A Brief Overview of Vintage Glassware
Typically, the word vintage is used when referring to something that is at least 20 years old, and the word antique is reserved for describing an item that is 100 or more years old. This means that for an item to be considered an antique, it must have been produced no later than 1920, and items that were produced after 1920 through the year 2000, are vintage. Yes, you read that correctly. Items from the year 2000 are now considered vintage. Let that sink in for a minute. ;)
Obviously, 100-year-old glassware was, is, and probably always will be coveted by collectors and have significant value, so let's stick to the more vintage styles. Beginning with the Great Depression of the 1930s, we have what is called Depression Glass. Pretty straightforward, huh? Depression glass can be collected in many different colors including clear, green, pink, yellow, blue, red, and purple. Many patterns of depression glass feature etched designs, such as flowers or birds. Some well-known glass producing companies of that time were Hazel Atlas, Federal Glass, US Glass, Jeannette Glass, Macbeth-Evans, Anchor Hocking, and Cambridge.
Glassware of the 1940s took a sharp turn and etched flowers were replaced by more modern themes, featuring geometric designs and neat, straight lines. This style is called Art Deco and is a favorite of many, myself included. Art Deco looks like The Great Gatsby. Lamps and powder dish lids of the 1940s often displayed nude men and/or women as the design theme. The lime green color first made popular by Depression glass was still a favorite during this decade as well.
The decades of the 1950s-1960s are known as Mid-Century, and glassware pieces from this time period are the favorites of many collectors. To get an idea of what this style looks like, think old Hollywood glamour. Shiny, gold accents adorned everything, and all of life was a spectacular display. Snack plate sets were all the rage and no home bar was complete with a great set of barware glasses.
In the 1960s, one particularly popular glassware maker, L. E. Smith popularized a line of vibrantly colored glassware pieces, called Moon and Stars. It was available in red, green, blue, amethyst, amber, clear, pink, and a new color, called amberina, which was a rich red hue that faded into a golden yellow.
In the 1970s, color schemes became more earth-toned and glassware was produced with names such as amber, topaz, and avocado green. Popular design motifs included flowers, trees, leaves, and anything else one might find in nature. Barware glasses were still popular as well as heavy stoneware dinner plates made in Japan. Many of these designs featured daisies or a bouquet of some other type of flower.
Fostoria glassware dominated the 1980s. The beloved glass house had been in business for just shy of a century when they closed their doors for good in 1986. Fostoria had been the first company to launch a national advertising campaign and had also produced glassware for all U.S. presidents from Eisenhower to Reagan.
The 1990s were a fun time for glassware. Libbey Glass produced tumblers with all sorts of fun themes, like these, featuring sassy white cats or colorful, crayon-drawn fish. In my experience, glassware from 2000 (which if you remember, is technically vintage) doesn't have anywhere near the demand of the earlier decades. Many people are still using their glassware from 2000, or have only recently upgraded their old set. More popular styles can have resale value however if they are marketed as replacement pi
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