WHAT TO COLLECT NOW: 1950S STATE SOUVENIR GLASSES

One of the most colorful categories of highly-collectible retro barware is 1950s state souvenir glasses. Picture a frosted-glass “Florida” highball glass screen-printed with lipstick-red palm trees, flamingos, and sailboat images. According to antiques dealer Jim Medeiros, of Just About Modern, state souvenir glasses from the 1940s–1960s are sought after for their graphics and sentimentality.

“The favorites right now seem to be Florida, California, Texas, and the New England states,” said Medeiros, when we visited him at his booth during the Brimfield (Mass.) Flea Market.

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Glassware screen-printed with vivid graphics was quite common and abundant in the 1950s, and these items are still affordable to collect today. Individual glasses are typically priced at $8 to $10 each; a set of six glasses—like the New England grouping he had at Brimfield—ranges from $40 to $50. “I collect anything that catches my eye,” said Medeiros, who for years specialized in Fiesta ware. “About 15 years ago, I started watching the cocktail and barware pieces, and they’re still great,” he said.

Souvenir glasses were made in many shapes and sizes, but the types that carry the most vivid graphics tend to be 8-ounce old-fashioned glasses and 10- to 12-ounce highball glasses. Medeiros says condition is key; check for wear on the screen-printed design—the graphics may have deteriorated if the glass was exposed to weather extremes. Also check the smoothness of the rim.