The Stunning Vintage Glass That Collectors Always Hunt For At The Thrift Store

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If you've ever perused the glassware section of a thrift store, you've likely come across a myriad of inexpensive glass tumblers. Some of them could be the exact glassware collectors love snatching up — Victorian tumblers. Today, tumblers are usually tall, plastic, and come with a straw, but Victorian tumblers are short, glass cups. They are easy to find when thrifting, but unless you know what you're looking for, you may not know if what you find is a true Victorian era piece, or a modern reproduction. 

The Victorian era refers to the years during the reign of Queen Victoria, from 1837 to 1901. You can find tumblers made during that period in various styles and colors. Some are etched, some have bubble designs protruding from the glass, and others are plain, with few ornate features. Collectors often search for Victorian tumblers at the thrift store because of how valuable they can be — some sets are worth over $200. However, some people enjoy them solely because they look beautiful on a bookcase. Whether you're specifically looking for Victorian decor because it's your jam, or you want to find glassware that is worth a little coin, this style offers many options and whimsical designs, making it worth collecting.

When it comes to clear glass tumblers, you may find Victorian-era pieces with hand-carvings; the engraving may be slightly crude compared to today's standards. You may also find colorful tumblers with marbled designs, typically made of slag glass. These are highly coveted and may have markings from Davidson, Sowerby, or Greener & Company — popular Victorian glassmakers. Other common glass types of this era include Burmese, custard, enamelled, Mary Gregory, milk, pearline, and vaseline. Many of these have distinct features, such as the milky white of milk glass (which is a valuable glass item you shouldn't pass up), and the yellow that blends into salmon in Burmese glass. They are all glass items worth looking for at thrift stores, whether you collect them or resell them.

While some of the more basic etched styles of Victorian tumblers sell for extremely cheap, like this set of six vintage wheel glass tumblers which sold for $10 on eBay, others can fetch a higher price. A pair of hand-painted Mary Gregory tumblers, one depicting a boy and the other a girl, sold for just under $30, and you can pull in the same amount for a single UV-reactive vaseline glass tumbler. The more unique the tumbler, the better price you're likely to get for it if you're thrifting to resell, like this Victorian hobnail vaseline tumbler which sold for $120 on eBay. If it's whimsical and colorful, it may be worth more than a more basic option.