Cabinet Pulls

The variety of glass collectibles is immense. There are some glass collectibles that are relatively rare or hard to collect for other reasons, and those that are easy to identify, only requiring money. Fenton glass collectibles and those others made especially for glass collectors abound. Most glass manufacturers appeal to the collecting instinct by specialized lines of glass objects, in which collecting one of each item is the goal, but the number and type of items is generally known. The manufacturer provides brochures and lists of the items in each line in order to help the collector acquire them all for his or her collection.

More difficult are the products of glass manufacturers no longer in production. Records of styles of glass produced and the items produced in each pattern may have been determined from the company records and brochures, depending on how long ago the company ceased production. There are also collectors clubs for some glass manufacturers of the past, where information and actual glass may be exchanged. Depression glass falls into this area, with plenty of patterns and forms may be collected, but knowing when the end is reached is more of a problem.

The most difficult collection is the one that cannot be determined to be complete. There are unknown numbers of makers and forms by those makers. Milk glass collectibles and other colors, and many forms of glass fall into this area. Any manufacturer that ended production before 1950 may well fall into this class. Certainly the common forms do, like telephone insulators, jars, bottles, and other common forms of glass. Many kitchen glass items fall into this classification, where the collector can only continue to search after he or she has collected the common and medium rare items in their line of specialization. Often, collectors in this area become the expert and write books about the glass collectables in their possession in order to help other collectors.

Glass collectibles surround us everyday. It remains only to choose a type, maker, color or other facet and begin to collect.

Learn about other glass collectibles in the Glass Collectibles Guide.

One of the better known glass collectibles is depression glass. Actually made between World War I and World War II, its colors reflect the glass manufacturers access to colorants and the public’s desire for something fancier that the strictly utilitarian glass produced during the First World War. The delicate patterns pressed into the glass and soft colors make depression glass beautiful glass collectibles.

During the second half of this time period, the Great Depression resulted in the name of this glass style and also of its being given away by stores and theaters in an effort to get people in the doors. Because it was given away, it was seen as cheap, and many a piece was thrown away for that reason when economics improved and the householder could buy glassware. In addition, the advent of World War II called for the recycling of metal, glass and many other materials. Thus a great deal of this glass has been destroyed. And then, like the milk glass collectibles before and after it, some of the remaining depression glass has been broken by accident. Between breakage and undervaluation, most of this glass is gome, making the remainder quite collectible.

Unlike glass manufactured specifically for the collector by Avon, Blenko, Fostoria and Fenton glass collectibles, depression glass was made to be used, so it comes in forms of dinnerware, serving prices and other useful items. Glass pitchers and drinking glasses are also found in depression glass patterns. Watch for depression glass at museums and antique stores, and glass and antique shows in your area.

Learn about other glass collectibles in the Glass Collectibles Guide.