Pressed Glass Tableware Prized by Increasingly Discerning Collectors

Collecting glass is a popular hobby. Among the many categories of glass, 19th-Century pressed glass tableware is a favored collectible.

“The fact that many examples survived into the 20th Century have made pressed glass very popular among collectors and those who recognize it or have a few cherished pieces handed down through their families,” says Sheila Machlis Alexander, curator of “American Pressed Glass Tablewares: 1875-1900: Varying Perspectives,” an exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington.

People wanting to learn about glass should subscribe to collectors’ journals which contain articles in the would-be collector’s area of interest. The ads and illustrations will also be helpful. Libraries also offer books on glass. Once you choose an area of specialization, borrow or purchase reference books best suited to your needs. There are numerous clubs whose members are devoted to learning all there is to know about all kinds of glass. And, of course, museum exhibitions and programs allow ample opportunity to carefully study a variety of glass.

Collectors may find pressed glass at antique shops, antique shows and flea markets. Household and estate auctions may also turn up finds.

The most popular way to collect glass tableware is to look for all the items from one pattern. Some patterns include up to 70 different pieces, and there are hundreds of patterns from which to chose. Other collectors prefer to acquire one item--say, spoon holders--from numerous patterns. Still others concentrate on the items produced by a certain factory or in a specific geographical location.