The Glass, not the Drink Please.

While I despise milk, I love the glass that shares its name. In particular, milk glass vases.

It hasn’t always been that way. Growing up I thought of milk glass as boring and old. My grandmother always had a set in her windowsill. Occasionally, my grandfather would plop roses from his garden in one or two of them, but otherwise, they just sat there collecting dust.

I also remember them being a fixture at yard sales. It seems every yard sale I ever visited as a kid had milk glass, usually displayed together on a table, and, usually, affixed with bright colored stickers reading 10 or 25 cents. Not exactly signaling to a kid like me that they were special in any way.

My attitude toward milk glass changed a couple of years ago. That’s when my husband and I started making it a practice of buying fresh flowers for our home weekly. Well, he started it actually. Usually, he brings a bouquet home with him from the grocery store, but sometimes I’ll pick one up while at the store as well.

We like the color it brings into our home and have fun mixing it up from week to week. Because of this, I’ve had to learn a thing or two about floral arranging. When I mean one or two, I mean one or two. I can put together a simple arrangement, but I’m still a ways from anything fancy.

Milk Glass in 4th of July Arrangement

I’ve played around with different types of arranging and different vessels to arrange them in, and you know what I’ve discovered? One of my favorite ways to display flowers is in milk glass vases. Their simplicity allows any flower to stand out. The bright colors of flowers pop next to the cool white of the vases. They’re also versatile. Milk glass vases can easily be incorporated into nearly every occasion and every holiday.

Fenton "Hobnail" Pattern

I guess that’s why milk glass has stood the test of time. The first was believed to have been made as early as the 1500s in Italy. It hit the peak of its popularity in the late 19th Century. Then the 1900’s saw the introduction of some of the most iconic milk glass patterns, Westmoreland’s “paneled grape” and Fenton’s “hobnail.” I’ve added several examples of latter to my collection

in the last couple of years.

My current collection consists of some plates, cups, and dishes of other types. And while I think they are all lovely, my heart lies with the vases. I’m constantly adding to my collection. If I see one out thrifting, I’ll usually pick it up. If I see a lot at auction, I’ll usually bid on it. And, yes, I even buy them at yard sales when I’m lucky enough to find a pattern I don’t already have. Too bad they no longer come with 10 and 25-cent stickers.

Part of my Milk Glass Vase Collection

So, what are your thoughts on milk glass?