Collecting and trading antique glass can be a rewarding hobby or business. Begin by deciding what your interest in antique glass is. Realize that some glassware looks old but is actually a reproduction. If you are interested in old glassware for business or as an investment, you need to familiarize yourself with the varieties and items that are valuable. Also try to find items that are in the best condition possible.
One of the very first things that you need to think about when choosing antique glass is your motive for wanting it. If you simply like collecting pretty items and you want to put them on display solely for their visual appeal, the best items for you are those that you are most attracted to. You do need to be careful, however, to ensure that the items that you choose are actually antiques. Many styles of old glassware have been reproduced.
If you are looking to acquire antique glass that has value, there is a lot more that needs to be taken into consideration. To begin with, there are numerous types of old glassware, such as depression glass, milk glass, and coin glass. You should familiarize yourself with the varieties. Some are much more valuable than others.
Once you have chosen the varieties that you are interested in acquiring, it is wise to also get acquainted with the pieces that are in the set. There are some pieces of certain types of glass that are rare and are very valuable. Within that same variety, there may be pieces that are fairly common and are not worth much money. If you are not aware of which pieces fall into which category, you may over-invest in low-priced items believing that you have stumbled upon a gold mine when you should be more focused on finding rarer items.
Even if you take time to get educated about antique glass, you should keep a resource handy when you are making your selections. If you will get your glassware online, you may be able to access free guides. Otherwise, it is highly recommended that you invest in some type of quality glassware resource that you take with you when you are shopping.
If possible, choose a resource that includes market values. Knowing the market value can be a very important factor when purchasing antique glass. If you are not careful, you could easily be overcharged, which will erode your efforts to find valuable items. Make sure to compare prices unless you are confident that you know what you are doing.
Also realize that the condition of the antique glass affects its value. If a rare item has a flaw, depending on the severity, it may hold a significant amount of its value. When more common items have flaws, however, their value can be drastically affected.