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OK, I confess: the real reason I bought my first jelly glass was for the jelly in it. And, I wanted a free juice glass. Also, that glass was so thick, it could just about fall off the kitchen table and bounce on the floor without breaking. Now, that's something!
It wasn't until Welch's issued its series of 4 Dinosaur glasses in 1988 that I actually bought a jelly glass as a collectible, and though I no longer have room to indulge my acquisitive instincts, I still enjoy hunting for possible valuable pieces at yard and estate sales.
Jelly glasses are but a segment of the huge "promotional drinking glass" market. Promotional glasses bear cartoons, characters, advertising, sports themes, etc., and can be quite valuable. For example, souvenir Kentucky Derby mint julep glasses from the 1930's can fetch thousands of dollars (http://www.abouthorseraces.com/equillector), while collectors have been paying some quite tidy sums (generally $30 to $90 at auction) for Pepsi glasses dating back no farther than the 70's.
Cartoon and character jelly glasses may never rival the values placed on vintage Derby glassware, but some issues have begun to garner serious consideration, with probably the best example being the Polaner Superman Series of 6 designs issued in 1964. The "Clark Kent Changing to Superman" glass appears to be the rarest, with a recent high Internet-auction bid of $130.27!
Interest in jelly glasses is expected to grow as collectors discover that increasing variety allows them to specialize, while what has been considered "disposable" becomes ever rarer. The Welch's company alone has issued over 28 series since its first, Howdy Doody, in 1953 (http://www.welchs.com/index.html). If one were to take into account, not only all the series issued by jelly makers both domestic and foreign, but also all the variations in color and design within each issue, there are literally hundreds of pieces from which to create a collection.
As always with contemporary collectibles, condition is a big factor. Unless a piece is rare, it must be in pristine shape to hold any value. Decorated glasses should always be carefully hand-washed using lukewarm water, mild soap, and a soft towel. Never use a dishwasher or abrasive sponge, as these could fade the colors or scratch the glass or design.
For more information on the subject, the following are recommended:
Promotional Glass Collectors Association
http://www.glassnews.com
Checklist of all 28 series released by Welch's between 1953 and 2002
http://www.glassnews.com/welchs_checklist.htm
Database of over 8,320 glasses with 9,700 corresponding photos.
http://www.pgcaglassclub.com/index.htm
Bill Smith has chronicled his never-ending search for Polaner jelly glasses from 1964, featuring Superman/Clark Kent. Illustrated with color photos of some of the items from his collection.
http://www.supermancollectors.com/superplanet/jellyglasses.html
"Tomart's Price Guide to Character & Promotional Glasses Including Pepsi, Coke, Fast-Food, Peanut Butter and Jelly Glasses; Plus Dairy Glasses & Milk," by Carol Markowski, Tom Hoder, Tom Schwartz (Photographer), Tom Tumbusch (Photographer), Carol Markowski Huffman
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0914293354/auctionbytescom
"Contemporary Fast-Food and Drinking Glass Collectibles," by Mark E. Chase, Michael J. Kelly
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0870695177/auctionbytescom
"Collector's Guide to Cartoon and Promotional Drinking Glasses," by John Hervey
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0891454438/auctionbytescom
Happy Hunting!
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