BUYERS GUIDE COL L ECT ING I TAL IAN GLAS S
into the trap of buying the name rather than viewing a piece of glass as an individual item.
You may want to collect glass from a specific period in time or glassware produced by a particular designer or company. Before starting out it may be advisable to find out how easy it is to find the sort of glass you want to incorporate into your collection. This should be informed by both the price and availability of any particular type of glass. There can be little more frustrating than having a sum of money put aside to expand your glass collection, only to find nothing to buy. Finally, and most delicately, you need to study the amount of money you are going to have to invest in new acquisitions. At one end of the spectrum you can find some examples starting at less than £50, whilst at the other extreme you can expect to pay £10,000 and higher for highly rated and rare pieces of glass. So obviously the cost of a particular type of glass can be a very important consideration indeed.
Condition is also a very important factor and although it would be nice if each piece of glass in you collection were a perfect example, the reality is often far different. As a general rule of thumb, you should expect and accept fair wear and tear, after all the glass from this period can often be heavy, relatively old, and indeed initially functional.
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You may not ever consider putting a bunch of daffodils in your glorious new vase, but rest assured there might well have been a time when it did hold flowers. Water damage, scaling or sickness is one of the glass collectors’ worst enemies. Although a small amount may be acceptable, heavy staining is most definitely not. A scaled vase is almost impossible to clean. In contrast, scratching and fine wear to the base is not only to be expected, but can provide a good indication that an item of glass is genuine. Whilst some exterior damage may be acceptable, try to steer clear of examples of glass with serious scratches or chips. Although such items are sometimes
restorable and it may be worthwhile having the work done, it can be an expensive and time-consuming job, with no guarantees of success.
Finally, and most importantly, enjoy the time you spend both learning and collecting and you will develop a collection of glass that will not only give you pride and pleasure, but also a great potential for future profit. After all 20th century design is the field with the biggest proven growth area in the entire antique and collecting market.
Fieldings Auctioneers regularly handle examples of fine Italian glass from many of the leading makers and with estimates starting as low as £50 it really is an area which is accessible to all.
Contact Will via
will@fieldingsauctioneers.co.uk for more information on this sale or collecting in general.
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