I got into collecting and appreciating vintage Culver glasses totally by accident (was reading about 60's bar carts), but while the Mad Men TV show was on the air. Not a huge fan of the show, but I sure appreciated the period costumes, furniture and glassware.
I ordered a few single pieces of Culver glasses from sites like Ebay and Etsy, and then suddenly I had 3 sets and a bunch of other barwar from the 60's and 70's. Culver glasses are one of a kind, and are very good quality glassware.
While 50's and 60's barware became popular all over again because of the Mad Men tv show, there is also a current, renewed interest in furniture from the same time period, so barware from that period is still popular here in the United States. Full sets of pristine Culver glassware are not cheap, so if you are interested in fleshing out your collection, be prepared to pay more then you might expect for an "American" brand.
Collecting Culver Glassware - I managed to unearth 1 self published book about Culver Glassware. I ordered it, and was quite happy with it. It is, however, by no means a "complete book". In fact, my favorite set, which I own all but one of, is not listed.
Finally, I just learned real recently that the heir to the Culver family business died during the 9/11 attack. Very sad.
Culver Glassware: Collector's Manual (1st Edition)By Jeff Murrell
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/Culver_GlasswareAbout Culver - From The Current Glassmakers....Moderne Glass Company, Inchttps://culverbrands.com/aboutCurrent Site - Not the same glass of yesteryear...https://culverbrands.com/2013 Blog Post About Culverhttps://classyconcoctions.wordpress.com/2013/04/02/culver-glass-company-lavish-and-oppulant-cocktailware-of-the-1950s-1960s/Some good places to acquire Culver Glassware - Etsy, search term: Culver or Culver Glassware
- Ebay, search term: Culver or Culver Glassware
- Chairish, search term: Culver or Culver Glassware
Thrift Stores: Like other "embossed" glassware, this glassware is delicate. Dishwashing is a huge no-no. I've yet to see a decent vintage Culver glass at a thrift shop. I have seen them in antique stores, but full sets are pricey. ($200+)
There are also plenty of small mom and pop shops all over the United States who know a good vintage Culver set when they see it, and they often have small retail sites. Google searches should include the pattern name, if you know it.
There is no one single definitive source about Culver Glassware, but a little time on Google can unearth much more then is included in this post.
Attached is a
sample image from my collection, that in a nutshell shows what Culver Glassware is famous for: Over the top, glinty, glitsy gold. They used 22k gold a lot, and it shows.
Manufacturer: Culver
Pattern: Coranet
Year: 1960's