The Rare Glass Canisters You Should Never Question Buying If You See Them At The Thrift

Vintage accessories can be one of the easiest ways to introduce a sense of character and charm into even the newest spaces. This is especially true in the kitchen, where secondhand markets often sell beautiful and interesting housewares culled from decades past for budget-friendly prices. Accents like vintage dishware, glassware, and canister sets are a great place to start, with many options available in a variety of materials, including glass, ceramics, metal, and handmade pottery designed with a particular era in mind. There are, however, some kitchen accessories more highly in demand than others, including a set of striking cobalt blue canisters made by the L.E. Smith Company during the mid to late 20th century. 

The canisters, which can fetch up to $700 per set on the resale market, are one of the most desired canister sets out there by collectors and vintage afficionados.This makes these valuable glass items definitely worth picking up if you spot sets or individual pieces during your thrifting adventures, whether for profitable resale or adding to your own décor. While there are many cobalt blue canister designs out there in the market, old and new, these particular canisters can be identified by their intricately molded glass star and moon design, the arched fluting along the top of the taller pieces, and the friction-close lid with an ornate top piece. Most canisters from the original era of their popularity lack defining marks on the bottom.

While a popular kitchen item in homes during the mid-20th century, this popular glassware pattern has its roots much earlier, when the Adams Glass Company created a clear glass design called "Palace" in the 1880s, with a similar moon and stars motif. Colored glass versions of the pieces were soon manufactured by the L.G. Wright company. The canisters were produced for the Wright company by L.E. Smith, along with other glassware pieces like tumblers, fairy lanterns, candy dishes, and other decorative pieces.

The patent for the design itself continued to belong to a company named Weishar Enterprises, which would later continue manufacturing its own version through the latter half of the century. These newer canisters can be distinguished by the Weishar marks on the bottom. You can find these whimsical sun and moon canisters in all sorts of colors, including amber, red, orange, and green. The deepest cobalt blue ones are the most in-demand among collectors.

The canisters, in all their various colors and sizes, not only bring a mystical and retro vibe to your kitchen, but can fit well within whimsigoth, boho, and retro eclectic aesthetics to add a pop of color and vintage charm. For the most expensive cobalt pieces, prices will range from about $300 to $1,000 for full sets, but can be found for less as individual pieces and incomplete sets. This valuable vintage glassware is usually most expensive from online auctions and antique dealers, but you can also often find cheaper ones in thrift stores, garage sales, and estate sales.

If you want to use these vintage kitchen accessories in your home but don't need more food storage, consider using them for other purposes, like storing bathroom essentials or craft room supplies. They also make stunning indoor or outdoor candle holders just by placing a tealight or votive inside. Even a lidless canister can be repurposed as a pretty molded glass vase for flowers.