We’re willing to bet money that the dainty glass candy dish or carnival vase your great aunt mailed you in a box protected by dozens of plastic bags is a Fenton. Since 1905, the Fenton Art Glass Company has churned out some of the most exquisite and affordable pieces of American art glass. Spanning multiple decades and design styles, this highly popular glass manufacturer dominated middle-class America. And if you knew how much some of these pieces are worth, you’d be all over them, too.
6 Most Valuable Fenton Glass Pieces to Score at the Thrift Store
There’s so much Fenton glass leftover from the company’s 20th century boom, and it’s all ripe for the taking. We know those shelves full of fragile glass might look intimidating, but these are the valuable Fenton glass pieces worth browsing for.
| Valuable Fenton Glass Styles | Recent Sales Prices |
|---|---|
| Epergnes | $699 |
| Mosaic Glass | $5,500 |
| Limited Edition | $1,249 |
| Alley Cat | $900 |
| Swung Vase | $1,075 |
| Vaseline Glass | $850 |
Vintage Epergnes
Like cruets, epergnes are ornamental pieces of tableware that you just don’t see anymore. These multi-trumpeted centerpieces were used to hold fresh flowers or fruit, and Fenton's are some of the most striking examples.
Made out of iridescent carnival glass-like hues, these relatively small epergnes typically feature a central trumpet flower with several smaller flowers surrounding its base. They range in lovely shades of ruby, eggplant, cobalt, white, aquamarine, and more.
Find one of these in the wild, and you’re looking at something worth at least $100-$500. For example, one stunning newer vintage from 2003 recently sold for $699 on eBay.
Mosaic Glass Pieces
If you had to pick out Fenton glass in a lineup, you’d probably point to the frilly-edged delicate pieces in light colors. But in its early days, Fenton explored more abstract designs. One of these was mosaic glass, which was made by incorporating colored glass pieces (frit) into the existing molten shape.
Think bursts of color on a black backdrop a la Jackson Pollock. Because these are unique for Fenton and are some of their earliest pieces, they’re worth a lot of money. For example, one pedestal mosaic art vase sold for $5,500 in an online auction.
Limited Edition Pieces
Limited edition pieces create buyer demand because only a handful of people get the chance to own them. Look for Fenton glass that’s marked out of a lower number, and it’s probably going to be worth quite a bit. For example, only 35 of these black cameo vases were made, and one just sold on eBay for $1,249.
This just shows that you should always flip glassware over to see what kind of hidden goodies might be written underneath.
Mid-Century Alley Cat
Fenton’s mid-century alley cat, with its tilted pose and atomic age-inspired shape, was a glass figurine introduced in 1970. It’s become one of Fenton’s best-known figural sculptures, and older alley cats draw serious attention at auction. For example, one special order alley cat from 1997 sold for nearly $900 on eBay.
Swung Vases
Fenton wasn’t the first nor the last to try their hand at swung glass vases, but theirs still have a big following. These swung vases come in all kinds of colors, but the iconic tapered vase with asymmetrical ridged edges stays the same. In terms of value, Fenton swung vases have perhaps the biggest range out of all these special Fenton styles, going for anything between $45-$1,000+.
As is the case with most vases, the bigger it is, the more it’s worth. So it’s no surprise that a Fenton carnival swung vase that's an impressive 21.5” tall would sell for $1,075 online.
Vaseline Glass Pieces
Vaseline glass describes glassware and art glass that gets its acid yellow-green color from uranium. These transparent pieces glow bright green under ultraviolet light, making them a hot niche commodity. Fenton produced its fair share of vaseline glass, and these pieces are highly collectible. One set of vaseline glass paperweights just sold for $850 in 2024.
@terrestrialtreasures #uraniumglass #vaselineglass #fenton #custardglass #antiquetok Dance in the Old Fashioned Way (Instrumental Version) - Instrumental Big Band Orchestra & Big Band Sounds & 1940s Music
Fenton Still Has Its Fans
Though the Fenton Glass Company might not have the same pop culture appeal that it did a few decades ago, they have a ton of diehard fans. Whether you’ve been one for years or you’ve just been inspired to hunt down your first piece, there are still so many valuable Fenton pieces waiting to be discovered.
