Vintage State Glasses

Author:  Spring

When my mother/blog partner was a little girl, her family took a road trip across the country.  That was in the days before car air conditioning.  They took one week to drive to Washington state, spent a week there, and took a week to return home.

The entire three-week trip for their family of five only cost $500.  That was a super bargain compared to today’s prices.  Her mother, my grandma, cooked every meal at roadside parks.  We’re not talking cold cereal for breakfast here.  They had bacon, eggs, and toast, which she cooked on a little camping stove, every morning.

Because this trip was such a big deal for my grandmother, she wanted to collect a special souvenir from every state they visited.  Her choice was drinking glasses.  When she returned home, she put them in her china cabinet and never used them.  They were “for looks”.  Several years ago she gave them to my mother, but when my parents down-sized this year, she asked me if I wanted them.

I jumped at the chance.  I have had the opportunity to ride my bicycle across the country three different times, and I have cycled in most of the states they drove through.  I thought it would be fun to use them as a conversation piece at our summertime cocktail parties.  Plus, they look great on top of our vintage bar (read about it here).

I have seen similar but new glasses at Anthropology and vintage ones on ebay, but these are special because they are a part of my family’s history.

Their colors are all so pretty, and I love the glazing on the glass.

They are all the same size, but their designs are different.  Its easy to see that the designs weren’t all just stamped on by the same company.

I just love them and hope to keep them for many, many years.  How about you?  Do you have a keepsake that has been passed down through the family as a special memento?

Cheers!

Linking to