Collecting Cranberry Glass

A number of years ago, my mother-in-law gave me some of her mother’s cranberry glass collection. It’s now one of my favorite things to collect.

I had found a few pieces at the flea market and when my mother-in-law gave me some of her family heirloom cranberry glass, a collection was born. Anytime I go to an antique flea market or vintage store, I look for it. It’s fun to have something specific to hunt for and cranberry glass is easy to spot!

I have loved colored glass for a very long time. And it all started with just a single goblet.

If you aren’t familiar with cranberry glass, you will know it when you see it. The color is amazing and unforgettable.

The color is the most spectacular deep pink. While I started my collection with just a few pieces and then had some gifted to me, I have found additional pieces over the years. And guess what?

I have been focused on collecting drinking and wine glasses and I now have collected enough glasses to set a table!

But here’s the problem. This is the only thing I collect that I am afraid to use.

Some of the glasses have a few small chips on the top rim and I haven’t used them yet. About a year ago one of the cranberry goblets broke the very first (and only) time I used it.

So now, I am nervous to use them.

I have decided that I need to bite the bullet and just use the beautiful glassware. It’s just too pretty to collect dust in a cabinet. Setting a table with cranberry goblets always looks so amazing! 

I also might hunt for a few more glasses at the flea markets just so I can have a few replacement goblets if I need them.

What is Cranberry Glass?

Cranberry glass or ‘Gold Ruby‘ glass is a pinkish-red glass made by adding gold salts or colloidal gold to molten glass. Tin, in the form of stannous chloride, is sometimes added in tiny amounts as a reducing agent. 

There is no doubt the most distinguishing feature of any piece of cranberry glass is its color. By adding gold chloride to hot molten glass, glassmakers created different shades, varying from pink to burgundy. The pieces often have a deeper hue by the neck of the vase or near the edge of the bowl, indicating where the glass was blown from.

How Much Do Cranberry Goblets Cost?

A lot of cranberry glass, such as pitchers and vases, is expensive. As in over $100 per piece.

Most of the glassware (drinking and wine) is less expensive. I just checked on ebay and the thumbprint glasses (which can be seen above) range from $10 to $15 each. 

Etsy has by the far the best selection of cranberry goblets. Some of the glasses are $5.00 each and they have excellent inventory.

And I have a confession. When I was looking at the Etsy site for this blog post, I found more of the glasses I own! So I bought some. And, well, I also bought a new set of the coolest new cranberry goblets ever. I can’t wait to share them with you.

And by the way, I promise I didn’t buy them all.

Where Can you Find Cranberry Glass?

I love to shop flea markets and there is no doubt that you can find cranberry glass at local vintage flea markets. Some of the best deals on cranberry glass are at garage sales and antique shops.

As I mentioned, you can find cranberry glass online on eBay and on Etsy. 

Just be sure and check to see if there are any chips. It’s important to know what you are buying. Of course, also check the shipping costs.

Most of the glasses for sale are vintage cranberry. But there are a few newer glasses. It’s not too hard to tell the difference, and most sellers state if it is new or old. 

 I don’t suggest that you get too caught up in patterns and age and color. Just buy what you love.

You can’t lose if you always buy what you love.

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