Topic: where to start with my Mum's collection...

[Slogo]

I'm in the process of clearing my Mum's house and as an avid flower arranger she had collected numerous glass items including vases, posy rings, decanters, pin trays/inkwells, cake stands and a box full of those strange glass inserts to hold stems in vases. Does anyone collect them? The local auction said I'd swamp the market if I brought it all! - there must the equivalent of 10 or more boxes full of glass. I've been trying to sort it into pressed glass, modern glass, antique glass, and coloured glass. I finally packed up my first box of small pieces - just pin trays, inkwells and salt and peppers etc but don't know if this was the right thing to do - maybe I should have checked if any were crystal! Really need some advise please! 

[orangeglass]

Hi,
You could try having a look on a well know auction site in completed or sold listings to see if you can find any similar items - some items may be worth selling individually on there, or for lesser value items probably selling in a job lot at a local auction could be the best way, bearing in mind the commission they will charge (or maybe even do a car boot).
It depends also on if you want to take your time selling things or move them on quickly.

you could always post individual items on here for help with identification.

Best of luck!

[Slogo]

thank you so much Roberta, I didn't know you could search for completed listings, I'll take your advice and post some pieces on this forum very soon too.

When you put a job lots into an auction do you think is it best to sort the glass into similar items ie ink wells or have mixes boxes of say pressed glass?
 thanks again Sally

[Anne]

Hi Sally and welcome to the board from another Cumbrian resident! There are 2 or 3 of us in the county.   If you need help with using the board or adding images etc please just ask. We have lots of helpful handy tips in the Help forum too, which are always worth a browse: http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/board,22.0.html

[Bernard C]

Sally — Welcome.

Apologies if this is obvious.   If the boxes were carefully packed you should find items that go together are not split between boxes.   When making up lots for auction you wouldn't split a train set into a different lot from its track or a cup from its matching saucer.   The same applies to glass.

Have a look through the four pages of thumbnails of one of my GlassGallery albums here.   You will see lids, flower blocks, flower holders, centrepiece figurines, and at least one dressing table set on its tray.   Many of my items are shown both as complete sets and as component parts.

Watch out for black saucery things.  Turn them over and they become plinths.   Also look out for garniture sets.   One sometimes seen is a glass clock garnished with two matching vases.   Also matching cream jugs and sugar bowls.   Also decanters and stoppers, sometimes with tiny numbers on both, matching up the pair.

Finally, if you seem to be missing black plinths, look in the garden shed.   They may have served time as flower pot saucers!

Hope that helps,

Bernard C. 

[Slogo]

Hi Anne and Bernard, many thanks for your replies, thats really helpful!  I can probably take and upload photos, but would definitely need help indentifying and naming them if possible please! i have indeed come across some plinths Bernard, but no idea they were associated with certain bits of glass! Will take your advice and try to sort, they were on shelves rather than ready packed in boxes so I have my work cut out. nice to know you are in Cumbria Anne, anywhere near Penrith??

thanks again I will be back with photos!

[Anne]

Sally, I am a bit south of Kendal.About 3/4 hour from Penrith straight up the M6.

My interest is trinket sets and parts of.... I have a website researching them with lots of images, many kindly supplied by board members, which might help you if you find any parts of... eg candlesticks, lidded pots, glass trays, ring holders, pin trays.... www.glasstrinketsets.com it is a work in progress, so not yet covering everything that can be found, but has a tidy amount of info on it so far.

We would love to see your glass and try and help identify it for you. If you post individual pieces into a topic unless they are clearly the same pattern (even if a different shape) and we shall see what we can help with. If you would post them in small quantities so as not to drown the board that would keep everyone happy. Look forward to seeing your first pieces.

[Slogo]

Hi Anne
I'll start with the trinket sets then, I think there are at least two but also numerous pin trays, candle sticks and an amber glass dressing table tray. And we might meet up yet!

Your website is amazing just had a quick peek and you have some very interesting pieces.

[Slogo]

Hi Ann

Its taken a long tome to sift through all mums glass (amongst all the other things she collected!) but here are two trinket sets for starters. Are you interested in either? There is a chip in one of the blue lids and a spare lid which is the same design but wrong size. Sorry can't work out how to post photos to message board

[Anne]

You can email images to me to add for you if it helps, Sally.