Glass is one type of material but the category comprises a variety of styles from different artistic periods. Glass can be functional and serve a practical purpose as a receptacle but also be an exquisite work of art. Its appraisal requires more than its type and its age but more of a history.

To appraise a glass, we need to determine its kind as it varies in different type such as:

• American Brilliant Cut glass – this collectible glass was created from 1880 to 1920 during The Brilliant Period. It is a completely smooth glass surface and decorated by cutting it in various patterns.

• Art glass – it is a collectible piece crafted by a glass artisan. It could be a vase, a figurine, a bowl or a variety of different forms. Some of the makers are from known companies of Tiffany, Galle or Steuben that can also add its value.

• Stained glass – it is being identified as large stained glass windows from churches but it can also be found in a lamp and other decorative items.

• Depression glass – it’s a collectible glass used in the era of the Great Depression from the 1930s to 1940s. This type of glassware was cheaply made and not the high-quality glass that most of them did not last. Therefore those which survived can be highly appraised as it is being rare and collectible to those glass collectors.

• Carnival glass – it started 1900’s when Fenton Glass company tried to make iridized art glass similar to Tiffany style but less expensive. Companies such as Northwood and Imperial used machinery to produce the high volume of this popular colorful glass. But due to the Great Depression Era, more glasses were made extremely cheaper than iridized art glass. Companies were stucked of iridized glass and ended up selling it to traveling carnivals instead of getting nothing. From then on, the iridized glass became game prizes from carnivals and it became known as Carnival glass.

• Milk glass – it is the most collectible glassware as it is still being produced up to now. It is called milk glass due to its all-white-color. Fenton started creating different design and pattern in the early 1900s.