Few household items provide as intimate a connection to the past as stemware: pretty glass vessels featuring a bowl or cup attached to a foot via a stem.
Celebratory stemware is particularly beloved. One sip of fizz from a vintage coupe or flute, and the happy, perhaps even decadent events it was part of in the past can bring more feeling and sparkle to your own occasions.
Stemware is also relatively affordable in terms of both space and price – most of us have room and pockets deep enough for a pair of useful and beautiful old glasses.
One of the main types includes crystal, which was made with the inclusion of lead oxide to increase its clarity, strength and ability to withstand patterns being cut into it – traditionally by hand using diamond or stone wheels on a lathe.
Crystal is heavier than standard glass, yet pieces are generally finer. It is also brighter; with a beautiful prismatic quality, it ages better than modern glassware, without becoming cloudy and dull.
Pressed stemware, on the other hand, is exactly that: the result of molten glass being poured into moulds to be shaped, rather than patterns being etched or carved into glass like crystal. Sometimes, the lines of these can even be seen on the finished product. As a rule of thumb, plain pieces tend to be priced lower than those featuring intricate etched or cut designs.
Like all groups of favourite items, look for what you like and even if you have a mix of makes and styles, you’ll soon have a collection bound together by your personal taste. Read on for our golden rules to consider when shopping secondhand stem and glassware...
6 signs to look for when shopping vintage glassware
- Patina might be a sign of weakness in glassware, and can mean this already fragile item will be easily broken.
- Use a magnifying glass if you’re unsure of the age of an item. This can reveal imperfections such as bubbles, which arose from the hand-blown nature of antique glassmaking.
- Coloured glass varies in price depending on what shade it is, with ruby (red or pink) being the most valuable.
- To tell pressed glass from crystal designs, check the sharpness of the pattern’s outline. Usually that of the former is less defined and has a softer edge.
- Good online sources of stemware include Vinterior, 1st Dibs, Etsy and eBay.
- Names to look for when seeking vintage crystal vessels at flea markets, secondhand shops and car boot sales include Waterford (still an active and esteemed manufacturer), Lalique and Baccarat (to check for authenticity, research trademarks and other signs on the side or base of the glass). Glean any enamelled piece by 18th- to 19th-century maker Beilby – it could fetch thousands at auction.
