Posted by I love vintage and antique items and have eclectic tastes, but there are some items I just don’t understand why they reached such popularity and in some cases, such high prices.
Uranium Glass Fever
Everybody and their mother gushes over finding a piece of uranium glass. And while it’s mildly interesting, I am nonplussed by it. What’s the point unless you’re going to display it under black light? And who really wants a weird, radioactive glowing corner?!
Swung Glass Vase Hoopla
I follow some vloggers who are 100% ga-ga for swung glass vases. These vases (typically circa 1960s-1980s) come in a range of sizes and vivid colors and true a whole collection in a sunny location would look glorious. But personally I don’t favor their odd, messy openings.
And I really don’t understand the hype and some of the prices.
Vintage Tupperware Love
I grew up with a kitchen filled with colorful ’70s tupperware. It was practical and served a purpose. But it did eventually get scratched up and after a time never felt totally clean. (Some of you know what I’m talking about.) Nowadays the earlier pieces are no longer safe to use, but even as a decor-only item, I don’t see the appeal. I just don’t!
Rare Pyrex Mania
For me Pyrex casserole dishes are just basic cookware that my mom once used. So imagine my surprise to discover that some folks will pay $$$$$ for rare pieces! Crazy!!
Some sold prices…
Some current listings on Etsy…
And I wonder when the bubble will burst for this market, because it will. Some day there will be less interest, fewer collectors and prices will plummet.
Rare Pyrex does get donated to thrift stores, but in this case an eagle-eyed employee knew it was something good and they auctioned it off.
This “Lucky in Love” Pyrex dish was donated to a Goodwill in Western New York and was auctioned on Shopgoodwill raising almost $6000.
Shelving Books Backwards
Not a buying trend but a design one…and I hate it! It’s pointless to buy books full of stories, knowledge and entertainment and make them inaccessible. Why? For the love of Pete WHY??!! If you want monochromatic shelves it seems to me there are better and more interesting ways to achieve it.
In Conclusion
That’s just a few of the current vintage trends that leave me shaking my head. But the reality is that trends come and go. All the time. We’ll see how long all these last…and what new ones take their place! (I hear old tapestries are on their way up.)
Are there any vintage trends that have you baffled??
Karen
Hunting for Vintage 
Odd, I wrote out a comment and when I clicked “comment” it disappeared. Unless you changed things so you approve comments prior to them showing.
This is a great post! SO many vintage treads I don’t get at all. Of course, it’s hard to admit how new things are that are now “vintage” too!
I don’t understand the fuss over Pyrex at all. I had Homestead in the ’70s when it was new. Don’t need to have it again. My Pyrex now is use-stained clear for pies and baking dishes. I don’t display them! As I remember, Homestead shattered when broken, in little extra sharp shards.
I have four swung vases, but only because they were very cheap, pretty, and two are milk glass, which I collect.
Tupperware? Never had it growing up, never had it as an adult. Neither my mother or I were into the “parties!” The ’70 that shouldn’t be used are such ’70s colors, and I’ve been through that before, no need to live in the past!
I don’t get the draw of the mushroom kitchen decor, like canister sets. And plastic mushroom wall plaques. I follow some thrifting and reseller Instagramers, and they are nuts for mushrooms. I’m not a fan of the fad of colored glass either, as in covered candy bowls etc. Or all the dated stoneware dishes. ’70s again. The Instagramers I follow are younger, so seem to think the ’60s and ’70s were the most amazing times, with macrame plant hangers and macrame owl wall hangings. I’ll see things and think, oh, my mother (or I) had that. And move on. As they say, been there, done that. Or, been then, don’t want to go back.
One woman who lives in Portland says that brass is out for 2024 (it was sure in, all the little animals!) and cooler metals are in. Too bad for me, I like pewter, now it will be hard to find! If milk glass comes back I’ll be sorry too, most of mine is from the Goodwill bins!
Books shelved backwards? Stupid. Obviously not for readers.
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Hi Lisa. I haven’t changed anything regarding leaving comments, but someone else had a problem too. Not sure what’s going on!
I have to laugh about the mushroom canisters, plaques, macrame and owl stuff. To me it feels kitschy and dated, but I know some folks swoon over it.
Hmmm…not sure about brass being out for 2024. It’s still selling for me.
I guess the bottom line is “different strokes for different folks!” (But I still am dumbfounded at folks paying $20,000 for a piece of Pyrex!)
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Lisa, just discovered a whole bunch of your comments when to my spam folder!! So sorry. Karen
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Odd. I wonder if I have been using some “forbidden” word that sends my comments to spam?
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Lisa, you weren’t the only one. Another friend was sent to spam too! 😳
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I agree with most of these too!
I will admit… I have a vintage Pyrex collection. But it’s 99% thrifted – which is the point. After eleven years of sourcing vintage for my shop, I wanted to find something that I didn’t have to sell every time! So Pyrex was my challenge. (No Corning Ware though, I don’t find it attractive!)
Three years later, this challenge has been woefully successful. Haha. My collection is vast (but contained in a closet). And I have plans to sell (or give away) a lot of it one day. It’s the treasure hunt that I love so much.
https://www.perennialvintagesupply.com/2024/02/collecting-pyrex-joy-of-vintage-kitchen.html
I’m glad to hear that you think prices will fluctuate on this. I’m so sick of the thrifts over pricing them.
Your vintage comrade-in-arms,
H
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Hi Heather. Your collection is outstanding!! And I love that you use it. I don’t mind thrifted Pyrex so much, but where I think the market will eventually “crash” is with those rare pieces that folks are spending $10,000 to $20,000 on one piece. Can’t imagine the market will continue to sustain that. But I could be wrong!!
All the best, Karen
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