How To Start A Shot Glass Collection

Tips to keep in mind when you are hunting out your collectible shot glasses:

Be sure to frequent garage sales, thrift stores, used stores and flea markets on a regular basis. The more often that you visit a flea market or thrift store than the more likely you are to get first dibs on any new glasses that come up for sale there. When shopping garage sales and flea markets, shop early because the best finds, and best priced articles generally get snapped up first.

When you are traveling out of town or country, visit a few of their local pubs or taverns, and purchase a shot glass or two while you are there. If you hear of friends or relatives who will be going on vacation in the near future, take the time to send a few dollars along with them, most are only too happy to purchase a glass or two to add to your collection. Having pieces that take a little more endeavoring to acquire only serves to add a little extra humor, warmth, and history to the collection.

Fairs, Expos, Centennials and other special events usually have special shot glasses prepared for these events. If you are not attending the event itself these items can still generally be acquired at local tourism booths or at local malls or stores. They are generally sold to raise funds for the event itself so are usually quite readily available for purchase.

Online auction sites like www.eBay.com and www.onlineauction.com will give you access to shot glasses originating from other cities and countries, and that haven't managed to find their way into your community. Again remember to search often for the chance of acquiring the best offerings available.

Lastly remember to shop local. Many bars, restaurants, and tourism centers in your community will have a wide variety of shot glasses for sale. They also usually change their selection on a regular basis so expect to stop by a time or two each year to see if anything new is available.

Most important, have fun in the search for unique shot glasses to add to your collection, that's what collecting is all about!

Article Originally Published At: How To Start A Shot glass Collection

How To Display A Shot Glass Collection

So how do you display a shot glass collection? Heck, anyway that you want to! These little glasses are so cute that they can be displayed in almost any room of your house. Line them up along your bar, set them upright or upside down, build a pyramid with them, or balance them at the top of your alcohol bottles. You can have them laying ever so treasured within a velvet display box, or line them up on shelves set behind your bar, or on a wall shelf in any room of the house as far as that goes. You can set up a themed pair of glasses, or even one single unique glass gracefully set on a doily, or you can willy nilly toss the whole collection into a glass china cabinet for display. You can set them for display in a shadow or trophy box. Or creatively display them on your stereo, desk, dresser, microwave, or television top.

In a game room these glasses can be displayed in a set of four beside the crib board, or as a pair waiting beside the chess set for it's players, or as a set of eight or ten that sit atop the stand that holds the pool cues. Luck themed glasses that display clover leafs, fairies, angels or leprechauns are especially popular in game settings. Checker games or chess games can even have these one ounce glasses used as pieces in the game, and as each piece is taken while playing the game, so can a drink be had. If your guests are generally regulars to your social nights, you will find that they will become fans to certain shot glasses, and will hunt out their favorite glass shortly after their arrival. Rotating the glasses to different games each social night will also have your guests moving around the game room to different positions each time.

In the kitchen these glasses can be used as mini salt and pepper cauldrons and each with a tiny spoon set beside it for dispersal. An attractive single shot glass, a matched pair, or themed set they can be attractively displayed next to a fine bottle of whiskey or rum. Being tiny they nestle nicely into most spice racks, and curio shelves, and can be creatively displayed on the wall in these. The beauty of these glasses is that they fit in virtually anywhere and regardless of whether they are set out on a book shelf next to War and Peace, or are sitting in the china cabinet next to grandma's finest china, they just fit in.

These unique little glasses carry a lot of history in them. Many are created to commemorate and raise funds for special events, others to promote local businesses, or to raise awareness for a life changing event or charity. Many have traveled hundreds or thousands of miles, from other cities and other countries, to arrive at the spot where they now sit. Decorated with a variety of sayings and themes, and usually alcohol or humor related, these tiny drinking vessels are an ideal addition to any home or business. One special glass set in a decorative display cabinet can be the starting point of a thousand conversations. While an entire wall lined completely in shelving that displays hundreds of these tiny treasures can be breathtaking. Each and every one of these delightful little glasses comes with it's own unique ability to sparkle and charm it's way into the hearts of those who happen to come its way.