“Shot glasses” have been around for a long time, but how did the term “shot glass” originally get its name? Which of these four possible answers do you feel is correct?
1. The shot glass was named after the German chemist Friedrich Otto Schott, who invented Borosilicate glass, which is sometimes used in shot glasses.
2. They were called shot glasses because one day in an old Wild West saloon, a random gunshot placed a hole in the wooden whiskey barrel, and the glasses used to save the out-pouring whiskey were subsequently called “shot glasses.”
3. The earliest “shot glasses” were small glasses placed in the center of the dining table, and anyone who happened to bite down upon a piece of “buck shot” in the fowl or wild game main course could place it into the “shot glass.”
4. In Olde English pubs, after downing shots of whiskey, the drinkers would slam their glasses down upon the wooden bar, and the sound echoed like a gun shot, hence the term “shot glasses.”
Actually, no one really knows how the “shot glass” got its name, but all four of these have been mentioned as possibilities.
What’s it worth?
Although most kitchens and/or dining room hutches have a few shot glasses tucked away, few sell for much money. Common ones are usually sold by auctioneers in box lots, and you’re going to need a very special maker name, color, or design to reach a premium price.

Mike Ivankovich is an auctioneer, appraiser, home downsizing expert, and host of the "What's It Worth? Ask Mike the Appraiser" radio show that airs live on Friday mornings from 9 to 10 a.m. on WBCB 1490 AM in the Greater Philadelphia area. It is available on the internet at www.WBCB1490.com.
To learn more, visit www.AskMikeTheAppraiser.com.