thrifting for vintage glassware

thrifting vintage glassware

The Thrifted Goodies series consists of monthly posts where my friend,  Rachel from the Antiqued Journey, and I share thrift store goodness. Topics might include particular finds, tips, techniques, stylings and general advice about thrift shopping mostly for home decor in general.

Rachel always finds the most amaZing thrifted pieces, and you don’t want to miss her latest post. If you don’t know Rachel yet, make sure to hop over, introduce yourself and check out her Thrifted Goodies – Volume 19 – decorating for winter: thrifted touches for vintage seasonal displays.

thrifted goodies
thrifted goodies – volume 19

vintage glassware

There are varied degrees of vintage glassware.?When I thrift shop for glassware for table top uses, I look for pieces which speak to me.?I am not necessarily looking for “valuable” glassware, but rather unique pieces.?In essence I am looking for pieces that are in good condition and are my particular style so they will coordinate with my other table top items.

thrifting vintage glassware
a pink floral table scape with DIY oilcloth chargers

So besides looking for a particular style, there is some criteria I use to discriminate between the sea of glassware at most thrift stores.?I usually want at least 6 matching glasses.?Since thrifted glassware tends to be reasonable priced, buying anywhere from 6 to 12 glasses does not have to break the bank.

thrifting vintage glassware

Also, not to state the obvious, I want all the glasses to be in good condition.?I check and triple check there are no cracks or chips or any defects in the glassware.?A defective glass, if used for drinking purposes, can prove to be dangerous; so safety first.??

thrifting vintage glassware
a timely New Year’s Eve table with DIY clock plates

In other table top items I look for at thrift stores like transfer-ware, ironstone and enamelware, I find chips, crazing and other defects to add character.?That is not the case for glassware in my opinion.?I prefer all glassware to be in good condition.?

thrifting vintage glassware finds

My latest glassware find are these silver trimmed glasses.?They look mid century to me, which tends to be a bit modern for my taste, but these glasses called my name.?I used them throughout the holidays and you will be seeing them in plenty of tablescapes throughout 2024.

thrifting vintage glassware

I found eight of them so into my cart they went.?The funny party is seven of them had one price and one glass had a different price.?Luckily the seven had the lower price and only one had the higher price.?This is the nature of thrift store shopping.?Many of the workers are volunteers, and we should appreciate the work they do.?

thrifting vintage glassware

Also, at first I only found 3 or 4 on a shelf and they caught my eye, but I kept perusing the shelves.?Then I spotted a couple more on another shelf.?So I started to put them together and look closely between all the glasses on ALL the shelves.?When I found 6 in good condition I was committing to them, and when I found 2 more, it sealed the deal.??

thrifting vintage glassware

These glasses grabbed my attention because they are very similar to the La Rochere Périgord wine glasses.?I had a similar experience shopping for them in finding a few together and then more on another shelf and more on another.?I not only found 8 or 12, but fourteen!!! And yup, I bought them all.?At only a couple of dollars each, it was a no brainer.

thrifting vintage glassware

I am guessing someone used them for a special event and then got rid of them.?I love the heavy duty style of this glassware, planning to use it mostly outside on the back porch.?You can see them below in the basket stored in the outdoor sideboard I refurbished last summer, which you can read about here {storage solutions & details of a DIY outdoor sideboard}.?

thrifting vintage glassware
storage solutions & details of a DIY outdoor sideboard

I love the French lines on this glassware, and they match well with the real La Rochere champagne flutes we have.?I have paired them in plenty of tablescapes around here, including the recent {nutcracker suite table escape}, I shared this past holiday season.

thrifting vintage glassware
a nutcracker suite tablescape

Also, last summer I paired them together in this table styling {a patriotic table scape with pretty vintage dishes}.?I love how they look together.?I don’t know the maker, but I am not really concerned with that when I shop for glassware at thrift stores.?

thrifting vintage glassware
thrifted goodies – a patriotic table scape with pretty vintage dishes

final thoughts about thrifting vintage glassware

As you can see the two key things I look for in vintage glassware when I thrift shop are quantity and quality.?Look for what works for your personal design style and lifestyle.?

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Make sure to look through all the shelves and move things around since it’s not like a regular retail store, where it’s merchandised perfectly.?Like items might be scattered and always, always check for chips and scratches.

other thrifting posts

vintage thrifting tips & tricks
thrifted goodies – insights & inspiration
how to upcycle thrifted items with paint

Thrifting is more than just shopping…it’s an everyday adventure!

Unknown

sharing @ between naps on the porch

I love hearing from you!

13 Comments

  1. SO many amazing glassware pieces!! Those silver rimmed goblets are incredible…I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like them before! So good.

  2. Such a fabulous collection, MaryJo! I wish I lived closer to you and Rachel because you guys find the best things. I’m totally with you on the chips. I pass them up immediately. It’s just too scary to take a chance on. Can’t wait to see all the amazing tablescapes you’re going to create with these. Big hugs, CoCo

  3. you have some beautiful items and shared some great tips as well. I enjoyed my visit to your blog perhaps you can check mine out as well. http;://shopannies.blogspot.com

  4. I love glassware. You have some really good buys. I run in to several people who buy a lot from GoodWill. What happens is they break up sets, so one of the guys goes to several stores to find more matching pieces. He has a lot of success, but you have to hurry.

  5. Happy New Year! What a great collection of glassware you have found. I also love the lines of the French glasses and how fortunate you had the champagne flutes. They sure look beautiful on your table.

  6. This is my first time finding your blog through Life and Linda’s love your creativity link-up. I love collecting china, so I’ve often neglected paying attention to glassware, but it really does add an extra “umph” to the table when it isn’t run-of-the-mill glasses. I don’t hesitate to use my good crystal, but finding older patterns add interest as well. Your tips are a solid place to start. Off to the hunt!

    1. Thanks Leslie. I’m glad you found this useful and sorry to enable. ? And yes, china is another thing I thrift for all the time. In glad you found me & welcome. XO- MJ