Art glass, cameo and cut crystal, coloured and studio glass, scent bottles, paperweights and decanters. Each piece assessed for its maker, its signature, the quality of its form and its condition.
A signed piece by a great house is a different object from decorative table glass. Free insured postage. Written valuation per piece. Paid in 72 hours.
Glass is one of the most misjudged fields in antiques. A heavy cut-glass bowl from a mid-century sideboard may be worth very little, while a small signed piece by a great house can be worth a great deal. Value follows the maker, the design and the condition — not the weight or the sparkle. Knowing what to look for before you sell will help you see the difference.
The glass market divides into distinct fields, each with its own collectors. We assess across all of the following, from signed art glass to fine period crystal.
Moulded, frosted and opalescent glass in the manner of the great French houses — vases, bowls, car mascots, scent bottles and figures. A genuine signature, the model and fine condition are decisive, and reproductions and later re-issues are assessed with care.
Cut and engraved crystal of the first rank, including drinking suites, decanters, vases and paperweights. Signatures are often discreet; quality of cutting, completeness of a suite and condition drive value.
Italian art glass — sommerso, murrine, latticino and figural pieces, including designs by the noted Murano houses. Attribution can be difficult, as much fine Murano is unsigned and widely imitated, so we assess form and quality carefully.
Twentieth-century British art glass, including the textured "bark" and brightly coloured designs of the mid-century, and studio glass by named makers. Colour, pattern, size and condition are the main value drivers.
Carved cameo glass and finely cut and engraved English glass from the great glassmaking region. Cameo carving quality, signatures where present, and the crispness of cut work are examined closely.
Eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century wine glasses, rummers and decanters — air-twist and opaque-twist stems, engraved bowls and period forms. Genuine period examples are collected; later copies exist and are assessed accordingly.
Glass hides its faults. A chip on a clear rim or a hairline crack can be almost invisible until the light catches it, yet both affect value. A gentle, careful check helps you describe a piece honestly:
Note what you find and tell us — a scarce or important piece can still be well worth selling with minor faults, and we would rather assess a piece described honestly than one presented as perfect.
Two words cause more confusion in glass than any others. "Cut glass" simply means glass decorated with cut patterns — it is not automatically crystal and not automatically valuable. Lead crystal contains lead oxide, which adds weight, clarity and a bright ring when tapped, and takes a sharp cut; but plenty of lead crystal was mass-produced and carries only modest value. Conversely, some of the most valuable glass — fine art glass and early drinking glasses — is not "crystal" at all. What decides value is the maker, the design, the rarity and the condition, which is why we assess each piece on its merits rather than by the label on the box.
Marks on glass are quiet, and many genuine pieces were never signed. Where a signature exists, it repays careful looking:
A signature supports attribution but does not prove it, because marks are faked and unsigned pieces are common. Photograph the base in raking light so any mark shows, and we will tell you what it indicates and how it affects value.
We buy individual signed pieces and complete glass collections alike — an inherited cabinet of art glass, a set of crystal, a collection of paperweights or scent bottles. You do not need to identify or value anything yourself. Send an overview photograph of the group with close-ups of any signatures and any damage, and we will advise which pieces merit individual assessment and which are best valued together. Where glass is common decorative table glass, we will say so honestly, and anything you decide not to sell is returned to you free.
All round, and the base in raking light so any signature shows. Note any chips or cracks you have found. Email us first for a preliminary view.
Request a free prepaid, tracked and insured label with protective materials. Cover to £5,000 begins the moment the courier scans the parcel.
Your parcel is opened publicly on YouTube. Each piece and any signature are documented on camera before a specialist assesses it.
Maker and signature assessed, form and condition graded. Written offer per piece. Accept what you wish; we return the rest free. Paid in 72 hours or +3%.
Call us on 01234 815116 or email support@fairvintage.co.uk.
Get your free pack →Lead crystal contains lead oxide, giving extra weight, clarity, a bright ring and the ability to be sharply cut; ordinary glass is lighter and softer-looking. "Cut glass" just means glass with cut patterns — not automatically crystal, nor automatically valuable. Maker and quality matter far more than the label, so we assess each piece on its merits.
Marks are often subtle. Look on the base for an acid-etched, engraved, moulded or sandblasted signature, or a surviving paper label. Some fine glass carries only a faint engraved signature and some genuine pieces were never signed. Signatures are also faked, so a mark supports but doesn't prove attribution. Photograph the base in raking light and we'll advise.
Possibly. Chips, cracks, flea-bites and cloudy "sick" glass all reduce value, but a rare or important piece with minor damage can still be worth selling. Don't grind or polish a chip yourself — amateur work is obvious and lowers value further. Run a fingernail around rims to find nibbles, note them honestly, and we'll weigh importance against condition.
It varies enormously. Much coloured and pressed glass was mass-produced and modest in value, while particular colours, patterns, makers and early pieces are genuinely collectable — carnival, Vaseline (uranium) and named factory patterns among them. Age alone doesn't decide value; maker, colour, rarity and condition do. We're candid when a piece is common decorative glass.
The best are highly collectable. Fine millefiori and lampwork weights by recognised makers, and quality studio weights, are sought after — design, complexity, condition and any signature cane all matter. Souvenir and mass-produced weights are worth much less. Photograph the top, sides and base, and note any signature cane.
They help. For scent bottles and decanters an original, matching stopper is important — a replacement or missing stopper reduces value. Original boxes, labels and paperwork add to value, particularly for twentieth-century makers such as Lalique and for boxed sets of glasses. Never force a stuck stopper; photograph the piece complete and keep any packaging with it.
Gentle washing in lukewarm water is fine for dust, but never use a dishwasher or abrasives on antique or art glass, and don't try to polish out scratches or cloudiness — "sick" glass can't be cured that way and the attempt causes damage. Never force a stuck stopper. When in doubt, leave a piece as it is and let us assess it.
Wrap each piece individually in several layers of soft padding, protect rims, handles and stoppers separately, and pack so pieces cannot touch each other or the box sides. Remove or immobilise loose stoppers and lids. Email us a photo first about anything fragile or valuable — our free pack includes protective materials.
Within 72 hours of your parcel going live on YouTube — guaranteed. If we miss that window, we add 3% to your total.
Maker and signature assessed, form and condition graded. Written offer per piece. Opened live on YouTube. Paid within 72 hours.