Diane Tobin

Diane Tobin (b 1955) was born in New Britain, CT, to first generation descendants of Polish immigrants. She grew up in central Connecticut (except for a 2-year stint in Keene, NH). She attended the University of Hartford, and graduated cum laude from Central CT State University with a BS in Art Education, grades pre-K through 12. She taught middle school art and Latin from 2003-2011, retiring after the deaths of her parents. She is a member of Kappa Delta Pi, Mensa, the Arts & Crafts Association of Meriden (CT), the Meriden Historical Society, and a number of other organizations. She currently sells antiques online and at a shop in Plantsville, CT.

Diane has been married to her wonderful and very supportive husband Paul since 1992. They enjoy life raising their three sons, a dog named Pepper, and Bubba the rescued cockatiel.

Her first book, "The Meriden Flint Glass Company - An Abundance of Glass" was the result of a dozen years of research about a little-known 19th-century glass factory that had operated in Meriden. This research was initiated while recuperating from her third C-Section and under doctor's orders to "do nothing - not even vacuuming," and being homebound with three children under the age of four! After seeing the amount of research she had compiled, friends told her that she should write a book, so she did!

Diane has been invited to speak about the Meriden Flint Glass Company in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York, and continues to speak at glass collecting shows, antique shows and various civic organizations as well. She enjoys giving these talks immensely, and loves the opportunity to meet so many interesting, and interested, people. She also takes groups on glass digs periodically, at the site of the Meriden Flint Glass factory, and has recovered buckets full of antique glass from these digs.