Month: January 2026

What are some of the different types of bowls?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Beginning to collect, History, Item highlight, Kitchen Items, Vintage, Vintage, Vintage!Leave a comment

When it comes to bowl designs, we all have heard about the console bowl, the cereal bowl and even the mixing bowl.  What are some other designs that you might run across when you are out shopping for vintage items?

Cream bowl—this bowl is used by some during a formal event when pureed soups are served during the first course of the meal.  This type of bowl comes with two handles and a shallow bottom on the bowl.

Bouillion cup—also known as a broth bowl, this serving piece is used to served chili, custards and even pudding in formal events.

Tureen—this is meant to hold soups and stews and it is used on the table.  This is meant to hold several bowls of soup that is meant to be ladled out into a bowl.

This is just a handful of the different types of bowls that you will run across.  What kinds have you run across?

What are some different types of glassware that you might run across?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Beginning to collect, Glassware, Tips for the beginner, Vintage, Vintage, Vintage!Leave a comment

When I started going to auctions as a kid, I quickly realized that there are different types of glassware that you will find.  I also found out that it is also very colorful, which is one of the reasons that attracted me to it.

So what are some of the different types of glassware that you will run across?

Milk Glass is one that you will definitely run across.  It is white or opaque in color, and it has been made into a wide variety of shapes.  Not only that, but you will also see a wide variety of patterns as well on the milk glass item.  Dinnerware, lamps and vases have been made of milk glass, and you can even find it in some jewelry pieces as well.

Carnival glass is another area.  Carnival glass got its start in the early 1900’s and is a line of pressed glass pieces that has an iridescent finish applied to it.  The finish was to help catch the light, even if the item was in a darker corner of the room.  This does share the same aspect as milk glass because it comes in a wide variety of patterns and shapes, but the great thing about carnival glass is that it also has a wide variety of colors that it can be found in.  Carnival glass got its name because it was adopted by collectors in the 1950s as items of it were sometimes given as prizes at carnivals, fetes, and fairgrounds.

Opalescent glass is a term that is applied to either clear or colored glass that has a milky white opaque effect that has been applied over the other color on the glass item.  It will be often to either the rim or to the center of the piece, and it will often look like the item has more of a frosted look to it.

Slag glass is another area that you will definitely run across.  Slag glass gets its name from slag, or the byproduct of steel production.  When iron ore is smelted in that process, the remaining product looks like glass.  That product takes on different colors depending on the minerals in the iron.  The visual marbling of this is what slag glass is copying.

There are many more types of glassware that you can find out in the market past what I talked about here.  What have you run across?

What are some glass terms for the beginning collector?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Beginning to collect, Glassware, Tips for the beginner, Vintage, Vintage, Vintage!Leave a comment

When you go out shopping for vintage items, you will hear some interesting terms being said.  It doesn’t matter if you are at an auction, estate sale or swap meets—you will hear something.  It really doesn’t take very long either to hear something interesting like “art glass”, “cased” or even “hand blown”.

Here are a few glass terms that you will hear along the way:

Ice lip—this is a part that you will find on a pitcher.  Ice lips are present to help hold the ice in the pitcher.

Applied handle—this is a handle that was attached to a piece of glass while the glass is still hot.  It is often done by hand and can be quite decorative.

Pontil mark—this is a byproduct of a piece of glass that is made by hand.  It is when the glass is attached to a rod so it can be turned into an item.  When the item is done, it is removed from the rod leaving the mark.

Acid etched—this is a type of finish to create a matte or even a satin finish to the glass.  It is often used to produce a pattern on the glass and can be found on a wide variety of items from bowls to glass panels used in architectural design.

Mold made—this is a type of glass that is completely formed using a mold.  You will see this with more of a mass-produced glass and it is used to help produce items that are exactly alike.

This is just a hand full of the terms that you will hear, and there are many more that you will run across.  What terms have you heard of?

What are some different types of pitchers that you might find?

On By wisdomlaneantiquesIn Beginning to collect, Functional items, Glassware, Pottery, Shopping tips, Tips for the beginner, Vintage, Vintage, Vintage!Leave a comment

When you get started shopping, you will run across a pitcher pretty fast.  You will be amazed how many different varieties there are.  You will quickly start to wonder what the different types of pitchers are.

This was one of the first questions that I ran across when I first started buying and selling antiques and collectibles.

Here are some of the most common ones that you will run across:

Iced tea pitchers—this type of pitcher is pretty large, they typically hold 64 ounces.  64 ounces is a standard size when it comes to Iced tea pitchers, but I have even seen that get close to 70 ounces.  Don’t let the words “Iced Tea” fool you—this type of pitcher has also been called a lemonade pitcher.  The great thing about these is that you will often find them with matching glasses.

Milk pitchers—this one actually threw me off when I first heard this one.  A milk pitcher is half the size of an Iced tea pitcher; it usually holds 32 ounces.  Why such an odd number you say?  32 ounces is how many ounces a quart milk bottle holds.  Milk pitchers are used to give a decorative look to the kitchen table when you are having breakfast.

Creamers—you don’t think of a creamer as a pitcher, but it does fall into this category.  This is the smallest of pitchers that are being talked about here, and they are usually 8 to 12 ounces in size.  One reason that you see quite a few creamers is the fact that you have a smaller serving size of milk when you are having a cup of coffee.

This is a small sample of what is on the market, and there are a few more types of pitchers that are out there.  What kinds have you heard of?