Friday, March 12, 2010

My West Virginia Glass Blendo Collection

If you've ever gone antiquing with me you'll know my latest favorite thing is West Virginia Glass Company's Blendo glass. This was really popular in the 50s-60s and is relatively easy to find now, but it's still tons of fun to collect!


My first set - this started it all! I bought this blue tall diamond pitcher with six glasses, two green, two orange and two purple. Since then a glass was broken and I stumbled upon some more in a Goodwill and bought them so I would never have to worry about not having enough of them!




This one is a small orange juice pitcher with a set of six multi-colored juice glasses, two green, two pink and two orange.







Another juice set, yellow with four yellow juice glasses.


This one is similar to my first, a light green diamond pitcher with four multi-colored glasses, purple, green, pink and yellow. I added a few of my extras to make this a six piece glass set.


This is my tall boy set! Purple pitcher tall and thin and six tall thin glasses. I found another glass like this at the Kenrick Antique Mall and got it along with two bowls for $1.50.


 Peach round pitcher set with six rounded glasses. These were from an estate that had three sets. I bought two of them, including one still in the original box!


Orange round pitcher and six drinking glasses.



This is a set I pieced together. I bought the glasses on a whim at the Great Western Antique Mall. Then later on I bought the round yellow pitcher at Kenrick Antique Mall on sale and put them all together!

My first non-pitcher buy. I found this salad bowl, salt & pepper shakers and oil & vinegar cruet set in New Mexico when I went there on vacation in May of 2009.




This is the pitcher set I bought in the box. Blue round pitcher and six glasses.

A small juice pitcher and six glasses in green.


Getting into the fun stuff! I found this purple martini shaker and six shot glasses at the Big Bend Antique mall. I was so stoked! It's a little rougher than I buy things normally, but I really liked it.


An Ebay find. I actually question if this is West VA Glass since there isn't any gold edges or rims... but it is pretty! Light red pitcher with no handle, stir stick and six cordial glasses.

I also found this little gem on ebay. Sometimes it's easier to find really difficult items this way. It's not as fun, but it is neat to see what's out there. This is an orange pedestal pitcher and four mini wine glasses.





Yellow salad bowl and six small bowls. This is also one I question if it's West VA Glass. Most of the bowls I've found were like the purple salad bowl above, flared out at the top, down to a narrower bottom.


I'm starting to run out of room now! All my cabinet space at the top of the cabinets are taken and an entire cupboard too! I'm going to need more shelves...

18 comments:

  1. Do you know how much the green frosted blendo cream and sugar run about? Thats what I am looking for.
    thanks
    SSS

    ReplyDelete
  2. that purple bowl is a chip bowl it has a brass tone holder with a little dip bowl that sits on top of it. just an FYI

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sherri - I apologize, I didn't see this had comments on it until now. I have not found a cream and sugar bowl in any of my hunts - if you have them that's an awesome find!

    Most of the sets I have I've paid anywhere from $20-70 for depending on the condition and seller. I've seen parfait cups go for in the $40 range for a set of four and I've seen a neat green wine decanter set that was trying to be sold for $175 on Ebay (but last time I checked it had been live for nearly 6 months with no buyer at that price).

    I did a search for the cream and sugar bowls and couldn't find anything online - so you may have something pretty rare if you have this, or you may be searching for awhile if that's what you're looking for...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dan - West Virginia Glass Co actually passed off the same large bowls as either salad bowls or chip and dip sets like you mention. I've seen both. Since this one came with the salt, pepper, oil and vinegar set I assume it was part of a salad collection. They usually came with smaller bowls for serving the salad as well, I just don't happen to have a good set of those. I've struggled to find ones without a lot of damage - I think they were probably some of the most used pieces!

    I've found the chip and dip sets as well - but again, because the little bowl has to sit in the metal holder the pieces I've found are more damaged than I tend to like to buy. What I wouldn't do to find one still in a box! Or never used...

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have just stumbled upon Blendo glass recently at a local antique mall and I am fascinated and think I must have some! Yours is gorgeous!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. @Bella Michelle - Thank you! I love it too and really enjoy the hunt for sets I don't have. I've actually ran out of display space for them! Which color/style is your favorite so far?

    ReplyDelete
  7. What's the story behind this glass? Who made it? When? etc...?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Heather -

      The company that made these was called the West Virginia Glass Company. They were in business until about the 1980s as far as my research can tell, but their big boom was the 50s-60s when they were producing the entertaining glassware like the juice sets and cocktail pitchers/glasses. They created several different styles, but by far their most popular was called "Blendo". This style is characterized by a bright neon/pastel solid base that fades as it goes up the glass and a gold rim. You'll see repros and knock off brands that have the base color, but not the gold rim. These were big wedding gifts in the 1950s and early 60s and are really fun entertaining ware even today!

      Delete
  8. Mandy,

    I happened upon your blog. I just found out about blendo glass and am in love! Any way, I would be interested in buying your complete lavender salad set. I am not sure what you are looking for out of them, but would be more than happy to work something out. Let me know! (halefam@gmail.com)
    Sarah

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have a blendo pitcher and 5 glasses if your interested karen.west1960@gmail.com

      Delete
  9. I'm also interested in your Blendo sets. Do you still have any available? If so, email me at choicebitofcalico@gmail.com

    Thank you!
    Sarah

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi, I just bought a lavender blendo set and was doing research on how to clean them and came across your blog. Very beautiful collection! I was wondering if you had any tips on cleaning them. A few of the pieces in my set have a grayish film on them and soap and water didn't remove it. Have you ever run across anything like that in the sets you have purchased and do you have any cleaning tips?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Aseneath!

      I would recommend glass cleaner. Because of the texture on the painted portion of the glass, stuff tends to stick on it more than typical glass. Usually something like Windex works well. Or you can do a soak in a gentle soap - like Woolite. I just wouldn't leave it over night so you won't wear down the gold around the rim, it's the most sensitive part of the piece. Hope this helps!

      Delete
  11. Are these still for sale? If so, I'm curious about several of these pieces.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm sorry, I've now got everything moved in and displayed again in my new home, so I would entertain an offer, but I'm removing the note about them being for sale. Thank you for your interest!

      Delete
  12. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I just bought an orange chip/dip set on Esty because it looked exactly like the one my mom had when I was a kid. But when I got it, I noticed that the shape is different. My mom had a set where the bowls were shaped differently, more narrow at the bottom. What I got is still a nice set though, in perfect condition!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Can you tell me if Blendo glasses always have the gold trim on top. I have a pitcher that has the gold trim but the six juice glasses don't.

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.