Guide to Vintage Glass

🎐 The Redecors Guide to Vintage Glass

At Redecors, we celebrate the artistry and history found in every curve of vintage glass. Because these pieces carry decades of history, we want to ensure you feel confident and informed about what you're adding to your collection.

1. Our Approach to Identity & Attribution

Identifying vintage glass—particularly Murano—is as much an art as it is a science. While we lean on years of research and stylistic comparison, definitive proof (like a signature or original sticker) is actually quite rare in the vintage world.

To be as transparent as possible, we use the following "certainty scale" in our descriptions:

Attributed to: We are highly confident in the maker based on specific design traits, though a physical signature is absent.

Likely / Assumed: Our research strongly points to a specific artist or region, but without documented proof, we are making an educated assessment.

In the style of: The piece beautifully captures the aesthetic of a certain era or maker, but may have been crafted by a contemporary or inspired artisan.

Pro-Tip: We love a good glass chat! If you're curious about a piece's history, please reach out before purchasing. We encourage all our collectors to explore the fascinating world of glass identification alongside us.

2. Character, Not Defects: Condition & Craft

Vintage glass isn't meant to look like it just came off a modern assembly line. Its "imperfections" are often the very things that prove its handmade heritage.

Signs of Life: Minor shelf wear on the base, tiny scuffs, or light surface scratches are normal for vintage items. We view these as the "patina" of time.

Handmade Variations: In hand-blown glass, you may notice tiny bubbles (inclusions), varying glass thickness, or slight asymmetrical leans. These are not flaws; they are the fingerprints of the maestro who made it.

The Bottom Line: We inspect every item under bright light. Any significant chips, cracks, or deep gouges will always be clearly noted in the description and photos.

3. Seeing the True Colors

Glass is a chameleon. It interacts with its environment, meaning a vase might look vibrant on a sunny windowsill but deep and moody on a dark bookshelf.

Photography: We do our best to capture color accurately, but please remember that your monitor settings and the lighting in your home will influence how the glass appears in person.

Measurements: All sizes are approximate and represent the largest points (Height x Width x Depth).

4. The Murano Deep-Dive

Many of our favorite finds come from the island of Murano, Italy. Here are a few things every Murano collector should know:

Location over Brand: "Murano" isn't a single company; it's a legendary island of many different studios.

Labels & Signatures: Most vintage Murano glass was never signed. While labeled pieces are wonderful, the absence of one doesn't mean the piece isn't authentic.

Pontil Marks: That scar on the bottom where the glassblower's rod was attached is a badge of honor. It might be polished smooth or left slightly rough—both are common in authentic pieces.

What to Watch For: If a base feels excessively "cloudy" or looks like it was aggressively sanded with coarse grit, it may be an indicator of a mass-produced imitation rather than a hand-worked Murano piece.

Our Promise to You

We are collectors first and sellers second. Our goal is to get these beautiful pieces into the hands of people who will love them for another fifty years. If you need more photos, a video of the piece in natural light, or just more details on its history, we are always here to help.