Will Seippel | July 22, 2025

I always look forward to seeing what exciting items have gone under the hammer at thousands of new items streaming in, and I always try to highlight a few of my favorites to share with our followers. There’s usually a good story behind so many of these pieces, and sharing my passion for antique and vintage items is the best part of my job. Let me tell you about some items from our partners that caught my eye.

With anything antique or vintage, the condition of an item is a big part of determining its worth. Since many antiques like glassware, crystal, and fine porcelain are delicate, it’s not uncommon that some pieces will have flaws like cracks, scratches, or other signs of wear and age. Still, that doesn’t mean a piece can’t still command a high price at an auction.

Recently, Appletree Auction Center, a WorthPoint Industry Partner, sold a mid-century modern glass cocktail shaker for nearly $5,000, even with minor defects.

The shaker, designed by Eva Zeisel, set a record for a Heisy Glass shaker. The design is solid, with a rondelay style top, stopper, and unique globe shape. Zeisal has referred to herself as a “designer of useful things,” but they are anything but utilitarian. The selling price set a record for Heisey shakers. They are a popular style, with the “rondelay” circular top being a common feature in many of the Heisey shakers 

She designed her pieces to be functional and useful, but still have style. Her pieces feature clean lines, soft curves, and quality workmanship. The fact that Appletree was able to realize such a high price is because their industry knowledge of auctioneering meant they could market it to collectors who know its value. Even with minor scratches and flaking on the ground bottom of the shaker and near the bottle stopper, bidders recognized the piece was an important example of the style and aesthetic of the time. Appletree included the shaker in an auction of other pieces from Heisey, but the shaker was the show’s star.

It’s encouraging to see that even a piece with a couple of minor imperfections did well at auction because it shows there is a collector for every piece. I’m passionate about helping collectors and others learn everything they can about their treasures. This gorgeous shaker was a perfect example of marketing an item well and including information so buyers can make an informed decision.