My Glassware Collection.

My Glassware Collection

One thing I have really grown to appreciate is nice glassware. It started with a few things from Felicia Fferrone’s Dearborn collection. Then it got more serious when I tried my first Zalto wine glass (I blame my friend James… he’s right, they really are just the best wine glasses). It intensified when I received a LOT of Estelle colored glass for my 40th birthday (the best birthday gift). And besides those fancier, splurgier purchases, I have always loved vintage glasses – I’ve had a lot of luck over the years finding beautiful (affordable) glassware on eBay and Chairish.

A nice glass is one of those simple pleasures… when you drink out of a Zalto, the wine tastes better. When you drink your water from a crystal goblet, it feels more special. I really love collecting great glassware (and truthfully don’t really need anymore). But it’s also become one of my favorite things to gift a friend for a special occasion like an engagement, milestone birthday, or purchasing a home. I have definitely stuck to a color palette here…. clear, pink, and green. I love how it all looks together (and dream of the day when I have a home with more space and can properly display it in open shelving or a pretty cabinet).

My Glassware Collection

I have a lot of glassware. The above cabinet isn’t even all of it, but it’s the most nicely organized, so that’s where we will focus for now.

Fferrone Dearborn Collection

Fferrone Dearborn Collection

I guess you could kinda say that I collect these glasses now? It started with the carafe and glasses you see featured above, and has grown. These giant wine glasses are so fun – I love them for a margarita or sangria.

Zalto Wine Glass

Zalto Wine Glasses

I have such a love-hate relationship with my Zalto wine glasses. I am currently down to two (I started with six) as they break quite easily but… they really are incredible. Nothing is better. I will tell you that I had never broken one (for over a year) until I moved to Charleston and got a dishwasher, so do what you want with that information. Wine really does taste better out of a Zalto but I am thinking of replacing my missing wine glasses with ones from The One, which I also really like. Also, right now they are impossible to find and completely sold out (unless you want to spend $1200 on a set of six LOL) everywhere thanks to furnace issues!

Baccarat Harmonie Crystal Tumblers

The most perfect Negroni glass ever. They are not pictured (they’re in my other cabinet) but they are amazing. The way that the crystal shimmers in the light is just…exquisite. I probably would never have bought them for myself. But I was given them for my birthday and love them so much. (I actually just bought these for a girlfriend who was celebrating a big birthday). I will add that they also perfectly hold a large ice cube (some rocks glasses are too narrow!).

Estelle Colored Glass

I feel so lucky/spoiled as for my 40th birthday, my friends coordinated to get me different sets of Estelle glass. Now I have pink AND mint martini glasses, as well as emerald coupes. Colorful glassware is so happy and special, and nothing is better than Estelle. Each piece is really special and beautifully made (hand blown in Poland). This feels silly to say but I have gotten asked if they are painted and the answer is NO… the color is all the way through, they are handmade using colored glass. The quality is really, really amazing.

Vintage glassware

I will touch on this more below but some of my favorite glassware has come from estate sales, or by scouring eBay and Chairish. You can find some really incredible pieces by searching for vintage coupe glasses, Vaseline glass, milk glass, depression glass, etc.

Rigby Water Glasses

These are just a really simple, modern drinking glass. The perfect size, in my opinion!

Amazon Birds!

These are such a fun conversation starter. A few friends and I went to dinner for my last night in New York and they serve their cocktails in these glasses, which led to quite a bit of googling around the next day to find them. Lucky for us, they are affordable and easy to get…!

Agustina Bottoni Neirida Coupe Glasses

Okay so I do not actually own these yet but they are on there way to me (they are made to order and take a long time to arrive) and I’ve bought for friends who absolutely love them. I LOVE this brand. Each glass holds a little sphere, which you can customize (I chose green, naturally). They are really just a work of art, handmade in Italy by master glassblowers.

Fferrone Revolution Glasses

I love these as the lines are clean and they feel really light in your hand… but the most ingenious thing is that you can use them two different ways. Shallow side up = the perfect martini glass. Deeper side up = there’s your rocks glass! Anytime I pull these out I get so many compliments on them.

Plastic Wine Glasses

These are not glass but including anyway. I originally bought these plastic wine glasses on Amazon to have a classier cup to bring up to the pool (glass is forbidden, for good reason!). But honestly, these have gotten a lot more use than that and I tend to pull these out whenever I have friends over just because people can be maniacs and things can get knocked over… no need to break another Zalto. They also look like glass. When I do bring them to the pool, the security guard always thinks they’re glass!

Where to Buy Vintage Glassware

eBay

Five or six years ago I had a partnership with eBay on Instagram and I talked a lot about all of the types of glassware you can find (specifically Vaseline glass and milk glass). The green tumblers you see on the bottom shelf above were an eBay score and they are the best – I love how big they are!

Flea Markets and Thrift Stores

One thing I’d love to do more of is go to flea markets and vintage fairs as they have so. much. great. stuff…. for a lot less than it would cost online. Back in Brooklyn, we had some incredible thrift stores. My favorite (I forget the name) was right near the L Train stop on Driggs Avenue (maybe north 7th street?). They had all this crazy furniture outside but inside, there was so much great glassware.

Chairish

Chairish is my favorite. No surprises there. If you’ve looked at my home tour, you know this.. so many of my favorite treasures come from their site! The light pink milk glass coupes on the third shelf are from Chairish – I love how feminine they are… perfect for sipping a French 75 ( you’ll notice I used them for that shoot!).

The Stripe Glassware Collection

Top Row: Estelle Emerald Coupe Glasses, Amazon Bird Glasses, Estelle Mint Martini Glasses

Second Row: The One Wine Glasses // Zalto Wine Glasses // Estelle Pink Martini Glasses // Nespresso Iced Coffee Glasses // Zafferano Bilia Glasses

Third Row: Vintage Pink Milk Glass Coupes (bought on Chairish) // Plastic Wine Glasses // Estelle Mint Martini Glasses // Fferrone Dearborn Juice and Wine Glasses // Rigby Water Glasses

Bottom Row: Vintage Green Glasses (purchased on eBay) // Our Place Glasses // West Elm Pink Glasses (old) // Fferrone Revolution Glasses // Zafferano Bilia Glasses

Disclosure: If you buy something through my links, I may earn an affiliate commission, at no cost to you. I only feature things I truly love here. Thanks for your support.

photography by Laura Saur.

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32 Comments

  1. Annie:

    Your shelf is absolutely beautiful. I am in the process of trying to replace and despite not being the most wellness focused person, the leaded crystal seems like it may be sketchy for your body. I noticed Ralph Lauren stopped using lead in their glassware. You are so good at researching this stuff. Do you think the lead is a big deal?

    3.25.22 Reply
    • Hi Annie,
      This is something I’m personally choosing not to worry about as I use my crystal pieces (the only ones with lead are the baccarat ones) so rarely. That being said I am not an expert so do not feel comfortable advising you on this. As always, it is important that you do your own research and buy + use what makes you feel comfortable. Hope you understand and that makes sense.

      3.25.22 Reply
  2. Lauren:

    My husband and I love a coupe glass and he loves a good glass for his bourbon/whiskey/scotch drinking. I’ve been eyeing Estelle glasses bc the pop of color is amazing. I will say with 2 small children I tend to use my stemless glasses if having a glass of wine with dinner bc they have no sense of control and I don’t want to break my favorite glasses. thank you for this fun post!

    3.25.22 Reply
    • For your husband, the Estelle rocks glasses are also super nice and HEAVY (I drank out of them at an event and now covet!!!) And I get it. Would not dream of using stems when my niece or nephews are around!!!

      3.25.22 Reply
  3. CG:

    I love this post so much!
    About vintage glassware, is there a certain brand or brands you search for? What keywords do you use when searching what or cherish to narrow down the selection?

    3.25.22 Reply
    • To be honest, I mostly use vintage glass to round out my modern collection with pops of color. So I typically search for color. Like pink milk glass, or just searching for green glassware. I am not familiar enough with brands so I tend to search by color and then spend some time sorting through!

      3.25.22 Reply
  4. Emily:

    I love this post and a peek into your glass cabinet! I went to a Riedel wine tasting a few years ago and it truly is amazing how much better wine tastes out of a good (and the appropriate) wine glass – the tasting was a great marketing tool because I bought several sets. They are thin like the Zaltos and my collection, unfortunately, has dwindled.

    My aunt, who throws amazing dinner parties has some beautiful crystal from Prague or some gorgeous vintage pieces. She has a policy that no one can clear the table of the wine glasses or crystal at the end of the night. People can help with the other dishes but she saves the crystal until after everyone leaves or sobers up in the morning. I’ve adopted that same policy after too many eager girlfriends, a few glasses of wine deep, insist on helping with the dishes 😉

    3.25.22 Reply
  5. Lindsey:

    Love this post! I’m always on the hunt for new, fun glassware. My latest loves are the Helle Mardahl Bon Bon cocktail coupes. Little pieces of art and totally splurge worthy! I’ll definitely be checking out the Bilia glasses. Great recommendations!

    3.25.22 Reply
  6. Megan:

    Love this! We recently inherited a TON of Waterford and other glassware from my husband’s family, and I love using it, even if I’m just drinking sparkling water. 🙂 I’d much rather use it and risk it getting broken than have it never be used. It makes everyday feel so fancy!

    3.25.22 Reply
    • Oh that is amazing… you are so lucky! I agree, makes everyday things and moments feel fancy and special.

      3.26.22 Reply
  7. Caroline:

    Love this! Your glassware is gorgeous. My cat has literally broken every wine glass I’ve ever owned.

    3.25.22 Reply
  8. Mer C:

    The bird cocktail glasses from Amazon make such a fun gift! I’ve given several sets for small birthday & hostess gifts. As always, thank you for the reco ♥️♥️♥️ …someday I’ll invest in the Estelle Emerald glasses

    3.25.22 Reply
  9. Shana:

    I gifted the Estelle wine glasses to friends for Christmas and there was nothing better than seeing their reactions – it is truly a special gift. The glass quality and color throughout is V good! thank you for the recommendations and shining a light these brands 🙂

    3.25.22 Reply
  10. Melinda:

    I wanted to share something I learned as I became more serious about wine tasting and learning about wine. You should never use any soap on wine glasses. Scalding hot water is all that is needed, so they really shouldn’t go in a dishwasher (even if they are dishwasher safe). The soap residue can affect the tasting and drinking experience.

    This is obviously easier said than done and I have my everyday glasses that absolutely go in the dishwasher. My special ones for more serious tasting only ever touch water or wine 🙂

    3.25.22 Reply
  11. Thank you for sharing your glassware collection! I thoroughly enjoyed reading your thoughts & recommendations. You did a great job!

    3.25.22 Reply
  12. Regina:

    I love your suggestions! I need to replenish my glassware, so you’ve given me some good places to start. I have a set of colored crystal glasses (each a different color) from Prague that were a wedding gift, and they are my favorite. So heavy and beautiful. Colored glass really adds to the table.

    3.25.22 Reply
  13. So many fantastic items!

    Danielle | thereluctantblogger.co.uk

    3.25.22 Reply
  14. Mary:

    Sorry to say, but you have to wash your Zalto stems by hand. Buy a foam wine glass scrubber on amazon and it makes life easier. I love your collection and agree that life is just better when you are drinking from the best glass. One thing I’ve been into lately are Amanda Lindroth’s Island Wrapped ice-tea glasses for summer drinks and beer. They make those humid-South, sweaty glasses easier to hold with a bit of style–a Charleston necessity!

    3.25.22 Reply
  15. Lynnbcroland:

    I love the vintage glasses always and I have always collected antique dishes , although I don’t have many quests and my sister is the wine expert, now I’m learning more about the good glasses . Thank you! Beautiful

    3.26.22 Reply
  16. Cy:

    Grace, I think we chatted about this before; I also collect colored vintage glass. I have about 20 of the signature goblets ( the large) from the Madonna Inn ( San Luis Obispo) in a rainbows of colors I’ve collected over the years. I also have a dozen artisan hand blown iridescent set with a fish scale pattern from a local artist on the Oregon coast (yellow, green, orange, fire orange and red). My friend bought a set in blues and greens, her children broke them all. She tried to buy more, but the artist retired. I was gifted a set of beautiful crystal etched coupes ( vintage) from my old boss one Christmas and I have my grandmothers clear wedding goblets from the 60’s. There’s more, I’m such an addict, I’m not allowed to buy any more! I can’t help it, both my mom and dad had a “dish addiction “. Your collection is beautiful , I love that you kept the colors down to just a few. Did I mention the pink bubble glasses I bought in Venice? I had to buy Venetian glass it’s famous…………lol. I have a problem!

    3.26.22 Reply