Vintage Thursday: Recent Finds

The holidays are a time to bring out the pretty dishes and enjoy their beauty. I am one of those who enjoys using vintage dishes every day but there are still some pieces that only come out for special occasions; not because I am afraid to use them but because there are foods we serve at those times that make good use of these dishes.

For example, this Kromex hors d'ourvres lazy susan. I wonder if this was a must-have in the 40's and 50's? I know that I have found it perfect for our gatherings. When I bought it, the lid to the center dish was missing but I was lucky enough to find a replacement at a local flea market. Knowing what the lid looked like came from eBay searching to identify another chrome lid I got in an auction lot. It too was the lid for a Kromex center bowl, but of a different type than mine. By searching for that one, I learned what the one I needed looked like and spotted it a few months later.

The dish rests on a chrome pedestal that is a turntable. The plate is a solid piece divided into sections. Similar lazy susans have several separate dishes that fit onto a tray turntable and around the center bowl. I like to use mine for crudites and pickles, but it could also work for cookies, nuts and candy, or a cheese ball and crackers.

I found this stainless pitcher last month. It has a simple style that fits right in at my table and it never needs polishing, unlike the silver one I have. Cold beverages make it bead up frostily on the outside which I think is really an appetizing look. Easy to clean, easy to use make this a great piece for everyday use. I like to serve our homemade cider from it. The diamond-point goblets were a gift fro my sister Theresa a few years ago and they add a real sparkle to our table.

I showed this photo of the new-to-me punch bowl yesterday. Don't you love the way the cups hang on the bowl? eBay can be a great place for good deals--if the shipping charges don't break the bank. I could not believe I actually won this set! It is complete with even its original ladle. I may have to make a grape punch in it just to highlight its purple and white loveliness.The square red glass plate with the cheese ball that is barely visible to the left of the photo was a gift from another sister (Julie). It finds a lot of use when we have company. The plate came with its own bead-decorated spreader.

Another eBay find is this ruby ball pitcher. Again, I got lucky because all the others I saw were far too expensive once shipping was factored in. Should I decide to sell this one I will still be able to make a good profit because for some reason I was the only bidder and the shipping was reasonable. As a seller, I have learned that shipping charges can be a major drawback to selling. I have begun selling at flat rates and while I lose some money on shipping some items, I gain it back on others--and the shipping for all is still very reasonable.

This isn't a dish, certainly! But it was an auction find that really pleased me. I've been looking for a nativity set that was like the one I remembered from my childhood. Imagine my delight when this one showed up at the auction and I got it for $3.00, complete with the stable. I will be keeping this set for a long, long time.

I meant to post this photo from my booth last week but missed it. I put together a blue/green glass display to highlight the beauty of these colors at the holidays. I do not think many pieces sold but I sure did like the look of my display anyway!

The little table ths display is on sold this week. We found it in the old log cabin we took down two years ago, the cabin we're using to add on to our house. Larry fixed one leg of the table that had started to rot from being stored on the ground in the cabin. We considered keeping it but just had no place to put it, so it's off to a new life in a new home. I believe the table is fairly old, and it is handmade.

I found these square pedestal dishes at the Antique Mall of Marietta where I have one of my booths. The price was certainly right--and the booth's owner showed me that the two pieces can be stacked for an eye-stopping centerpiece. These were made by L.E. Smith.

Those are a few finds for this week. I cannot wait to show you our most recent acquisitions, but I will have to put that off until they are moved, and that will not happen until we see some better weather.




Copyright 2012 Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.