Mystery Thrifted Items Spark Theories Online: ‘Quest for Answers’

A pair of unusual glass objects have become the focus of an online guessing game after two professional thrifters showcased the items online.

Bethany Slack and Austin Aubrey, a couple in Somerset, England, known as the Luxury Pickers, stumbled upon the curious items in a Dorothy House charity shop in Frome.

The glass pieces bear the hallmark of LSA International, one of Europe’s leading brands of handmade glass and porcelain, and the couple purchased them for £11 ($14)—down from their original pricing of £50. However, the purpose of the items has stumped the couple and their online viewers.

The thrifters, who typically specialize in luxury clothing and accessories, were immediately drawn to the items because of their heavy weight, intriguing shape and sleek, minimalist design.

“We’ve handled LSA glassware before, but these stood out for all the wrong reasons,” Slack told Newsweek. “Their weight, rounded tops and sticker orientation made them unlike anything we’ve ever seen. The question is, what are they?”

LSA International is known for its clean lines and functional designs, and its products include vases and food domes. While guessing what the items could be, social media users have suggested cloches, candle lanterns and vases, among other things—but nothing was quite right.

The mystery deepened when Slack realized the stickers—one indicating the brand and another that said “handmade”—were carefully positioned, seemingly dictating how the pieces should be oriented. “If they were vases, the rounded tops wouldn’t make sense. And they don’t have the handles you’d expect on a food dome or cloche,” she added.

The Luxury Pickers posted videos of the items on TikTok, and viewers chimed in with theories but no definitive answers.

“It’s been amazing to see how much people care about this mystery,” Slack said. “What started as a quirky obsession has turned into a collective quest for answers.”

Determined to crack the case, Slack reached out to LSA International directly, only to learn that the company doesn’t maintain detailed records of its older designs.

Even with help from former staff members at Selfridges, a U.K. department store that stocks LSA glassware, and after combing through an archive of historical designs, the thrifters had no luck.

Despite the ongoing mystery of the items’ purpose, Slack was amazed by the response online. “When we picked them up, we had no idea they would spark this kind of reaction,” she said. “We just knew they were special.”

Earlier this week, another thrifted item gained viral attention after a woman’s $10 sweater purchase turned out to be worth hundreds.