You can find beautiful glass and sometimes real bargains at auctions. However, there are downsides and it pays to pick your auctions carefully.
- Time commitment, since you need to get there early to inspect, then maybe sitting for hours until your treasure comes up
- Someone can damage the glass between when you inspect it and when you actually get it
- Poor auctioneers can be confusing, making it hard to know what you are bidding on
Two auctions that featured glass from collectors and glass dealers had many reproduction pieces. Another time I found some valuable pieces that I checked and rechecked and re-re-rechecked for damage. But with the crowd, by the time the auctioneer’s assistant passed me my winnings, the pieces were damaged.
How to Find Out About Auctions
1. Check out AuctionZip for nearby auctions. You can select a driving distance and the site returns a calandar with auctions noted by day and links to the auctioneers’ listings. I don’t recommend you start your auction foray by driving a long way because you’ll feel a pressure to buy something to justify the trip.
2. Look at Craigslist. Select your closest area and search for “auction”. Auction houses can advertise for free on Craigslist and some take advantage of this.
3. Auctioneers provide listings and pictures of upcoming auctions. Read the descriptions and check the photos – maybe you’ll find a treasure! Be wary of glass identifications because even reputable auction house may not recognize patterns. In our area all colored glass is “depression glass” and all crystal that looks sort of old is “Fostoria”.
4. Until you have a feel for which auctioneers you like and what types of auctions, try several.
5. When you are at an auction or an antique mall, look for flyers about upcoming auctions. The paper flyers are usually organized by type of item – Glass and China or Antiques or Housewares are good categories to check – and may give details if the auctioneer has them.
6. Most auctioneers have web sites which list planned sales, often with pictures and will send emails. You can Google for auctions too, but it’s easier to just keep track of the auctioneers you like and get on their mailing lists.
How to Pick an Auction
Do your homework first. Read the descriptions, check the photos. Consider your time, drive time, sitting and waiting time, inspection time. Usually a good auction will take the whole day.
I like to pick one that is reasonably close by and has many items that look interesting. Remember, it takes time to auction off each lot and you don’t want to sit through hours of car parts to get to that one piece of glass. (Or maybe you like car parts, in which case have fun!)
Seek out estate auctions or combination estate / real estate auctions in run-down parts of town. This Pyrex red casserole came from a estate/real estate auction where the house was so run down the auctioneer could only get $5000 for it! But the owner had taken meticulous care of what she did have, and every piece was in perfect condition.
Pyrex Red Bowl with Lid
We found auctions in ritzier parts of town had nice things too, but the owners tended to buy accessories or stemware in style, and that meant they often had few older items. I have gotten high quality china sets at fancier auctions, just not much glass.
For us consignment auctions or antique auctions have been hit or miss, depending on the other attendees. You are more likely to find higher end items, but you are also going to have more competition, and some auctioneers prefer more lucrative items than glass. With the recent glass price plunge you might find entire sets of glass being auctioned off.
If you read about an antique store having a going-out-of-business auction, that can be fun. But be careful and don’t assume everything is exactly as labeled. Check for reproductions or misidentified pieces.
This pair of very old Fostoria cut crystal Trellis sherbets came from an estate auction.
Fostoria Glass Trellis Cut Crystal Sherbet Bought at Auction