I Became a Vintage Glassware Dork, and You Can Too!

If you've ever been enthralled with vintage glass-perhaps your mom's collection of Depression glass, or your grandmother's flint glass goblets-you may have wondered how you can learn more about vintage and antique glass. You probably thought that you had to have tons of specialized training to end up like an appraiser on Antiques Roadshow, too. But-- learning about vintage glass can be accomplished for free, without the help of an expert, with resources available to anyone.

I became interested in vintage glassware as a teenager, during my thrift store travels. I was more interested in porcelain and china at the time, but I saw enough beautiful glassware to eventually pique my interest, so I bought a few things I liked. In my twenties, I began frequenting thrift stores again. I discovered that I had a good eye for saleable pieces, and I soon had a thriving eBay business. I sold all kinds of vintage items, but my passion was vintage kitchen glassware from the twenties to the fifties. Soon, I wasn't just spotting thrift stores treasures; I was identifying them by manufacturer name and date, too. How did I do it?

Start at the library. Before you invest any money in expensive glassware encyclopedias and pricing guides, check out your local library. Don't be intimidated: these books have lots and lots of pictures! Check for the word "glassware" in the library catalog, and that should take you to the antiques and collectibles section of nonfiction. Browse around, grab a stack of books, and sit down for a few minutes as you find the ones that interest you. A good "starter author" is Gene Florence. He's written quite a few books about kitchen glassware and Depression glass, and his books are easy to read and aesthetically pleasing, with lots of color pictures.

Get Your Own Books. If you've checked them out at the library and love looking at them, think about investing in your own set. They can get quite expensive if you buy them new, but they can also be purchased used at Half.com or on eBay, or at your local used bookstore. If you have an idea of which area of vintage glassware you're most interested in, buy those books first, and then branch out as you learn.

Check Out eBay. eBay is a good source of information and more accurate pricing. The prices in glassware pricing guides usually represent the prices you can expect to see in antiques stores. eBay prices are far more realistic. Besides providing a good overview of the current sale situation of particular kinds of glassware, eBay also has a Community Discussion board for "glassies" that is an excellent resource for newbies and experts alike. You'll learn a lot just by reading the posts in that forum.

Take Field Trips to Antique Stores. You'll learn a lot from antique stores, as long as you don't believe anything you read on a pricetag. Once you know a little about glassware, you'll find lots of misidentified pieces. Lots of antiques sellers are experts in their fields, and are more than happy to share their knowledge with you. Talk to them! Pick their brain! Other sellers-not so much with the expert knowledge. But sometimes their lack of knowledge can mean finding a treasure for dirt cheap!

In no time you'll be gazing longingly into your friends' china cabinets, mentally identifying and appraising their mother's Early American Pressed Glass collection. Sure, people will look at you like you're crazy, but you won't even notice-- you'll be glassy-eyed and oblivious.