Q: In your collection, what are your three favorite glasses?
A: I’m not sure if I have a specific favorite, but if I had to pick the top three shot glasses, I would say the enameled Pacific Club from Washington, the L. Fuldner & Co. of Milwaukee, and the Adam Mickiewicz of Chicago. I just picked up the enameled Jed Clayton and an etched G.A.R./Metzger glass a while back. Those will probably get bumped up to my favorites. My two all time favorite glasses in my collection however, happen to be two glasses from Arizona. One is an A.F.C. Kirchoff from Phoenix, and the other a Bail-Heinemann from Tucson. They are actually etched beer glasses and not shot glasses due to their size. The Kirchoff and Heinemann are the only two Pre Prohibition etched glasses known from Arizona at this time. I say it that way because you never know when a new unknown glass may pop up. It makes me wonder if the Melczer Brothers in Phoenix ever put out an etched glass. If they did, I’d love to see it.
Q: Tell us about your biggest coup in picking up a special shot glass.
A: Regarding shot glasses, I’m not sure I have a real good story to tell yet. I like to think that my big find is still to come. When I find that trunk full of label-under-glass shots, I’ll let you know.
Q: How about "the one that got away"?
A: Could I say… most of the good ones I get outbid from on eBay? But then again, that would be much more than just one. I’ve let some real good ones get away from me on eBay because I wasn’t willing to step up to the plate and pay the big bucks some of these glasses command. I guess we all have to draw a line somewhere.
Q: What's that one special glass you've been hunting for?
A: No particular glass. I search for glasses mainly from the western half of the United States, but if they look good and the graphics are nice, I won’t discriminate.
A: I think young collectors should focus on acquiring good condition glasses with nice graphics and few flaws. One day we’ll all have to let go of our collections, so if you stick with more desirable glasses in clean condition, you’ll make it much easier on yourself later on. If you have a certain region that appeals to you, or type of glass you like, that can be a good start also. It is very important to get informed before spending too much money on any glass. There’s a number of different reference guides (most of which I’ve already mentioned) that can help a novice learn what glasses are common and which are harder to find. Patience and common sense are key elements when buying glasses especially on eBay. One of the most rewarding things to remember however is making friends. That’ll always pay you dividends in the end.
Howard Currier is an avid collector of shot glasses and brewerania from Boston, Denver and San Francisco. Howard can be reached by e-mail at: hecurrier@comcast.net
