Is There Money To Be Made In Depression GlassWritten by Murray Hughes
You’ve seen shows on television. You’ve watched auctions online. You’ve read stories in newspaper.There always seems to be someone somewhere with an old dish they’ve found in corner of their attic that they were just about to throw away or donate to a thrift shop when someone advised them to have an expert take a look at it, or to put it up for auction online, or to place it somewhere for whatever you can get as long as it pays for your advertisement. And lo and behold! What they thought was fodder for trash can or Goodwill turns out to be rarest piece of glassware this side of Atlantic, and they’ve not only paid for their advertising – they’ve got no more financial worries for remainder of their lives! Hearing such a story, I can guarantees it was not Depression Glass. While money can be made, given it was mass produced by many companies for a number of years and can still be bought and sold in many locations, it may be another couple of hundred years before a single piece can put you on easy street! But very fact that professional dealers exist is an indication that money can be made in buying and selling of Depression Glass. And knowing value of each piece in your collection can have other purposes. There are times when knowing what your pieces are worth serves a practical purpose. Suppose your agent needs to know for loss-coverage purposes. Or maybe you’ve decided to get out of Depression glass hobby and need to know an intelligent amount to place on your Depression glass pieces before you put them on market. Or someone wanting to purchase a piece may approach you, and you need to know what amount to accept. Conversely, you may also be interested in acquiring a piece and need to have some idea of an amount that won't sound ridiculous. These are all valid reasons to know what your Depression glassware will bring on current market. And that’s rub – current market.
| | Depression Glass TriviaWritten by Murray Hughes
Depression glass facts make for interesting conversation, especially when you’re at a convention or talking amongst other Depression glass aficionados. So here are a few items to get you started so you, too, can have some meaningful knowledge to put on plate when you and your Depression glass collector friends gather ‘round and chat.English Hobnail leads pack as design with around most available pieces still out there for collectors. Westmoreland Glass Company produced English Hobnail pattern from late 1920s to 1980s, with Depression-era pieces made in eight different colors. In total, 175 pieces of this particular design were created. Rose Cameo, conversely, holds record for least number of pieces available in a pattern. The Belmont Tumbler Company held patent for Rose Cameo, and only six pieces of this design made it to marketplace: a plate, a footed sherbet, a footed tumbler, a berry bowl, and a 5-inch and 6-inch bowl. Because Belmont manufactured only tumblers and was trying to recover from a massive fire, experts speculate actual production of this rare design happened at Hazel-Atlas Glass Company, only a few miles away. A six-piece set of tumblers – pattern was only made in green – in mint condition can be had for between $150 and $175 (prices may have changed since I wrote this). The Jeanette Glass Company breaks all records for coming up with most patterns. Jeanette made 11 patterns of Depression glass between 1928 and 1946: Sunburst, Homespun, Swirl, Doric and Pansy, Windsor, Sunflower, Doric, Adam, Sierra, Floral, and Cherry Blossom. And then at other end of spectrum, Fenton Glass Company produced only a single pattern of Depression glass – Lincoln Inn.
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