The Old-Fashioned Glass Decor That's Making The Sweetest Comeback In Homes Today

Thrifting is the modern-day treasure hunt, and thanks to social media platforms like TikTok, so many valuable and stylish vintage pieces are making a big comeback in home decor. There are plenty of antique items dominating the thrifting trends in interior design, but it's the glass shelf you want to visit when shopping secondhand. That's because the hen on nest glass dishes are popping up everywhere across the Internet, and the vibrant colors combined with the depressed glass detailing will elevate any surface in your home. Whether you use these for storage or simply display purposes, if you come across one of these hens at your local secondhand shop, don't hesitate to scoop it up.

The glass selection at any thrift store usually has at least one gem on the shelf — more often than not, you can find some decent glassware pieces. Knowing the difference between valuable crystal and cut glass is helpful for general glass thrifting, but when it comes to these hens, all you need is a good eye and a little patience. While they were popular the late 1800s and early 1900s, collectors and thrift store lovers are now scouring their secondhand shops to find them again. This is in large part because of the range of colors they come in with the added bonus of useful interior storage. Ideal for farmhouse chic, rustic designs, or just a nostalgic flair, hen on nest dishes will match a variety of themes.

Online, hen glassware pieces sell for anywhere from under $20 to well over $100. What makes these hens so unique are the shapes and cuts, both of which add dimension and visual interest to a room. There are many different variations of the hen on nest dishes, including porcelain options, but the depressed glass versions are the truly eye-catching pieces. When you search on the internet, many articles and tidbits come back on these, but it seems they first appeared on the market in Germany in the 1800s. From there, American companies like Challinor Taylor and Atterbury made their own versions, and in 1935, Indiana Glass began producing them.

Some collectors have kept track of when the glass began being distributed, and it doesn't seem that many were made with lead, meaning that even if you come across a vintage dish that's obviously much older, you should be safe to use it in any capacity. However, it's always good to use caution with antique pieces, both with cleaning and storing items in them. Using them for display only eliminates any worries.

One of the biggest perks of using the hen glassware is that glass helps transfer and spread light around a room. Since many of the hens are a clearer glass, they will create an open and airy aesthetic wherever you keep them. Store everything from office supplies to cable cords inside the hens. In bedrooms and bathrooms, you can use them to hold toiletries. Should you find your own glass hen, it makes a great addition to all the valuable vintage glassware you already have on display.