A Toast to Glass!

Decorative drinking glasses are one of the consistent movers in the rolling inventory at antique shops. Prized for not only their functionality, but also for their aesthetic value. Among some of the most popular drinking glasses are the "Swankyswigs," introduced by Kraft® Foods in 1933. These festive and colorfully decorated glass tumblers held Kraft's cheese products and were the forerunners in recycling as they were collected and recycled for juice glasses. Their diminutive size was perfect for small hands and they remain popular to this day…over three-quarters of a century later! In fact, a whole book has been devoted to these charming glasses. “Swankyswigs” by Mark and Sheila Moore (Schiffer Books) is a wonderful pictorial of all the designs and even includes look-alikes.

Without a doubt, the most beautiful drinking classes were by the Culver Glass Company, an American glass manufacturer founded in Brooklyn, New York, in the 1930s. Known for lavish designs and use of 22 karat gold over those designs, the company gained notoriety and its products became highly collectible. The glassware was very popular in the 1950s and remains so to this day for home and office bars, and interior decorating. Not all pieces are “signed” with the Culver name. Culver glass collectors say that the original glasses from the 1950s thru ‘70s appear to be signed, whereas later glasses had paper labels. This might have been due to a change in the manufacturing process as Culver Glassware was moved in 1980, to downtown Rahway, New Jersey. This glassware is getting harder and harder to find in very good or excellent condition. Too many people ruined it by putting it in dishwashers. When found in antique stores the price can often be on a par with crystal.

An added note…the founder's son, Mark Rothenberg, ran the company until 1996, when it was sold. At that point, he headed another glassware company briefly until his death on 9/11. He was one of the passengers on the hijacked Newark-to-San-Francisco flight that crashed in Pennsylvania.

In the 1970’s glassware took a bold move to heavier stemware and tumblers with weighted bottoms. Preferred because it was more durable than fine crystal, it was popularized by Fostoria and came in a variety of patterns and colors to blend with the home décor. Brides registered their patterns and colors, often choosing something that would work well with both their china and their ‘everyday’ dishes. Men preferred the heavier style over delicate crystal too. This glassware is still plentiful in antique shops at prices not much more than the original price forty years ago.

Last month we provided a 350-year old lemonade recipe to quench your thirst during this summer’s drought. In the photo collage we’ve included some additional thirst quenchers to enjoy in your beautiful glassware. Especially popular today are glasses with clever themes or logos. They jazz up the home or office bar, and reflect the owner’s personality.



Internet sources
Photo collage by Collage