It's fascinating to follow the styles of glass dishes and ornaments throughout American history. True antiques, like seventeenth century hand-blown bottles and vases, are museum pieces, but vintage glassware collectibles can be found in almost every city at antique malls and flea markets. Even if you don't have your own collection, you might want a specimen piece or two, or you might just like knowing more about things you see while browsing in antique malls and flea markets.
You may wonder if 'vintage' means antique, or if 'collectible' means valuable. Well, if there is a demand for something, it's collectible. Vintage means from former times but not over a century old, in general. Like a fine wine, knowing the year an item was made and who made it helps with establishing its desirability. Many collectibles are not intrinsically valuable, although certain rarities may start a bidder's war.
Antiques, on the other hand, have value that is supposed to be enduring. They don't go 'out of fashion', and they are usually at least one hundred years old. Collectible glassware may be fifty or sixty years at most. It is affordable, and people usually buy it because they like a certain pattern, color, and function.
Carnival glass was mass produced and so inexpensive that it was offered as prizes at fairs and carnivals. Cobalt blue and ruby red were popular colors for drinking glasses, platters, plates, salad bowls, vases, and tabletop ornaments. It's fun to see these useful give-aways now prized as part of American history.
American glass is closely linked to history. Hand-cut and polished glass was a status symbol during the 1920s. Depression glass, a machine-made pressed glass that came in many colors, was an extremely affordable but cheerful way for poorer people to furnish their homes. It was sold at dime stores, given away as souvenirs, or put in boxes of cereal and detergent to boost sales.
The popularity of patterned glass remained popular through the World War II years, when imported dishes and ornaments were unavailable. Look at Fostoria glass online to get an idea of the dishes, pitchers, vases, punch bowls, salt shakers, and platters made for the American home. Clear glass was popular, as well as pink, green, and opaque white. Cambridge and Heisey were other leading brands of hand-molded and colored 'elegant glass', a cut above the cheaper, machine-made Depression items.
Once you know how to recognize the various styles of glass, you may be able to date and categorize pieces your grandparents left. Knowing the provenance of heirlooms makes them even more special and may tell you more about your family history. You may even find that your keepsake is rare and more valuable than most collectibles.
Visiting antique malls and flea markets is such fun. Some towns have what they call 'yard crawls' when the whole town or even the entire roadside between towns is one big yard sale. Knowing the different kinds of glass is a great hobby, like bird watching or learning about old roses. Vintage glass is colorful, inventive, and just plain glorious.
You may wonder if 'vintage' means antique, or if 'collectible' means valuable. Well, if there is a demand for something, it's collectible. Vintage means from former times but not over a century old, in general. Like a fine wine, knowing the year an item was made and who made it helps with establishing its desirability. Many collectibles are not intrinsically valuable, although certain rarities may start a bidder's war.
Antiques, on the other hand, have value that is supposed to be enduring. They don't go 'out of fashion', and they are usually at least one hundred years old. Collectible glassware may be fifty or sixty years at most. It is affordable, and people usually buy it because they like a certain pattern, color, and function.
Carnival glass was mass produced and so inexpensive that it was offered as prizes at fairs and carnivals. Cobalt blue and ruby red were popular colors for drinking glasses, platters, plates, salad bowls, vases, and tabletop ornaments. It's fun to see these useful give-aways now prized as part of American history.
American glass is closely linked to history. Hand-cut and polished glass was a status symbol during the 1920s. Depression glass, a machine-made pressed glass that came in many colors, was an extremely affordable but cheerful way for poorer people to furnish their homes. It was sold at dime stores, given away as souvenirs, or put in boxes of cereal and detergent to boost sales.
The popularity of patterned glass remained popular through the World War II years, when imported dishes and ornaments were unavailable. Look at Fostoria glass online to get an idea of the dishes, pitchers, vases, punch bowls, salt shakers, and platters made for the American home. Clear glass was popular, as well as pink, green, and opaque white. Cambridge and Heisey were other leading brands of hand-molded and colored 'elegant glass', a cut above the cheaper, machine-made Depression items.
Once you know how to recognize the various styles of glass, you may be able to date and categorize pieces your grandparents left. Knowing the provenance of heirlooms makes them even more special and may tell you more about your family history. You may even find that your keepsake is rare and more valuable than most collectibles.
Visiting antique malls and flea markets is such fun. Some towns have what they call 'yard crawls' when the whole town or even the entire roadside between towns is one big yard sale. Knowing the different kinds of glass is a great hobby, like bird watching or learning about old roses. Vintage glass is colorful, inventive, and just plain glorious.
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