Atomic Era Franciscan Starburst Dinnerware for your Table

Posted on March 14, 2021 by Fan

Franciscan Starburst Dinnerware pic from Charleston Gazette-Mail

It all started at the Alameda Point Antiques Faire ( largest open-air antique faire in Northern California with 800+ dealer booths) when we stumbled upon a dealer selling sets of Franciscan Starburst dinnerware and knew the moment had come to add this explosively beautiful pattern to our collection. We had admired the Starburst design for some time as those starbursts just scream atomic era to us, but the moment wasn’t quite right to start our collection until today, and getting to hold the dishes and see the pattern in person was fantastic.

The Starburst pattern was introduced in 1954 and only produced through 1957 by Franciscan Ware. The Atomic Starburst design was futuristic for the time and complemented the chrome appliances and kitchens of the era. The Starburst pattern still oozes that mid-century modern atomic chic and is a standout on our dining table today and I can’t help but sing the famous Frank Sinatra song Fly Me to Moon as I set our table!!

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Add instant vintage charm to your kitchen with 1950s collectibles

Posted on August 12, 2015 by Fan

I wanted to share my most recent find!! These smiling anthropomorphic cuties just make me so happy and add instant vintage charm. These are all made by PY Japan and feature the anthropomorphic PY strawberry head planter, the PY anthropomorphic pear pitcher and these super adorable shakers that are a pair of PY anthropomorphic toothpaste girls and PY anthropomorphic typewriter girls.

You can see all my vintage Anthropomorphic goodies at my Etsy store and eBay Store

Lustro Ware for Your Retro Kitchen

Posted on March 2, 2013 by Fan

My latest fascination is all about the colorful hard plastic kitchenware known as Lustro Ware. Just yesterday I was at Antique Society (a local multi-dealer antique mall in Sebastopol, CA) and came across a very bright yellow Lustro Ware cookie jar and a pair of bright red salt and pepper shakers and just ‘had’ to have them. I see lots of ‘retro’ kitchens decorated with collections of this bright and colorful hard plastic from yesteryear, and I set out to learn more.

The ‘Columbus Plastics Company’ was launched back in very late1939 by Gebhard W. Keny and W.J. Braley. Some 5-6 years later in around 1946 they changed their company name to ‘Lustro Ware’ and were producing some 300+ items for the home and kitchen with the ‘patent pend’ stamp under the division of the ‘Columbus Plastic Products Division of The Borden Chemical Company’ with a trademark filed sometime in 1950.

Today, Lustro Ware is very collectible and you can find all kinds of items in many colors from yellow, red, pink, green, blue and more in the form of salt and pepper shakers, to bread boxes, plates, canisters, cookie jars, trash cans, utensil holders, trays, measuring cups and spoons, juice reamers, spice racks and spice holders, recipe boxes and so much more.

Items today (2013) that are currently ‘hot’ are the spice racks and holders (Vintage Aunt Jemima especially for a complete set) with prices $200+, shakers sets $25-$50 and canister sets $250+. Be careful with the Aunt Jemima sets as many are marked ‘F&F Mold and Die Company’ and not ‘Lustro Ware’.

Finding Lustro ware items with the letters in tact and no scuffmarks can be challenging. Do you collect Lustro ware? I would love to hear about your collection, please email me via my ‘contact’ page.

Collecting 1930s, 1940s & 1950s Kitchen Tins

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Fan

I am seeing more and more kitchen tins and related collectibles these days and many are so colorful and have so much nostalgia and charm. Displaying vintage kitchen tins can be grouped by types of tins like spices or coffee or grouped by colors like red and yellow. These vintage tins are generally easy to find at your local antique shop and flea markets and collectibles fairs. Remember, check that the paper labels are intact, boxes still retain their forms and that many items may still contain the original contents. These vintage tins are sure to brighten your kitchen!!