Berlin auction to offer 480 pieces from Millersburg glass collection
More than 480 John VJ Erb Millersburg Glass pieces will go under the hammer in Berlin, a rare local sale tied to Holmes County’s glass history.
Kaufman Auction & Realty is bringing more than 480 pieces from the John VJ Erb Millersburg Glass collection to Berlin, a sale that could send a major slice of Holmes County glass history into private hands. Online bidding opens July 20, giving collectors time to preview the offering before the live auction on Aug. 8.
The scale alone makes the sale stand out in a county long shaped by antique shops, auctions and heritage tourism. John VJ Erb’s name carries weight in the local collecting world, and a collection of this size is not a scattered estate lot or a handful of souvenirs. It is a substantial body of Millersburg glass tied to one of the most recognizable names in the county’s collecting story.
AuctionZip lists the Erb Millersburg Glass Auction for Saturday, Aug. 8, at 9:30 a.m. at 4810 Township Rd. 366 in Berlin. The listing calls it one of the premier sales, underscoring the level of interest that can follow a well-known local collection when it reaches the block.
Millersburg glass has deep roots in Holmes County history. The Millersburg Glass Museum says John Fenton started the company more than 110 years ago, and Visit Amish Country describes the museum as the largest public display of Millersburg Carnival and Crystal Glass produced from 1909 to 1912. The museum, housed below the Victorian House in Millersburg, has more than 200 pieces on display under LED lighting.
That local backdrop is part of why the Erb collection matters beyond the auction room. Holmes County has built a durable identity around objects, places and businesses that keep its past visible, from the Victorian House in Millersburg to the museum collections that still draw visitors. Your Ohio News previously reported on a People’s Vase collection displayed at the Millersburg Glass Museum and on the museum’s renaming in honor of Chris Sieverdes in 2025, both reminders that Millersburg glass remains active in the county’s cultural life.
Kaufman Realty & Auctions says its Millersburg office was established in 2005, making it a familiar local presence in this market. For buyers in Berlin and collectors from farther away, the Aug. 8 sale offers a rare chance to see, and possibly acquire, a large John VJ Erb collection before it disperses into individual private holdings.
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