Okay, so lemme tell you about this hunt I got myself into. Wanted some pieces of that classic Fostoria clear glass, you know? My grandma had some, always looked so fancy. Figured it couldn’t be that hard to find.
The Starting Point: Clueless Searching
First, I just jumped online like anyone else. Typed “Fostoria Glass” into that big search engine. Whoa. Tons of stuff popped up. Sites claiming to sell it, auctions ending soon, pictures galore. It was overwhelming, honestly. Clicked around for ages. Saw big numbers, like really expensive. Made me wonder if my grandma accidentally had a fortune in her cabinet! But also saw confusing stuff – was this real Fostoria or just kinda similar? Got frustrated. Wasn’t finding a straight answer.
The Auction Pitfalls
Okay, thought auction sites might be better for deals. Wrong. Mostly, I learned this the hard way. Found pieces I kinda liked, placed bids feeling smart. Problem? I lost every single time. Someone else always swooped in at the last second, paying way more than I thought it was worth. Other times I won… and then saw the shipping cost. Like, the glass was $15, shipping was $25! Plus, gotta trust the seller packing it safe. Saw horror stories about chips and cracks arriving. Noped outta that game pretty quick.
Grinding Locally: Antique Shops & Malls
Decided to try my luck close to home. Started hitting antique shops and malls. This took time. Lots of driving, lots of browsing dusty shelves. It felt like looking for a needle in a haystack most days. Found a few pieces though! Some good points:
- You can actually touch it! Feel the weight, look for chips up close. No shipping surprises.
- Sellers sometimes knew their stuff, told me the pattern names.
- Bargaining! Sometimes got a few bucks off.
But man, the downsides. Trips felt wasted when I found zilch. Prices? All over the place. Saw identical juice glasses priced $5 in one shop, $20 in another just a mile away. Crazy. Selection was super random too.
The Realistic Spot: Dedicated Resellers (Mostly Online)
Here’s where I kinda landed. Kept seeing certain shop names popping up, specializing just in glassware. Found their websites – not fancy flashy marketplaces, more like direct online shops. This took patience to filter through my early search mess.
Why these places ended up better for me:
- Knowledge: They knew Fostoria. Patterns, years, variations. Could ask questions and get real answers.
- Condition Descriptions: Way better. “Minor flea bite on base” instead of just “used”. Pictures from all angles.
- Fairer Pricing: Usually more stable prices based on rarity/condition. Less wild markups than random antique shops.
- Packaging Pros: They ship glass constantly. Knew how to pack right. Felt safer spending my money.
Sure, sometimes pricier than that dream thrift store find, but way less headache. Bought a few sherbet glasses this way. Arrived perfect.
The Long Game: Estate Sales & Patience
You gotta hit those weekend estate sales early if you want Fostoria. Real early. Like, be-the-first-in-line early. It’s hit or miss. Did it a few Saturdays. Success? Found one beautiful oval platter for cheap. Mostly? Either garbage, no glass, or picked clean of the good stuff before I got there. Requires serious dedication.
What I Actually Do Now
So, after all that running around? My strategy settled:
- Main Sources: Trust those specialized reseller sites for specific pieces I really want. Pay a bit more maybe, but get reliability.
- Local Hunting: Still poke my head into antique malls occasionally, especially if I’m near one anyway. More for the thrill of the hunt now. Found a decent creamer last week!
- Auctions: Rarely bother anymore. Too much hassle, too risky.
- Estate Sales: Only if it’s advertised with “vintage glass” and I have nothing better to do at 6 AM.
Took me a while and some wasted weekends to figure out where the best places for a normal person to find this stuff actually are. Less glamorous than treasure hunting, but way more likely to actually get intact Fostoria onto my shelf!
