A good reference book is a necessity when beginning a new hobby such as glass collecting and will make your life easier when you aren’t quite certain just what you’ve bought at that jumble sale.

Below are some books that may help you in your quest to learn about collecting of glassware.

One or more good reference books on glass are an essential part of a collection. We have found the following books to be excellent references and recommend them to collectors. You can often find them at large Antique Malls, commercial bookstores, your local library or online book resellers.

Coes Elegant Glass Elegant Glass: Early, Depression and Beyond (2nd Ed) by Debbie & Randy Coe - an update to the original book, with many pieces and patterns never before listed. The photography is fabulous, pattern shots for every pattern listed. It will become a standard reference book for collectors and dealers in “elegant” glassware.

Florence Elegant Book Elegant Glassware of the Depression Era - This is the book which most dealers use to quote “book” prices on elegant glassware. It lists many patterns by numerous manufacturers, and is often the only reference book available that shows a particular pattern. It is reprinted every two years.

Fostoria Value Guide Fostoria Value Guide - a paperback value guide which provides the author’s estimate of retail values for Fostoria glassware listed in their already published four reference books on Fostoria.

Fostoria Stemware Fostoria Stemware: the Crystal for America - This book, by the mother/daughter team of Milbra Long and Emily Seate, covers most of Fostoria’s collectible stemware patterns from the 20’s to the 50’s. it provides production dates and also illustrates.

Fostoria Tableware I Fostoria Tableware: 1924-1943 - The second of four books written by Milbra Long and Emily Seate. It covers most of the major tableware patterns made by Fostoria during the period 1924 through 1943. An excellent reference for collectors of Fostoria glass made during the depression years.

Bones Fostoria Fostoria Glassware: 1887 - 1982 by Frances Bones - A new book which illustrates many pieces of Fostoria glassware not shown in any other books. The pictures are black and white, mostly catalog pages, but it’s a treasure of information, and a must for Fostoria collectors.

Spencer’s Glass Animals book Glass Animals including Animal & Figural items (2nd Ed) by Dick & Pat Spencer - This is a long awaited update to the book which was first published in 1993. Additional items have been added, and the prices have been updated as well.

Coe’s Glass Animals book Glass Animals by Debbie & Randy Coe - This is a very good softbound reference book on glass animals, with a particularly strong emphasis on animal figurals made by Fenton Art Glass Company, although many other manufacturers are covered as well. It covers quite a few items that don’t appear in the book above. Published by Schiffer Books, Atglen, PA.To place an order, visit Schiffer Books web pages..

Fenton Book I Fenton Art Glass: 1907 - 1939 (Second Edition) by Margaret & Kenn Whitmyer - a wonderful volume that covers the early years of glassmaking at the Fenton factory. Fenton was (and is) a very innovative company, and that is reflected in some of the patterns and designs of the early days.

Fenton Book II Fenton Art Glass: 1939 - 1980 by Margaret & Kenn Whitmyer ..A well researched book, with lots of good color pictures, and if you are going to get the first one, get this one, too. Both books published by Collector Books, Paducah, KY. To order, visit the Collector Books web site.

Domitz Paden City Book Encyclopedia of Paden City Glass by Carrie & Gerry Domitz - another excellent reference book on the wonderful and colorful glass produced by this West Virginia company. The nearly 1500 photographs are excellent and the book covers at least 50 different etchings done by Paden City. There is an excellent section on colognes and dresser sets. Published by Collector Books, Paducah, KY. To order, visit the Collector Books web site.

WVMAG Magazine West Virginia Museum of American Glass is a wondefful organization which has produced a number of low cost small booklets (monographs) on a number of smaller glass companies, about which very little i known. Each issue brings 32 pages of information focusing primarily on 20th century collector’s American Glass but also addressing EAPG, Contemporary Glass, Art Glass, Victorian Glass, Bottles, Marbles, and more…