Sunday, March 29, 2009

Live Well, Spend Less on Glassware and Dinnerware

Hello, fellow scavengers! Welcome once again to our little corner of Blogistan, in which we share stories and tips to help each other find bargains and great ways to reduce, reuse and recycle through scavenging yard sales, thrift stores, auctions, estate sales and the occasional sidewalk and alley. Today's topic is on finding inexpensive items for stocking your kitchen cabinets or dining room hutch.

One of the easiest and cheapest lines of glassware that you can collect is Anchor Hocking's Early American Prescut.

If you want to start collecting some pretty and practical glassware, Early American Prescut (or EAPC) can be found in abundance at thrift stores and yard sales. Easily identified by the ten-pointed stars and "palm leaves" in the pattern, EAPC reached the height of its popularity in the Sixties and early Seventies. (Some pieces just have the leaves but are good matches with the starred pieces, so feel free to add them to your collection, too). As "empty nest" Boomers downsize, they flood the thrift stores with some good quality items and the abundance means low prices. I don't think I have ever visited a Goodwill that didn't have at least one piece of EAPC, usually for under $5. You'll easily find bowls, plates, trays and vases to start your collection. In the case of EAPC, don't confuse "inexpensive" with "cheap". This is very good quality glass with a pretty, light-catching pattern and you'll have something nice to serve chips, dips and snacks in at your next party. A few items are very rare and can actually have good re-sale value. Be on the lookout for the 11 3/4" panelled bowl with brass handle, the cocktail shaker, the oil lamp, and the 5" footed bud vase. The cocktail shaker is particularly rare and can sell for several hundred dollars.

While you may not "need" pretty glassware, every household needs something to eat off and utensils with which to eat. While the thrifts have plates and bowls and silverware in abundance, the problem is finding complete matched sets. For china, stoneware and silverware, I prefer looking at estate sales and auctions. Yard sales seem to offer the best values for small kitchen appliances and widgets.

So what's your deal this week?

2 comments:

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  2. Kristin, thanks for dropping by. You're my first commenter! For kitchen appliances, I also like auction box lots.

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