The 1920s marked the beginning of cocktail culture as we know it. Prohibition in the United States may have forced drinking underground, but it also gave rise to a new kind of glamour. Cocktails became more refined, more inventive, and crucially, more presentable.

Enter the coupe. Wide, shallow and instantly elegant, it became the glass of choice for champagne and early cocktails. Easy to sip from and perfectly suited to lively gatherings, it quickly became a symbol of celebration.

This was the era of dressing up to drink, and the glassware followed suit.

As cocktails became more established, so too did the idea that each drink deserved its own glass. The martini glass emerged with its angular bowl and long stem, designed to keep drinks cold while offering just the right amount of surface for aroma.

Glassware became more deliberate. Tumblers were used for stronger, spirit-forward drinks. Taller glasses appeared for longer, lighter serves. There was a growing sense that form should follow function, but still with a certain elegance.

Even at its most practical, it remained stylish.

Post-war entertaining brought cocktails into the home. Drinks cabinets appeared, hosts perfected their signature serves, and glassware became part of the performance.

This was the age of the highball. Tall, slender and made for long drinks, it was ideal for everything from gin and tonic to whisky with soda. Tumblers became a staple for shorter drinks, while coupes and martinis remained firmly in place for more formal occasions.

Glassware was no longer just for bars. It was for showing off, quite happily, in your own living room.

Not every era has its finest moment. The 1970s and 80s brought larger, more casual glassware and a shift towards convenience over ceremony. Drinks were bigger, sweeter and often less concerned with presentation.

That said, the classics never truly disappeared. The coupe, the tumbler, the wine glass. They simply waited, quietly, for their return.

As cocktail culture experienced a revival, so did an appreciation for traditional glassware. Bartenders and hosts alike began to revisit classic recipes, and with them, the glasses they were designed for.

There was a renewed interest in proportion, balance and presentation. Suddenly, the right glass mattered again.

And not just in bars. At home too.

Today, we have come full circle. The appeal of vintage-inspired glassware lies in its ability to feel both nostalgic and entirely relevant. The coupe is back on every well-set table. The tumbler is once again the glass of choice for a properly made Negroni. Wine glasses are used more generously, for spritzes, cocktails and anything that deserves to look considered.

At The Vintage List, our glassware is inspired by the pieces that have stood the test of time. Designed to feel as good now as they did then, and to be used often, not saved for best.