Well, let me tell ya somethin’ about these here vintage glass bricks. Folks used to put ’em in their houses, back in the day. Don’t rightly know why, but they did. I reckon they thought it looked fancy or somethin’. They shiny, ya know, like a cat’s eye in the dark.
Now, you can find these old glass thingamajigs at them eBay places. They got all sorts of stuff there, you wouldn’t believe it. Old furniture, clothes, even these here glass bricks. Folks be sellin’ ’em left and right. Some of ’em say they’re “architectural” or somethin’. Sounds like big city talk to me. They just bricks, far as I can see, but made of glass, not dirt.
I saw one fella on the internet sellin’ them. Said it was “Pittsburgh Corning Glass Block”. Sounded important. He had all sorts of sizes too. Said some were “retired”, whatever that means. Maybe they too old to work? Like me, I suppose, ha! He had some new ones too, still in the box and all. Said they was made in the USA. That’s good, I guess. Support our own folks, right?
Then there’s them other glass bricks, the ones they call “reclaimed“. That just means somebody ripped ’em outta some old building, I reckon. They be sellin’ them too. Some are square, some ain’t. One fella was sellin’ one that was 5 ¾ by 5 ¾ by 3 ¾. Now ain’t that somethin’? Who measures somethin’ like that? Just say it’s a little smaller than a bread loaf and be done with it. They come in different colors too, not just plain ol’ clear. I seen some that was kinda green, or blue, even. Pretty, I guess, if you like that sort of thing.
I heard tell these glass bricks were real popular back in the eighties. Folks put ’em in their kitchens, so I heard, and in their hallways, and even by the stairs. I guess they let the light in, but still kept things private. Can’t see through ’em clear, ya know. Just blurry shapes. Like lookin’ through a rain-streaked window.
- Where to Find ‘Em: Like I said, eBay’s a good place to start lookin’. You can find all sorts of vintage glass bricks there, new and old. Just type in “vintage glass blocks bricks” and see what pops up. They also got them on somethin’ called “*.” Don’t rightly know what that is, but sounds foreign to me. Maybe them Canadians are sellin’ glass bricks too. Who knew?
- What to Look For: Well, I guess you want ones that ain’t broke. Check for cracks and chips, ya know. And make sure they ain’t too dirty. Cleanin’ glass is a pain, let me tell ya. Them fellas on the internet like to call ‘em “Bauhaus Art Deco”. I never did understand that art stuff. Looks like fancy squares to me. Just make sure you get what you want, and don’t let them city slickers fool ya.
- Why Folks Like ‘Em: I ain’t rightly sure why folks are so keen on these old glass bricks. Maybe they remind ’em of their grandma’s house or somethin’. Or maybe they just think they look cool. I guess they are kinda sturdy, built to last, so they say. And they do let the light in nice. And pretty too, if you get the colored ones.
So, there ya have it. A whole bunch of nothin’ much about vintage glass bricks. They ain’t for me, I like my brick made of plain ol’ dirt. But if you fancy ’em, go ahead and get yourself some. Just don’t pay too much, ya hear? These folks on the internet, they always tryin’ to get the best of ya. And remember, it’s a “vintage glass block” or an “architectural glass building block”. Don’t let nobody tell you different. Now go on, get outta here, you botherin’ an old woman.
Oh, and one more thing! These glass block windows? They say they are visually appealing and built to last. I guess that’s somethin’, right?
One last thing, I promise. Them glass bricks ain’t just for windows, ya know. I seen folks use ‘em to make walls, or even little decorative things. They even sell them in a place called “etsy” and them glass bricks are real unique, so they say.
Alright, now git! I got things to do.
Tags: [vintage glass bricks, glass blocks, architectural glass, reclaimed glass, Pittsburgh Corning, vintage building materials, 1980s decor, retro design, eBay, etsy]
