For many, crystal in boxes in the shed is more expensive and covered with dust, which is its main value. Bashny.Net

In matters of home decor, I consider my family quite progressive: always fresh renovation, everything is selected by colors and arranged in the spirit of healthy minimalism. But even in my family, this crystal closet is worth as much as I can remember. It just so happens that we have a lot of moves, but despite everything, the servant is here, and Czech crystal with him. Even my elderly parents are already quite tired of him, so they use it for the occasion and without it. But some of the items in it haven't seen the white light for years.



I was so used to the peculiar element of decor that I did not even think to be interested in the history of this wealth. And it seemed to me that the word “wealth” applied here, except in an ironic form. What kind of treasure is it if every other person has it? What's the matter with the first one? Maybe our generation and did not get a lot of real estate (although to whom), but a ton of crystal from each grandmother – for sure. When I jokingly said this to my father, he just shook his head: “You don’t understand anything, daughter.” In 10 years you will thank me very much.

Why are foreigners ready to sell their soul for Czech crystal? Soviet-era crystal. It so happened that in the last decade they suddenly began to cause a great resonance in foreign circles due to the newly played vintage fashion. In Germany, not second-hand shops, but vintage shops. Crystal from the GDR in any flea market is a tasty piece for any antiques lover.

549689

It just so happened that the Czech Republic, which shared a Soviet past with us, was especially rich in crystal, and it is from there that it now enters the markets of Europe. In addition, its quality is really one of the best, but our domestic manufacturer did not lag behind. We just had a huge amount of crystal and a very different quality. How did that happen? How to distinguish crystal from less expensive crystal-glass? Let's go straight.

The trouble of Soviet times was that maybe a person had money, but there was nowhere to spend it. The era of scarcity and empty shelves is familiar to the older generation. However, the glass industry operated like a Swiss watch and produced an inconceivable amount of such a valuable watch every year. crystal. As a result, a well-known incident happened to him: from the glut of the market, the price for this product was simply ridiculous. As for the ratio of price and quality, of course, after all, the crystal was worth something.



Unsplash was a great gift and an addition to the existing collection. No feast was complete without crystalwarewhich was later removed in a dresser or a sideboard for many months. However, sweets for tea were served if not in a crystal vase, then at least in the one made of crystal glass. And jam bowls? And those heavy crystal vases that you can't pick up after a century if you break them?

In general, there was so much crystal that in 1990, when the glass industry was in a critical position, factory workers were asked to find a way to sell goods. And there were wagons all over the country with peddlers selling sets of glass and crystal for funny money.



The irony is that antiques are only valuable when they are scarce. And the less the better. But already now there are enterprising resellers who scurry through flea markets and ads on the Internet, buying up everything crystal. And even a rare vase can go only rubles for 1000, which for a foreigner is only 10 euros - a mere pennies. 10 euros in Europe is now the price of a pack of smoking sticks, the habit of buying which many have not eradicated.

But foreigners do not know about it, and they do not have crystal mania, like our parents. But longing for the distant times, for the charm of past years (vintage that is) is very much observed.



For example, how much do you think this decanter and wine cooler will cost? Each of the items starts from 500 euros per eBay. And for products in silver and copper frames, the price tag can open from 700 euros and above, depending on the model. Even if it's a little candy bar.

Even the most common crystal glasses, which in different variations were found in each house, start from 60 euros. Stacks are a little cheaper, from 30. It also depends on their quality and quantity. Hearing these figures from my father, I immediately went online and typed in the following queries on eBay: “Soviet crystal”, “crystal from the USSR”, “crystal vintage”. To say that I am stunned is to say nothing. So my parents have a fortune in their closet.



Do you remember the faceted glass? The one we measured everything with: cereal, flour, water, butter. It is not even crystal, and in Europe it costs at least 8 euros, that is, under 1000 rubles.

How to distinguish crystal from glass are amazing numbers, right? And this is if we are not talking about such giants of the crystal business as Goose-Crystal or crystal with a high content of lead, that is, top-quality crystal. The question is how to distinguish crystal from the same low-lead crystal glass. I was also helped by my parents, who had checked all our crystal dishes a long time ago.



The easiest way is to lift the product and look at the sun as light is refracted. With the help of a daylight or a bright lamp, you will immediately find that crystal gives rainbow glare, and simple glass does not have this effect. If you are hesitating between choosing two identical products, remember that crystal is always heavier and, most importantly, it heats more slowly due to its high density. This is why the drinks are served in crystalware.

Experts with experience even know how to determine the quality of crystal by how it sounds. But to be honest, I haven’t learned the trick yet. But I know for sure that all the crystal in our sideboard is of the highest quality.



After that conversation, I spent the rest of the evening on various repurchase sites. And if you search in English, the price tags rise even higher. And every year the rate goes up. Simply put, we have this. Soviet crystal It is considered a relic of the past and almost a burden for the modern interior. And abroad, mom's old vase or crystal box with hands will be torn off. How do you like that news?