How do I find out about glass?

[dltradingdirect]

I've just bought what I think to be a lovely glass vase. Not sure for the life of me if its valuable or not, however I would like to know how I find out about it. Glass never seems to have makers names or numbers or anything on them so how do I begin to find out?

[bluebedouin]

I've just bought what I think to be a lovely glass vase. Not sure for the life of me if its valuable or not, however I would like to know how I find out about it. Glass never seems to have makers names or numbers or anything on them so how do I begin to find out?

There is a very friendly Antiques Forum here.You will need to register first,then post a picture on the glass section & ask away.

[dltradingdirect]

thanks for that......see....a.question asked......

[thehoneyant]

I suppose it depends on how quickly you want an answer, but this forum is surprisingly knowledgeable and helpful, of course like others, we need the assistance of a picture or two and dimensions etc., to start the identification process.

Identifying antique glassware is often not an easy thing to do. ...the difference between knowing and being in the dark about antiques and their value.?..Knowledge is power ! not so, even the best are on a constant learning curve........

Give his forum a try too, it's questions that will keep it alive and kicking.

[fancy4glass]

You are absolutely right about glass being difficult to identify without depending on some sort of marking or makers stamp.
When I first started glass collecting I wondered how could anyone ever identify a piece of glass without it having any marks?? This was very discouraging, let me tell you. I thought I would never get it.
Well, I know this answer sounds quite vague and it is probably not the most helpful answer that you would expect to hear but... When you pick up that glass item you can feel, see, and you just start to KNOW the difference. You start to "see" the quality, and recognize the familiar application of gilded decoration, or style of enameling, or the cut of the designs in the glass, or smoothness (or lack of) to the pontil.
First get familiar with all the different types of glass that are out there.Vaseline or Uranium glass, Carnival glass, depression glass, cut glass, satin glass, cased glass, blown glass...to name a few. Then once you develope an interest regarding a specific glass maker or designer, or company, you must make it a point to look-up (internet), read-up (books), go to antique stores (ask to hold, see, and touch) any piece that that glass maker has made. Once you get familiar with the glass type, style, quality, and the design used by that specific artist or company your eye will just begin to pick it out automatically. You will then start to have what they call a trained or good eye.
Example: I absolutely love iridescent glass and I found it very beautiful. I came across a very nice piece of Loetz, it was a vase on the internet and I just looked up as much info as I could from every resource I could find about Loetz. Now, most of the Loetz pieces are iridescent or "aurene", this was my first clue and some of the pieces were never signed. I learned that Loetz would almost always have a smoothed out pontil. I got familiar with the flowing shapes that Loetz seemed to have with almost all of the vases made. I knew that if ever had an opportunity to hold one in hand I would use a black UV light to the glass and that being on older piece of glass it should have a slight glow like most older pieces of glass containing higher levels of uranium unlike a modern piece of glass. Also, I would research the fake Loetz pieces and would learn on how to tell them apart from the real thing. These are all some of the things that helped me in identifying Loetz glass.
I would really recommend that a beginner glass collector start off by learning to recognize glass that actually DOES have a marking or symbol on it. They should get comfortable in identifying these pieces beforehand. And then before they know it, they will be picking these pieces out of a huge group of glassware with just using their eyes and nothing more, and then to their amazement, they will flip that piece over and what-do-you-know...Their guess was right! How exciting!
There are a lot of pieces that have markings. Example: Newer Fenton (Fenton in an oval), Anchor Hocking (the H over top an anchor),Imperial Glass (I over top the G), Northwood (carnival glass, an N in a circle), Heisey (an H in a diamond), Westmoreland Glass (a W on top of an elongated G), Libby glass (a small L). Just to name a few.
Then there are the signed (engraved by the makers): Lalique (usually signed Lalique made in france), Loetz (Czecho-Slovakia in an oval, or Loetz Austria), Galle (signed in the enamel or cameo and inlay). These are a little trickier to identify as there are so many fakes out there.
Sorry to go on & on , I really do hope this helps you or anyone else out there wondering the same thing. If you would like I can email you a word document that I've been working on over the last few years with lots and lots of links to guides and websites with very helpful info regarding identiyfing glass and pottery without having to pay for the information. Let me know if you'd like this and I can email it to you or anyone else who may be interested. I find it very helpful and it may just help you get through this hard part...

P.S. If you'd like email with pictures of the vase, and the base of it as well and I will do my best to point you in the right direction.
Lenda ~fancy4glass~

[alm1995]

WOW fancy4glass seems to be a lot of "feel" for glass to be able to identify it properly
Fortunately the only glass I own is not antique although "old" bought new in the late 70's decanter and glasses marked underneath with Thomas Web.
Unfortunatley the decanter is now cloudy and I have tried allsorts eggshells etc to clear it but it will not clear. Doesn't look bad when its full but when its empty does not sparkle as it should.
Would be grateful for any ideas on how I can clean it please?
Thanks
Maggie

[victorfrank]

WOW fancy4glass seems to be a lot of "feel" for glass to be able to identify it properly
Fortunately the only glass I own is not antique although "old" bought new in the late 70's decanter and glasses marked underneath with Thomas Web.
Unfortunatley the decanter is now cloudy and I have tried allsorts eggshells etc to clear it but it will not clear. Doesn't look bad when its full but when its empty does not sparkle as it should.
Would be grateful for any ideas on how I can clean it please?
Thanks
Maggie

May depend if you want to have it for use or display. You can have them professionally cleaned, but it is expensive. Alternatives worth trying, always with the risk of it going 'pear shaped', so only try if you are prepared to make it worse, or throw the item away:
- Leave white vinegar in overnight.
- Fizzy denture powder sometimes works.
- Bathroom or kitchen de-scaler - but use with care; rub around the inside with a soaked rag or ball of cotton wool on the end of a straightened coat hanger - you can shape it to get past the neck, etc.
- There is a product called 'Magic Balls' - very small brass balls which you whirl around the inside, probably on the same principle as your eggshells. I think I bought the ones I have from 'Lakelands', but I have also seen them in hardware stores; they are in small, round plastic tubs.
- Spray WD40 inside and let it coat the inside. Leave for a fair while and then remove the residue (coat hanger/rag/cotton wool again). It may well remove the discolouration, but also what it will do is disguise the 'bloom'. Leave the stopper off to get rid of the smell.
If the dis-colouration is etched in, then there is very little you can do.

But, nothing to lose by trying! Good luck.

[alm1995]

Thanks victorfrank for your reply
I only have the decanter and glasses for display now but I bought them to use and did use them in my materialistic youth.
I have tried denture powder, descaler, white and brown vinigar, washing soda, borax...Haven't tried WD40 can't understand why as I use it on everything, brilliant stuff. I will have a go at that. As you say professional treatment is out of the question expense wise and if all else fails I will buy a cheap bottle of wine and leave that in it to see if that hides the bloom.
Thanks for your help
I will let you know how I have got on

[fancy4glass]

If anyone is interested in receiving some information regarding identifying an antique piece of pottery or glass we'd love to help if we can. Please visit us @ fancy4glass.ca.

[OldPostcards]

I'm selling a book on Antique Glass if it might help anyone? Check out my books section.