It’s so much fun to collect depression glass. You get the enjoyment of antique shopping, browsing antique malls or hunting through flea markets and at the end you have a wonderful prize, beautiful glass to enjoy and add grace to your home.
Floral Poinsettia Green Depression Glass Gruene Mall
So where to start? If you’re just starting I recommend getting a good book on depression glass and see what you like. Or if you can, go to a glass show. These can be almost overwhelming but are a great way to see what glass appeals to you. (I walk around shows in a daze wishing I had immense room and infinite cash.)
- Get what you like. Some of our readers collect a pattern or two while others look for anything that catches their eyes or in a favorite color. Some enjoy creamers and sugars. It’s up to you.
- Don’t worry about resale value. Buy what you find beautiful and will enjoy.
- Get glass that is in good condition. If you intend to use your pieces then it’s OK to get pieces with light wear or inner rim roughness – even pristine pieces may scratch with use – but otherwise avoid chips, cracks, hazy glass or lots of wear marks.
- Choose a pattern that hasn’t been reproduced. Veronica N chose Old Colony and Rosemary because she liked the designs and neither has any reproductions to worry about. That’s wise. A good book like Gene Florence’s collectors’ guide will help you avoid reproductions if you do want a pattern that has reproductions.
- Enjoy the hunt. Unless you want to go nuts looking for pieces, choose a pattern that has a few pieces that are easy to find but others that are available, but need to hunt for. That way you can go to antique malls or flea markets and know you’ll see something (even if you don’t need the piece it’s still fun to see your pattern) and you can have the fun of looking for those elusive tumblers or bowls.
Finally, enjoy your glass and use it!