Paula Haddock - HERLIFE Magazine

herlife | fine thingsCOLLECTIBLE GLASSWAREby kathleen m. kruegerWhat comes to mind whenyou think of glass collectibles?Is it goblets anddecanters? Or do you thinkof Tiffany table lamps andornamental vases? Perhaps your mind goesin a totally different direction—pop bottles,paperweights and marbles. All of these itemsfit under the heading of collectible glass.As with most collectible items, there arethree factors that generally contribute to thevalue of collectible glass: quality, rarity andcurrent market. When it comes to most glassproducts, visual appeal is often a considerationthat can further boost the price of acollectible piece. Two Tiffany lamps of equalquality and rarity may sell for very differentprices, depending on the visual appeal of thecolors and design.The age-old question of novice collectorsis always “What should I collect?” Theanswer to that question when it comes toglassware is the same as with most any typeof collecting – collect whatever you enjoythe most. If you like the earthiness of oldhand-blown bottles, that’s what you shouldcollect. If you find kerosene lanterns appealing,seek them out. If the rarity and beauty oftrue cranberry glass turns you into a treasurehunter – by all means, begin the hunt!As you strike out on your treasure huntfor those special pieces for your collection,be sure to educate yourself on the typeof glass you are searching for, so that youcan identify it when you see it and are notfooled by reproductions. There are plenty ofresources out there to assist glass collectorsin this process, and the internet, of course, isone of them.An internet resource created just for thecollectors of glass is justglass-online.com.The site is an independent resource ratherthan a merchant of glassware, which offerssome neutrality to inquirers. For the novicejust beginning to venture into the world ofglass collectibles, you’ll find the site veryhelpful in providing definitions for the mostpopular glass types and expert tips regardingidentifying marks and signs of a reproduction.20th Century Glass is a vendor of collectibleglass pieces, but the Glass Encyclopedialocated on its website, 20thcenturyglass.com,is an excellent resource as well. Itoffers visual and text descriptions of a widevariety of antique and collectible glass. Twoparticularly useful sections of this online encyclopediaare the Signature & Markings sectionand the Glass Labels section. Photo imagesof actual glassmaker signatures, trademarksand labels are available to help you identifythe makers of your glass collectibles.For glass collectors who have a moredefined interest or have a particular piece28 HERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM