I have a memory of when I was in high school, having a meal or watching a move with mom and dad. I got a glass of orange juice, but I poured it in a wine glass. It made me feel fancy, and I liked the feeling of drinking plain orange juice in a special glass. Dad asked me, "Does it taste different in that glass?" If he asked me that today, I would say something very snarky, meeting his snark in asking such a provocative question. Instead, I probably said something like, "Yes." And, since it was in the mid-80s, it was more than likely a Libby glass, or something like that. It was before they went to Germany and had ready access to fine leaded crystal.
Even today, I love a fancy glass. I love to collect them from thrift stores, and they are surprisingly easy to come by. They are inexpensive and plentiful. What could be better for a person who wants to collect etched glassware that doesn't match? Mom and I find them often. When we do, we always flick the rim with our finger, to see how it sounds when it sings. Then we run our fingers around the rim and the base to ensure there aren't any chips.
Side note: If there is a chip and it's small, but we love the glass, we get it anyway (always with a discount because it has a flaw!), and we file it out at home. We have done this a few times now, with great results.
I don't want "matchy-matchy", either. I love different sizes with different etchings. Right now, I am all about coupes. And maybe a few more champagne flutes. Because I have bought often, I have an abundance of certain sizes and shapes; I find it hard to pass up a good glass at a great price. There will be a shortage soon, of that I am sure. You see, I am always on the cusp of a good idea.
Side note: Remind me to tell you about the teal Christmas wrapping paper year. That's when I knew that I was on the edge of trends.
Anyway, that makes me torn between having an over-abundance of etched crystal glassware, and not buying now only to find myself unable to find/afford it later. It's a dilemma! Do I have the space? Hell, yeah, I have the space!
I also have a box or two of Mikasa leaded crystal in the Park Lane line in the garage. And since I bought it in Germany, it has a higher lead content that American leaded crystal. Ahhh. It only adds to the conundrum.
But in the end: I am a fancy glass girl. I buy. I collect. I use.
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