estes Park to Aspen, Colorado, there are many close-by attractions to see. Besides adjacent Flatiron Crossing Shopping Center, you will want to visit the Butterfly Pavilion, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Elitch Gardens, Coors Brewery, Rocky Mountain National Park, and the list goes on and on. Bring the entire family to celebrate the 4th of July!

ABA Conventions - Business, Pleasure, Education, Recreation

For a more detailed view of what happens at a typical ABA convention, please read the article linked here.

The 2008 Commemorative Bell

The prestigious Van Briggle Pottery Company has made the 2008 Commemorative Bell especially for ABA members. Based in Colorado Springs, Van Briggle has been creating expensive art nouveau pottery for over 100 years and has had pieces on display at the Smithsonian, British Museum, and the Louvre.

Artist and sculptor, Craig Stevenson, designed our 9” tall bell with a base of encircling Columbine petals, the Colorado State flower. The deep cobalt blue glaze represents Colorado’s over 300 annual days of sunny-blue skies. The bell is fired twice at 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit to bring the clay and glaze to full maturity of color, sheen, and strength. Stevenson, a former musician, has designed the clapper to produce a pleasing bell ring. The Van Briggle trademark will be affixed to the interior along with the ABA 2008 Colorado label.

We will have only a limited quantity available at the special price of $35. Order bells in advance on the convention registration form. The cost of $35 applies to a boxed bell picked up at the convention. If requested, mailing is extra. This Van Briggle bell will be an attractive addition to your collection.

Sales Room Sales tables may be reserved at the rate of $40 for a full-size table or $25 for a half-size table to share. The Sales Room will open to the general membership at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 3, 2008. Additional hours will be listed in the convention booklet. Two rules will be followed for the 2008 convention:

ABA 1st Vice President Marie Varian (left) admires the colorful bells hand-painted by ABA member Kathy Curry (right) of Massachusetts

1. Sales Room setup will be from 8:00 – 11:00 a.m.

2. During setup, absolutely no sales or set-asides before the general membership is able to make purchases beginning at 1:00 p.m. Any seller violating this rule is subject to review of their rights to sell at conventions. Bells brought to convention for a specific customers to review or purchase are allowed, as long as the bells are never placed on the table.

Convention Auction The Convention Auction will be held on Saturday, July 5, from 3:00 – 9:00 p.m. A maximum of 360 bells or bell-related items will be accepted with a limit of 12 per family. Each item must have a minimum value of $20 in 2008. In 2009, the minimum value will increase to $25. A group of bells can be placed as a single item only if the are from the same series and each has the minimum value of $20. A minimum price may be set for any two bells in the group and any bell with a minimum value of $300 or more. The ABA seller’s premium is 15% of total sales. Convention Hotel Omni Interlocken Resort 500 Interlocken Boulevard Broomfield, CO 80021 www.omniinterlocken.com (303) 438-6600 (800) 843-6664 Fax: (303) 438-7224

The ABA Annual Auction preview allows conventioneers to see the bells up close. The actual bells are projected onto a huge screen during the auction so they can be seen from the seats Official ABA Auctioneer Bill Martin points to a bidder while auctioning off the bell seen on the big screen. Attendees all are given booklets listing the bells to be auctioned. Many people make notes in the booklets of the prices paid. This information is helpful to people who want to know the value of their bells

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