How is the market for Depression glass now

[Lillian Dunbar]

I inherited my mother's collection of Depression glass consists of about 250 pieces as well as cut, pressed and carnival glass (see some attached photos). I remember her collecting avidly in the 1970's. She started when it was popular and on the pricey side. She paid $200 in 1976 for a green "Horseshoe" pattern luncheon set (8 cups & saucers, 8 luncheon size plates, sandwich serving plate, creamer and sugar). It was not unusual for her to pay $20 - $25 for a carnival glass item. I have tried selling a few pieces I could bear to part with, but it seems no one is buying Depression glass right now. I've even contacted a few estate liquidators and auctioneers and nobody is interested in it. A consensus of opinion is that it is too fragile and too "low-end" for them to bother themselves with. I wanted an impartial opinion of the current Depression glass market (I live in upstate New York). How do the prices today compare with what it was selling for in the 1970's?

[vicki hufstetler]

Hi Lillian, I have been buying and selling, and collecting depression glass for about 20 years. I never paid much for my pieces, because I would search them out at garage and Church sales. The thing that killed the market for our beloved Depresson glass is REPRODUCTION! China and other places somehow got ahold of many of the old molds and began reproducing the most expensive pieces. This made all the colletors weary, because unscrupulous dealers would take the cheap repro's and call them original and charge high prices for them. I still see repro's in antique malls and auctions all the time.

That being said. It depends on the item's rarity, color and pattern. Obviously some are much more popular than others. From what I can see, you have a couple unususal shapes - the Bisquit jar, and what looks like the 'floral" pattern platter. Do you have a DG guide book? If not, get yourself one, look up exactly what you have, then check what those items are selling for. It looks like the carnival pieces you have a very common ones - they are all "merigold" this is the most avaliable color. I see one nappy/candy in Amethyest- looks like a Fenton or Northwood - depending on the pattern, you might get a decent price on that one. I still buy and sell and do ok with this glass, but you really have to buy right. I'm in MI btw. Hope this helps and Best Wishes!

[Craig Phillips / B & C Emporium]

Vicki, they bought the molds at auction, it was front page news on the antique trade papers back in the early 80's a glass manf co went out of business that had all the northwood original molds, it took  big $$'s back then to purchase them.

also the ones buying now do not have any warm fuzzy thoughts about the depression glass, the glass that came in boxes of cereal, soap, the movies, gas stations, and a like,

when we started depression glass was younger than the pyrex glass is today

Lillian, I would just leave it in your cupboards and you remember going with your mom collecting all of her "prizes" and let your kids deal with it in the end, they will box it up and send it to an auction,

 

Value is all supply and demand, there is lots of supply and not much demand so enjoy it !

Craig Phillips

B & C Emporium antiques and original hardware and supplies

www.b-c-e.biz

[Lillian Dunbar]

Thank you for the comments on Depression and the other glass items. I think all I have are original Depression glass since my mom collected before the repro craze, however, I'd probably have a difficult time proving it. I have an old Gene Florence book on Depression glass (1994) which I used to identify the patterns, but I've also been informed that I could never hope to get anywhere near the prices listed in price guide books. There is one footed bowl in the amethyst carnival glass that is Northwood since it has a "N" on the bottom and the pattern is "Rosette." This I found on Doty's web site.

[Jeff Tevyaw]

Lilian,

Your 1994 book is good for IDs, but not pricing.  I'd really suggest an up to date DG book.  Gene Florence has retired with in the year or so.  I'd suggest one of Barbara Mauzy's DG books.  I am working with her, to add a chapter about Pyrex Commercial Tableware (restaurant ware) to the next edition of her existing Pyrex book.  Her books always have lots of great photos.

[UknowUneed Another]

You might also want to consider Etsy. Their demographic is on the young side and college educated. I'm a glass person, and I have gotten good prices for things that I've sold through them. A shop is free; there's a 20 cent listing fee and a 3.5% FVF, and you get 5 pics for your 20 cents. I feel that the youngish demographic could be more prone to impulse buy as opposed to seeking out the "best buys".

 

At this point they are also not all that far behind traffic wise, if compared to Ebay or Amazon. They have a fixed price format and I get higher $$$ on items than what might sell on Ebay, all the time. merchandise probably will not move as quickly as Ebay, but the expences are alot less.

 

If you decide to give Etsy a whirl, try to include 1 vignette type photo as you primary pic. This helps toward potential front page and other exposure ops within the site.

[Barbara E. Mauzy]

Hi~

Just a statement or two regarding values trending. As we try to maintain vital, active national and international connections, I feel comfortable addressing this with accuracy. Online, what is not rare is not going to sell readily. That being said, I had several $25-35 pieces sell on eBay from our store about two weeks ago. The pieces were listed at our "book" price. We maintain a storefront in VA and 95% of our sales are DG, all with our book values on the tag. We are hearing wonderful things from the dealers, too. Attendance at shows is way up and people are buying. Now, back to eBay. Rare things are performing brilliantly. I have seen a few insane end of auction results for hard to find DG.

Now a comment about family pieces, which are the best! If you are fortunate enough to have family pieces please write down the history of the glass, and some kind of bio of the person who originally owned the glass. Find a picture of that person, too, and put all of this in an envelope with the glass so the history won't be lost.

I hope this add clarity to your wonderful discussions. THANKS for jumping in group members!

Barbara