This website will be ever expanding as I acquire new glassware and maybe coerce others into allowing me to include content from their collections. If you are re-visiting this site check the updates page and look for what is new.
I should tell you, I am not an antiques professional, and I am not qualified for anything to do with antiques. My weird hobby is collecting antique decanters and glass tableware, and you will be getting a collectors perspective from this website.
This website is entirely coded by me, all the photography is by me, all the glass is or has been in my collection (most still is). I am not trying to make money from this website; it is non-commercial and maintained at my own expense.
This website has been created to spread the appreciation of antique glass using my collection to illustrate points of design and recognition. Decanters are a wonderful thing to collect as there is so much variation, and 300 years of manufacture to collect from. Also prices can vary wildly, but good quality and history can still be purchased cheaply for those that show little concern for maker and provenance.
My decanter collection is based upon my taste and budget, and consequently I cannot promise to provide a guide to everything decanters and tableware. Things of value you see on this website are less to do with the depth of my pockets and more to do this my prowess as a bargain hunter and how long I have been collecting.
This web site will not provide valuations, but may discuss prices in a comparative way. The thing to bear in mind is that I am a collector and in general there may be a difference between what I would wish to pay for things and what dealers would like to charge for them.
To identify glass I have an extensive collection of books on antique glass, auction catalogues, period design books, magazines etc.., I use facebook contacts, and I also use my 30 years plus experience of collecting antique glass. In order to give some credit for that assistance of others this site has a bibliography. I have also added references to items to allow you to find my source material if you are really that interested, and to know I'm not trying to bullshit you. I will be giving an opinion on things, but that will only be my opinion, and I would not wish to be held accountable for the veracity of anything in this web site.
As a collector, I know the thing you most people want to see is lots of good pictures of well described examples in order to assist in the identification of what you have got or are about to get. I will aim to please on that front.
I hope you enjoy this site and find it informative. Kevin.
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