A collector's guide to the home bar
Collectible barware from the great makers
Crystal decanters, silver shakers and cocktail sets made to last a century. Learn to read the marks, date the piece and know what a fair example looks like before you buy.
Begin with decantersThe approach
Provenance first, price second
Vintage barware rewards patience. The same decanter can be a signed piece from a celebrated glasshouse or a later copy, and the difference is usually written on the base, in an acid mark, a hallmark or the quality of the cut.
Our guides explain where those marks sit, what each one means and which condition problems matter, with every fact traced to maker archives, museum collections and assay offices.
The library
Start anywhere. Each guide links to the pieces and marks it mentions.
- No. 01
Vintage Cocktail Glasses: Coupes, Nick and Nora, Martini and Rocks
A collector's guide to vintage cocktail glass types: coupes, Nick and Nora, martini, highball, old fashioned, flutes and cordials, with sizes and what to check.
Collecting guides - No. 02
Collecting Vintage Crystal Decanters: A Buyer's Guide
How to judge a vintage crystal decanter: maker marks, age, stoppers, condition and safe buying, with guides to Baccarat, Waterford and tantalus sets.
Collecting guides - No. 03
Mid-Century Barware Designers: Culver, Briard, Thorpe and Fred Press
Who made the best-known mid-century American barware: Culver, Georges Briard, Dorothy Thorpe and Fred Press, with their signatures, styles and what to check.
Makers and marks - No. 04
Culver Barware: 22k Gold Patterns, Marks and Value
Identify vintage Culver glasses: the Brooklyn maker's 22k gold patterns such as Valencia, its script and block marks, later reissues, gold wear and value.
Makers and marks - No. 05
How to Clean Vintage Barware and Crystal Safely
Clean vintage crystal and glass the way makers and museum conservators advise: hand washing, cloudy glass, gold rims, dishwasher risks, decanters and storage.
Care and safety - No. 06
How to Tell If Vintage Glassware Is Valuable
How to tell if vintage glass is worth money: maker's marks, how it was made, condition, rarity and demand, plus which glass collectors seek most today.
Collecting guides - No. 07
Vintage Cocktail Shakers: Cobbler, Boston and Parisian Styles
The three cocktail shaker styles explained, why many bartenders use Boston or tin-on-tin shakers, and how to collect sterling, plate and Art Deco shakers.
Collecting guides - No. 08
Vintage Colored Glassware: Cobalt, Ruby, Amber, Uranium and Gold Rim
What gives vintage cobalt, ruby, amber, green, pink and uranium glass its color, which colors collectors seek most, and how to care for gold rim barware.
Collecting guides - No. 09
Vintage vs New Crystal: Lismore and Harcourt Still in Production
Waterford Lismore and Baccarat Harcourt are still made. How to tell vintage from current production by mark and sticker, and when new is the better buy.
Makers and marks - No. 10
How to Buy Vintage Barware on eBay Safely
A step-by-step guide to buying vintage decanters, crystal and silver barware on eBay: questions to ask, reading feedback, and using the Money Back Guarantee.
Collecting guides - No. 11
How to Identify Baccarat Crystal: Marks, Dates and Copies
Identify genuine Baccarat crystal by its marks: unsigned pieces before 1860, paper labels to 1936, acid-etched marks, laser marks, and patterns like Harcourt.
Makers and marks - No. 12
Is It Safe to Store Spirits in a Lead Crystal Decanter?
What official guidance says about storing whiskey or wine in lead crystal decanters: why storage time and acidity matter, and how to use vintage crystal.
Care and safety - No. 13
Sterling vs Silver Plate Marks: Silver Hallmarks Explained
Tell sterling from silver plate by the marks: British hallmarks, American sterling stamps, EPNS and other plate marks, with what each tells a barware buyer.
Makers and marks - No. 14
Waterford Decanter Marks and Dating: Patterns, Logos and Eras
Date a Waterford decanter by its etched mark, sticker and pattern, from Penrose-era glass to Lismore, the seahorse logo and today's lead-free crystal.
Makers and marks
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Vintage crystal decanters, available now
Browse current vintage crystal decanters on eBay, pre-owned pieces, from $100.
Shop vintage crystal decantersOpens eBay in a new tab. Check condition, seller feedback and returns on the listing.
Silver cocktail shakers
Browse current vintage silver cocktail shakers on eBay, pre-owned pieces, from $150.
Shop vintage silver cocktail shakersOpens eBay in a new tab. Check condition, seller feedback and returns on the listing.
Buy the maker, then the condition, then the price.
How our guides are ordered