If you’re a serious collector like I am, you know that collecting is fun. We enjoy going out, hunting, and gathering. We like scoring bargains, and we love finding special pieces. However, we’ve also probably learned that there’s some work to be done once we bring our treasures home.

That’s especially true of a collectible like glassware that benefits from some tender loving care. Fortunately for us, we have a great resource nearby: The Depression Glass Club of Greater Rochester, which is dedicated to the colorful glass of the 1930s and ’40s as well as educating its members and others about it.

As a member of the DGC, I’ve learned a lot about the lovely pink and green glassware that I received from my mother, who had received it from her mother years before. I’ve also learned that some of the members of the club are pretty much experts when it comes to their favorite patterns. That’s because they’ve not only been collecting their Depression Glass for years and years, but they’ve been using it and caring for it as well.

With that much knowledge among its members, the club was able to provide so many tips for collecting Depression Glass that we have another guest post from them today. If you read last time’s post, you know that the club provided some great advice for collecting this iconic American glassware.

Today, the members of the local Depression Glass Club give us some additional suggestions for taking care of our vintage glassware.

From The Depression Glass Club of Greater Rochester…

Recommendations for Cleaning Depression Glass

1. Whether you’re just bringing home a new piece, or taking an old favorite off the kitchen shelf, vintage glassware should be washed by hand in warm water using a mild detergent and soft sponge.

2. Never use any kind of abrasive cleanser on glassware. Never scrub glassware with a steel wool pad, coarse sponge, or stiff brush—and certainly never ever scrub glass with silver overlay or any other kind of decoration on it.

3. To protect glassware while washing it, pad the basin of the sink as well as the edges of the counter with thick dishtowels. Also, be careful not to hit the faucet with the glass.

4. Take care to avoid subjecting your glass to extreme temperature changes. In particular, allow cold glass to come to room temperature before unpacking and washing it, especially in the winter when it comes inside after being in an unheated car.

5. If glassware is grimy or especially dusty, let it soak for several minutes in warm soapy water. Then use a soft sponge to wash it. Soak another time or two if needed. If crevices still remain dirty, gently use a soft toothbrush to work at the grime.

6. After washing, use a soft kitchen towel to dry and polish glassware before it completely air dries, so you can wipe away drops of water and streaks.

7. If your glassware is on display, periodically dust each piece individually with a soft cloth. Avoid using a feather or lamb’s wool duster because both their length and the swishing action make it easy to knock over pieces.

Recommendations for Storing Depression Glass

1. Whether you can display your glassware in a china closet or have to store it in a kitchen cabinet, stand most glassware upright rather than upside down since the rim is usually thinner and weaker than the foot.

2. Avoid stacking cups in each other since that puts stress on the handles and because tall stacks are often unstable and could topple over. Avoid hanging cups on cup hooks, too, because that also stresses the handles.

3. Avoid putting glasses and tumblers into each other because they, too, could become stuck together.

4. Avoid stacking all of your dishes in one tall stack because that puts so much weight on the lower dishes. It also concentrates all the weight on one side, which stresses shelves and could cause them to collapse. Instead, distribute weight evenly on shelves, and store plates and bowls in shorter stacks.

5. To soften the contact between stacked pieces, use white paper coffee filters or paper plates, napkins, or towels between them. Regular, uncoated paper plates as well as paper napkins come in a couple of sizes, and some brands of paper towels can easily be torn to size.

In addition, different paper products come in different thicknesses, so they offer varying amounts of protection. For example, thin coffee filters might offer just enough padding between smaller, lighter dishes, while paper plates are thicker, so they’re better between larger, heavier pieces.

6. In addition, even when stored, place paper napkins or paper towels between the lids and openings of canisters, candy jars, and any other pieces that have covers. Doing so will provide some cushioning and lessen any vibrations between the lid and container.

7. If you need to pack up some of your glassware, layers of bubble wrap with small bubbles is recommended for protecting glass, especially for smaller pieces. Multiple sheets of clean newsprint or packing paper also work well, but newspaper itself is warned against since the ink often rubs off onto the glass.

8. If you need to box up glassware to be moved or shipped, double or even triple all your efforts (with extra bubble wrap, packing materials, and double boxing), or seek out professional advice at local packing and shipping facilities. Remember to label boxes “Fragile” and identify what’s inside.

With the local Depression Glass show and sale coming up next weekend, I hope that what I buy there will fit in my house and not have to be packed up or moved to mini-storage—and even though I don’t officially collect Depression Glass, I do indeed expect to find a treasure or two at the sale.

As always, I’m looking forward to the possibility of finding more of my grandmother’s green glass. I’m also open to being tempted by many of the other glorious glass pieces that I’m sure to see there.

And, if all fails, I trust I’ll be able to find an irresistible piece of antique china (or two or three or maybe even a whole set) since the glass show has been expanded to include other vintage collectibles.

I’ll just have to be patient until then. For now, the details of the show and sale are below.

While we wait, take care, and take care of your collections.

Patti
The Committed Collector

2018 Vintage Glass & Collectibles Sale

• Quality dealers selling antique and vintage glassware, china, pottery, linens, silver, and more
• Glass identification, educational program, door prizes, snacks
• Free parking and handicapped accessibility
• $5.00 admission covers both days

• Saturday, Sept. 15, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
• Sunday, Sept. 16, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm

• Eisenhart Auditorium, Rochester Museum & Science Center, 657 East Avenue

• For more information, visit the club’s Facebook page at @DepressionGlassClubRochester or send an email to dgclub@rochester.rr.com.

© 2018 The Collectors of Western New York Museum & Gallery.
All rights reserved.