We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. Smoked glass was totally the thing in the 1980s, bringing a sultry vibe to sleek rooms decked out with leather and chrome. These vases came in pretty much every shape imaginable — some tall and slender, others wide with ruffled edges. They ranged from deep amber to smoky gray tones and showed up everywhere, from side tables to big open bookshelves. Now that this trend has had its moment, you can score these beautiful vases at thrift stores, just sitting there waiting for you to grab them. And , House Digest’s go-to expert on architecture and design history, spilled the tea on which ones are must-haves. When you’re hunting for these at the thrift store, there are definitely some things worth keeping an eye out for. First up is spotting the difference between the 1970s and 1980s versions. “Smoked glass has been around forever, but it became a big deal in the ’70s because it matched the color palette perfectly — tons of earth tones mixed with moody, dramatic colors,” Turner shared. Fast forward to the ’80s, and the glass got a bit of a makeover. “The big difference between smoked glass from the ’70s and ’80s isn’t really the colors, but how it looked and how people used it. The 1980s was when maximalism really started taking off after the modern movement had dominated,” she explained. You can find these awesome pieces while browsing the glass section of your local thrift store. This is definitely one of those .
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Everyone Had This Back In The ’80s — Today We’d Love To Spot It At A Yard Sale
What to look for when thrifting for smoky glass
For the ’80s stuff specifically, hunt for interesting pressed textures in the glass. Sarah Stafford Turner pointed out that this era was all about embracing Victorian style, “so, you’ll spot lots of smokey glass from the 1980s with cool pressed or molded textures.” Most of these vases won’t have a date stamped on the bottom, so you’ll want to get familiar with some popular styles to feel confident you’ve found an authentic ’80s piece. Look for textured styles like hobnail and honeycomb patterns, plus sculpted vases with twisted edges and curves.
Beyond just texture, keep an eye out for certain brands that were huge in the 1980s. “Like always, Murano, Italy’s incredible artisans — who really are the top glass makers worldwide — created tons of amazing smoked glass pieces in the ’80s,” Turner told House Digest. “To spot these, you’ve got to look for labels from specific makers, like Venini (which got bought out by Gardini and Ferruzzi in the ’80s) — they usually just say ‘Made in Italy.‘” Murano is , so it’s definitely worth searching for. She also suggested checking for FTDA (the Florists’ Transworld Delivery Association), Libbey, and Anchor Hocking brands.
Turner also pointed out that unmarked pieces are just as common as marked ones, so if you found some smoked glass and you’re not totally sure what era it’s from, snap a photo and try reverse image searching it on Google or, even better, eBay. You might dig up some solid info that way, and then you can confidently brag to your guests about your awesome glass find.
