Hobbies And Interests
Condition
When holding your glassware piece look for chips, cracks or scratches. Glassware that has been used will have scratches and chips but may retain some of its value. Fixing a chip by grinding down the edges will only devalue the piece even more.
Types
Categories of glassware include, but are not limited to, "carnival," an iridescent coloring created by a satiny coating; "depression," glassware made during the late 1920s till 1940 that comes in nine specific colors; and "milk glass" that has a white opaque coloring with various colors found at the edges or mixed into the piece.
Makes
Glassware is created in three different methods that shape the molten or heated glass material. First is blown glass in which the molten glass is placed on the end of a pipe and the maker blows it into the desired shape. Second, molded glass is created when molten glass is blown into a mold. Lastly, pressed glass is made by pouring molten glass into a mold. This last method is best for solid shapes.
References
Start looking through books of glassware patterns if you do not have an expert in your area to identify it. You can also find pictures of glassware at Collectible-glass.com and Replacements.com, a warehouse of china and glassware in North Carolina. Keep in mind that listed values in various guidebooks are for pieces in mint condition. Collector and author Gene Florence states it is not surprising to be paid much less for your glassware, especially if there is any damage to the piece.
Museums
The United Stated boasts glass museums in 31 states. You can find a list of these museums, including the Westmoreland Glass Museum in Port Vue, Pennsylvania, and the Fenton Glass Museum in Williamstown, West Virginia, at JustOldGlass.org (see Resources). Not all of these museums have websites, but a quick phone call can give you the hours of operation and admission fee information.
Care
The best way to care for your glassware pieces is to hand wash each piece. According to Ellen T. Schray, editor of "Warman's Glass: Values and Identification," glassware should never see the insides of a dishwasher as the temperature varies too much and the pressure of the water can damage your pieces, which can decrease the value of the glassware.