eBay

debbo0417 · ‎02-20-2018

My mom collected Depression glass in the 1960s and 70s. She probably bought with the idea it would be a good investment since it was a "hot" collectible at that time. She paid over $100 for a luncheon set for 8 in the early 1970s which would be almost $600 in today's money. However, now that I've inherited it (see photos for a few examples of what I have), nobody wants it. I've advertised it on various Internet selling venues with no results. I've seen pieces in thrift stores gathering dust on the shelves. You can't give DG away these days (along with carnival glass and EAPG). Does anyone have any idea what caused such a downturn in collectible glass's popularity?

maxine*j · ‎02-20-2018

@debbo0417wrote:
My mom collected Depression glass in the 1960s and 70s. She probably bought with the idea it would be a good investment since it was a "hot" collectible at that time. She paid over $100 for a luncheon set for 8 in the early 1970s which would be almost $600 in today's money. However, now that I've inherited it (see photos for a few examples of what I have), nobody wants it. I've advertised it on various Internet selling venues with no results. I've seen pieces in thrift stores gathering dust on the shelves. You can't give DG away these days (along with carnival glass and EAPG). Does anyone have any idea what caused such a downturn in collectible glass's popularity?

Well, I can name three things:

1. eBay. When eBay came along, people discovered that their "rare" collectibles were, in fact, not even scarce, much less rare. Before eBay, people shopped at local antiques stores, maybe went to the occasional show. They had no idea just how MUCH of the stuff they collected is out there. What they thought was precious, was commonplace.

2. Reproductions. While there was still interest in the market, depression glass reproductions by the boatload came in from Asia.

3. A younger generation that, whether by choice or necessity, live in small spaces and move frequently. They don't want much around that is not functional and easily manageable. So a big heavy china cabinet full of depression glass has no appeal. They just don't want much of what the older generation collected and is now trying to dispose of.

argon38 · ‎02-20-2018

@debbo0417wrote:
My mom collected Depression glass in the 1960s and 70s. She probably bought with the idea it would be a good investment since it was a "hot" collectible at that time. She paid over $100 for a luncheon set for 8 in the early 1970s which would be almost $600 in today's money.

You know, even if someone had told her back then that in 50 years it wouldn't be as popular, I suspect she would still have enjoyed buying pieces to add to her collection. The collecting bug is rarely just about investment, and she obviously took pleasure in her hobby at the time. So I wouldn't necessarily think of it as money lost.

debbo0417 · ‎02-20-2018

There are probably still collectors around, but it seems to be a regional thing. Here in upstate NY the antiques market is DEAD. So many antique and collectible shops have gone belly-up here in the last few years. Maybe it's also to do with the economy. People are holding onto their money and seem to want practical things and not "collector's items". A woman stopped at my garage sale last year and admired a Mayfair pattern vegetable bowl on which I had $20. She said that it was probably worth it, but she'd be afraid to use it and have it break after paying $20. I told her it not really to use, it was a collector's item to be put in a cabinet or shelf to be admired. She replied that for $20, she wanted something she could use.

Anonymous · ‎02-20-2018

The popular TV shows on hoarding have given collecting a bad name. People don't want to be associated with compulsive behavior that comes with a stigma. Guilt by association I guess. Also, the design trend for a while now has been toward sparse, clean lined, uncluttered, Mid Century Modern looks. IMO

johnnycb09 · ‎02-20-2018

It looks like there might be some other glass sprinkled in there thats not depression,check those out if you can. Maxine nailed it really,there is simply no market left for depression glass and I dont know if there ever will be again. It might have been the "beanie babies" of the glass world. use it,and dont worry about breaking it.

gone_4_good · ‎02-21-2018

You look to have a few individual pieces that could sell - for example the animals and uranium glass or some fenton pieces. If I were you I would go through it and search for the pieces that might fetch something then use (or donate) the rest.

patd3283 · ‎02-21-2018

I'm with Johnnie. I'm seeing some elegant glass and pieces that were not made during the Depression Era. Lovely glass.

Hang on to it. When they have a sale of your estate, people will be fighting over it 🙂

Patd

c*me*4*lefton*info · ‎03-04-2018

I have gone to local DG shows since 1982. A friend is a dealer and he always had my help setting it up and tearing it down at each of his shows near me. There used to be 4 a year. Now they are all gone, last year being the first year the original local collectors club did not have a show.

Before ebay I noticed that the crowds were older and not many young folks would attend the shows. I watched over 30 years as the crowds peaked, then declined, then pretty much disappeared. I believe the original collectors of DG loved the stuff because it fired memories from their past, pleasant memories of Grandmas and such. They remembered seeing the stuff during the Depression, they remembered their friends and families using the stuff. Sadly, the ones that really started serious collecting of DG back in the late 1960s are passing. Most of the original collectors are gone now.

Collecting (anything) is not about the money or possible future financial rewards. In rare cases collections do return notable financial rewards. What collecting is all about is the passion one has. A passion that can lead to a wonderful life-long exploration of and education about something you are passionate about. With time, especially decades. collectors change, collections change, tastes and styles change, what is popular or faddish at the time changes. But the passion remains. Unchanged and undying. That's a collector. in my opinion. They are all passionate about something.

How does one go about addressing an issue like passion? Maybe best by a simple description of what it does for me. For me, it is a necessary and fundamental part of life, I would not feel alive without it.

DG had a wonderful "run." I'd say a good 30-40 years before prices started falling. There was an entire generation of DG collectors. I can tell you from personal experience that the collectors of DG I spoke with were quite happy with their purchases, they loved every minute of the hunt and exploration, and they would not give up (nor would they ever regret) their collecting for all the money in the world. It wasn't about the money, it was about their passions.

vegasdude62 · ‎03-05-2018

I just started ebay again after a 10 year absence..... 2000-2007 depression glass was through the roof.. I have TONS of antiques and collectibles.. I bought.. and I inherited from my parents.. I also have 5 cars... 4 of them collectable classics...

I have Indiana Tea Room Glass... 11" HEAVY Vases that sold for $200-$400 in 2005.. now... $60

My cousin has Indiana Pyramid.. Yellow Ice bucket then... $500-$800.. now saw one sell for $65

FiestaWare.. I had the small red juice pitcher... sold it for $550 in 2006... now?? $45.

I also collected old tube radios.. Zenith Transoceanics, etc... they dropped, but not nearly as much

Lots of Art Deco... THEY have held their Value.. Radioactive Uranium Glass has held it's value..

One thing that saved me.. I started collecting Robert Tonner "Tyler Wentworth Collection" Fashion Dolls.. 17" tall.. real fur, cashmere, expensive clothing, etc... like $$$$ Barbies... I ran into them online in 1999.. Seeing that pristine vintage Barbies were worth Thousands now.. I had a gut feeling they would take off... SO.. I bought Tyler in every hair color... her bf Matt every hair color.. their friends.. tons of clothes, accessories, furniture, limited edition dolls.. had 80 +/- dolls.. Then in 2008 I STOPPED all ebay...

NOW... One day I looked at it all and thought.. WHY??? I'm SO sick of having all this STUFF...

I'm like the new generation now... I want to have my home CLUTTER FREE.. Zenlike.....

SO selling 4 cars and 95% of my STUFF... Got back on ebay.. just started selling...

The dolls?? Tyler Piano... Drafting Table.. I paid $25 for each in 2000.. now they sell for $300+

Certain clothes/outfits... paid $20... selling for $100-$300 now... etc.. The dolls are now 18 yrs old... and hard to find.. and $$ Rising... Rare ones I have .. SKYROCKETED.... Like the first year Tylers with pale makeup.. RARE.. the Matt dolls.. RARE.. and I have every hair color.. NEVER removed from their boxes, even in their original white shipper boxes.. ALL PRISTINE...

Like original first year Barbies that sell for around $8000.. A "MINT" in original packaging recently sold for $27000 !!!!! My First Year ORIGINAL Tylers blond, brunette, redhead... Matts.. blond, brown, redhead, Sydneys... will be worth a Fortune X 10 !!!.. Plus Tyler later in Cognac, Black.. Matt in Sienna, Black hair colors.... .. Great thing about them... they really dont take up that much space to store..

THEY are my SALVATION . lol

NO MORE STUFF !!!... Serously debating selling everything I own.. Buying a big older Class A Toy Hauler Motorhome w/garage at the back big enough I can fit my new Fiat 124 Spider into.... A Nomad on the road. work online.. buy/repair vintage that STILL sells.. on ebay.... TOTAL FREEDOM !!!!