Why, it’s an amethyst Dugan Glass carnival tumbler!

The great item that was featured last week is an amethyst tumbler featuring the Peacock At The Fountain, and it was made by the Dugan Glass Company.

This wonderful item was made in the 1910’s, and would look great anywhere.  The great thing about something like this is that it is a great cross-collectible.  Peacock lovers, carnival or Dugan Glass Company collectors, or even people who love this color would love to have an item like this.

The tumbler can be seen in my shop on Etsy here.

Ok, I got this one. It’s a…

We all know that this is a fantastic piece of glassware that was made in the 1910’s by a famous glass company.  But did you know that it’s a… it’s a… what is it again?

Well, I can tell you it’s a really cool piece of glass that can still be used today is any retro kitchen.  Not only that, it can also be used on a vintage desk holding either office supplies or even pens and pencils.

 
So what is this thing exactly?  Do you have any guess on what this terrific item could be?

Fun Facts for the year 1860

Sometimes, as a dealer, you wind up buying an item without knowing what it is.  Digging through a bit of history could help you begin to figure out what you’ve got.  History can also help determine relative rarity or value of an item.  If an item has a patent number on it, it can tell you what year an item was made.  Let’s say an item was made in 1860.  With this in mind, what was happening in the year 1860?

Cotton was the nation’s main export, with a whopping $192 million heading to the overseas mills that were based in England.  Just think of all the great clothing that was made out of it.

Late 1860 saw the election of Abraham Lincoln, who beat out John C. Breckenridge to become president.  As we all know, Abraham Lincoln is still a very popular president, and the items that are associated with him are highly sought after.

The Pony Express began its first run from Saint Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California.

The Indian Head Cent was only a few years old in 1860, and there was a small size and large size cent in circulation at the time.

Finding out the history on a piece is always fun to me.  What kinds of fun history have you found out?

And the search goes on…

I started attending auctions with my family as a kid.  I continued doing so through school realizing it had become more than a hobby.

About two years ago, auctions began drying up.  The auctions that were left created prices far too high for my budget.

I have since discovered estate sales, consignment sales, city-wide garage sales, flea markets, and even the occasional really good single garage sale.  I’m having a blast.

So where do you find your one-of-a-kinds or unbelievably cheap antiques?