#Tips #Researching #Thrift #Stores #Glass #WorthPoint
The world of antique glass is one of those research fields that can consume you entirely, largely because there’s just so much glass out there! From centerpieces and trays to wine glasses and punch bowls, our thrift store shelves seem to be full of every imaginable variety. With so many designs to unpack, it’s tough to know which ones are valuable and which ones are better left behind.
Your glass research odyssey can be even more challenging if the item in question is missing a mark. Whether the item’s mark has worn away over the years or was never there to begin with, the absence of this crucial data point makes an already daunting category that much trickier.
But, on this shopping trip, I found my curiosity getting the better of me. After all, I’d already learned that even an apparently basic shot glass can bring back at least some kind of return. Shouldn’t these more intricate designs be able to do something for us?
When all else fails, I turn to the WorthPoint Price Guide and do a search on my very best attempt at an item description. If nothing else, seeing examples of other items helps refine my description to get closer to finding my item.
However, on this occasion, I didn’t need to search for long since the glass punch bowl I was holding appeared pretty quickly on the Price Guide. I discovered that it had recently resold for ten times what the thrift store was asking! Plus, as I kept searching for comparable items, I got to check out glass items that have resold for hundreds of dollars, a process that will help me keep my eyes peeled for the truly exciting glass pieces on future trips.
Take a look at the full video to get some invaluable tips on researching glass.
In addition to her role as HIP’s curator of photography, Allison Radomski is a writer and filmmaker. She spends her days hunting for analog cameras, scoring her own movies in her laundry closet, and building her collections of Polaroids and handkerchiefs. She has degrees in cinema & media studies and religious studies from the University of Chicago.
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