Fenton Art Glass – A Collectible Bargain

Many of us remember Grandma’s collectible Fenton treasures, her prized art glass animal figurines, or that beautiful living room lamp we couldn’t wait to turn on at night. She often changed her decor to match the seasons. I had a Fenton art glass piece for every occasion it seemed!

These beautiful decorations and household items were special and we knew it. They were well cared for, carefully packed at the end of each season or occasion until the next time. Over the years, Grandma had to move to a smaller dwelling, thus giving up many of her old Ella Fenton glassware. Some are passed down to the family, but are often auctioned off for very little or even given away. This is the case across America every day and that’s great news for us Fenton collectors!

Deals on vintage Fenton art glass abound if you know where to look. And many of those pieces are in excellent, near mint condition! From beautiful carnival glass, Burmese glass and Vaseline (uranium) you can find these collectible art glass pieces at bargain prices.

Your local thrift store is a great place for smaller pieces. If you like animal figures, this is a good place to look. Many Fenton cats, birds or dogs can be found and always at a low price. While they can sometimes be less than perfect, you’d be amazed at the beauty of the pieces you can find. Both old and new! Vases and bells are also common in these stores. People often donate without checking things out, like the many boxes in Grandma’s attic. They’re basically just cleaning things up.

Estate sales are another great place to find Fenton glass art pieces! There are estate sales every Friday and Saturday throughout the spring and summer in virtually every area of ​​the country. This is where you can find the valuable pieces like vintage lamps, limited edition pieces or large baskets. Of course, if there’s one Fenton piece out there, chances are there are more, as most people collected this glass art year after year. Estate sales are unpredictable for bargains. If someone knows they have a rare 1920’s Fenton lamp, it’s doubtful they’ll give it away. But if they don’t, you’ll often see a sticker on valuable items like that for $20.00. You can always make an offer on these sales. If you see a group of, say, 3 cats, a bird, and 2 vases, offer them 30-40% off the total they would be if they were purchased separately. These people are more interested in cleaning everything than making a lot of money!

Another fantastic place to find just about any Fenton piece you can imagine is the online auction site, eBay. You probably won’t get as good a deal as at the thrift store, but it will do at least as well, probably better, than on the estate sale. The best part of the online auction is the great selection. With items like Fenton animals, vases, pitchers, bells, and baskets, you can find some great bargains. These smaller items are often in excellent condition and the selection of new and vintage items is very good. Worth checking out for sure!