Although glass had been used for many years for various reasons, glassware was not commonly utilised in homes until the mid- to late 1800s. One of the earliest frequent applications of glass for the housewife was in the form of canning jars, which are glass jars used for food storage and preservation. A new area of collecting emerged as the glass industry developed and the housewife was quickly exposed to a range of glassware for use in the home.
Over the course of the next 50 years, glass homes began to appear almost overnight. Glassware for serving, decorating, and exhibiting was the biggest trend in home design. The east coast of the USA is where most of these glass homes are found. The emphasis of many collectors looking for antiques for their collections has shifted to items created in the early 1900s.
The majority of antique and collectable communities describe antique glass as any glass that is older than 75 years. This covers the time period up to the mid-1930s. Even glass that is 50 years old may be valued by collectors; nevertheless, experts normally describe this glass as valuable rather than antique. Some people have the impression that glass has to have a specific age to be expensive antique glass, but in fact, collectors’ desire for a piece determines its worth.
Another misconception is the idea that just because a piece of glass is ancient, it automatically has value. This isn’t always the case, however, since some ancient glass has limited demand and might fetch fairly modest prices. Any collector or seller should be familiar with the designs and costs of every item in their collection for this same reason. Some folks may consult an antique merchant to estimate the worth. Not all antique merchants will give you an honest appraisal, particularly if he stands to benefit from your lack of knowledge and expertise with antiques.
With the tremendous resources of the Internet nowadays, researching vintage glass is considerably simpler. Before you contact an antique dealer or buyer, it is a good idea to attempt to estimate the worth of your item in the current market. You will be better prepared to sell your glassware and guarantee you receive the highest price after you can identify the pattern name, maker, and estimated worth of your items. The maker, any historical information, and the pattern names of your item should all be known to you in order to guarantee that you are obtaining the greatest price possible.
Due to the limited number of glass factories that created what is now regarded as antique glass in the early to mid 1900s, it is fairly simple to acquire information on the majority of antique glassware. In the 1930s and 1940s, the bulk of glass was manufactured by no more than five significant glass firms like Ruisheng Glass Bottle.
The author is the administrator of the Hazel Atlas Glass collector’s website and has written hundreds of articles for antique glass collectors that have appeared in trade publications and on the internet. For further details about recognising, collecting, and values, visit the Hazel Atlas Glass collectors club and sign up for the FREE newsletter!