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Farm Kitchen:  old dishes  |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 14 2004 : 10:05:05 AM
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I was just thinking while washing dishes the other day how much I love my old dishes. I have been collecting the ones we use daily for about 15 years. They are Colonial Homestead by Royal..sort of an "inside a cabin" scene, with different parts on different pieces and the whole scene on the big platters. The dinner plates have a fireplace and stuff around it. They are mostly green with cream. I find them now and then and got alot of them on Ebay..which was new to me at the time. They were made in the 1950's. Do any of you use old dishes every day? I never find new dishes that I like the looks of, and my oldest kids (grown) say it just wouldn't feel right to eat on other dishes when they are home. I remember my grandma's dishes very well. (white with wheat along one side) and her coffee cups were the shiny caramel colored fire king. I have some of the jadite mugs..but one day at a yard sale bought one like hers were and I am greedy with it. I am the only one who gets to use it. 
Jenny in Utah
Bloom where you are planted! |
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Clare
True Blue Farmgirl
2173 Posts
NC WA State
USA
2173 Posts |
Posted - Jul 14 2004 : 10:20:57 AM
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Old plates are a comfort, aren't they, Jenny? I have a few that I've inherited, and a few that I just liked and picked up at yard sales... I'd love to see a picture of the pattern for Colonial Homestead.. It sounds cool!
Gardener, Stitcher, Spiritual Explorer and Appreciator of all Things Natural |
Edited by - Clare on Jul 14 2004 3:29:46 PM |
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
Posted - Jul 14 2004 : 10:51:55 AM
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I love to admire my dishes, too. For 15 years or so, I have been collecting handmade pottery dishes made by a local potter. They are light grey with various colors of blue and green through the middle. Very homespun and yet beautiful, too, and similar to salt glaze but not. He makes very light weight pottery, and that is an art in itself. I also have a set of blue willow from Johnson Brothers that I use for slightly dressier occasions. And then I have serving dishes from my mom and grandma in green and peach depression glass.
Ever since I started my own home, I have always loved and collected pottery, quilts, and baskets. You can use all of them in a million ways, and have a piece of home and comfort every time you have a load of clothes to fold, a picnic to go to , hot chocolate to drink in front of the fire.....and when you put a meal on the table.
Your set of dishes sounds particularly lovely. I remember my mom and grandma had dishes with a gold and rust leaf pattern on them. I sometimes see them at flea markets, and when my mom used to come along, she would always say "Those are just like ours growing up."
jpbluesky |
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sugar1
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
Diane
Fostoria
MI
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - Jul 14 2004 : 3:13:35 PM
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| I love old dishes too! I am most fond of bowls (see kitchen gadget post) and "snack sets". Snack sets are plates that are larger than a small salad plate (usually) and the plates have a ring on them for a matching coffee cup. I have a set of clear glass ones shaped like apples (my favorite) and one from the 50's made of milk glass. They are great for dessert and coffee. I'd also like to see the pattern Aunt Jenny wrote about, it sounds neat! |
Edited by - sugar1 on Jul 14 2004 3:39:12 PM |
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cecelia
True Blue Farmgirl
497 Posts
cecelia
new york
USA
497 Posts |
Posted - Jul 14 2004 : 6:49:07 PM
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I too love using old dishes and kitchen ware; for a while I had some that were my grandmother's, but eventually the glaze was too cracked to use them. The last straw was when I picked up a cup, which was luckily empty, and the handle came off! I only have the sugar bowl left, and I use it only for decoration. I'm not sure if all the old dishes are safe to use, some can't be put in the microwave, and they may have lead in them, so be careful that they're in good condition before you use them for food. I like finding old china cups, too, usually at antique stores/garage sales, and have a small collection, but I use mine, I don't just collect them.
Cecelia
ce's farm |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Jul 14 2004 : 11:19:35 PM
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I have a cow if anyone in my family puts my dishes in the microwave. I let them put the fireking stuff in there, but not the regular dishes.
I love those clear snack sets too. My grandma had a set of kidney sort of shaped plates..with flowers (clear) with cups . My sister ended up with them. Hmmmm I wonder if she still has them.
I agree..I use all my collections...dishes, baskets, quilts, everything. I love my old stuff!!!
I will try to post a picture of the pattern my dishes have. But..if you have read any of my posts..you may know it isn't my easiest thing to do. But I will try..tomorrow.
Jenny in Utah
Bloom where you are planted! |
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
Posted - Jul 15 2004 : 05:40:02 AM
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My mother-in-law had a large collection of Imperial Candlewick dessert sets along with sugar/creamers, platters, glasses, candy dishes, etc. I assessed the value of it all,when she passed away, for my father-in-law. The whole collection was worth over 900.00! I was amazed at how much Candlewick was/is on Ebay....one of the sources I used for getting an idea of current value. And for good prices, too. The one thing about old china and glassware is that it is still easily found at flea markets, etc., and is still relatively affordable.
But the real worth of old dishes to me is the joy they bring if they are handed down and used by many hands of the same family. And I agree with you, Cecelia, the fun is to use your treasures and make them part of your life.
jpbluesky
Love those big blue skies and wide open spaces. |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Jul 15 2004 : 9:45:23 PM
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Isn't fun to have a "special cup"??? I have a white one with a John Deere logo on it that is mine. I have my kitchen decorated in John Deere stuff (because of unfortunate yellow and green linoleum that the kitchen came with) and no one uses that one but me.
Jenny in Utah
Bloom where you are planted! |
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ShawnMarie
Farmgirl in Training
14 Posts
ShawnMarie
Dauphin
PA
USA
14 Posts |
Posted - Jul 16 2004 : 3:59:02 PM
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My favorite cup came from Walt Disney World. I'm not a Mickey fan, but it has him on it and a tiger. He's going after the tiger saying "Here Kitty Kitty." I'm a cat lover, so I like that. But best of all is that it is very wide. Same size as a normal mug, but about 4 inches in diameter. Still mug shaped, not bowl shaped. It is MY cup and nobody touches it!! It's my favorite for hot chocolate 'cause more marshmallows fit on the wider top.
**Expect Pleasure** |
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cecelia
True Blue Farmgirl
497 Posts
cecelia
new york
USA
497 Posts |
Posted - Jul 17 2004 : 1:56:24 PM
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 When I was little my brother and I had "Ranger Joe" mugs - a white glass mug with a drawing on it of that character; I've seen some at flea markets, but only in red (my was blue); I try not to get too attached to "favorites" because most of mine have been broken one way or another - so I'm always finding new favorites to replace them. Makes life interesting!
Cecelia
ce's farm |
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
Posted - Jul 17 2004 : 3:10:26 PM
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What a great idea, mugs with family photos! Your bayou bunch sounds like a great family.
My favorite mug was made by my daughter. She took several pottery classes in college and showed great talent, but marriage and motherhood has prevented her from spending any more time on it. I told her once she gets a house of her own (they rent) I would buy her a kiln and wheel. Anyway, I am off my train of thought. My favorite mug is almost white and gently rounded with a cobalt blue glaze dripped down it all around so it almost looks like plaid. I love it because she made it and because it is beautiful, too.
jpbluesky
Love those big blue skies and wide open spaces. |
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cecelia
True Blue Farmgirl
497 Posts
cecelia
new york
USA
497 Posts |
Posted - Jul 18 2004 : 6:14:55 PM
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Jeannie, your mug sounds beautiful, I love anything with cobalt blue, especially with white.
I don't have a favorite mug, but now I'm thinking of making the rounds of the antique shops around here to search for one. We virtually no photos of our son before age 4, because he is adopted from Russia and we didn't get him home until he was six, so Lori,you are very lucky to have a lot of photos of your family and kids. I do have a mug with a picture of our son on it, which I had taken just after we got him home, and I don't even take it out because I want to make sure he has something to give his kids some day, from when he was little.
Cecelia
ce's farm |
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n/a
deleted
57 Posts
Judith
Rockford
IA
57 Posts |
Posted - Jul 26 2004 : 8:42:12 PM
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| I love my dishes also. I picked out Yorktown Pflatzgraf (?) the year it came out, and when we were married that is what I chose. I use it for everyday, and have never tired of it. Jenny, your msg inspired me to look up your pattern on the internet. Very nice and comforting. I also looked up my grandmother's china. I have a covered vegetable, uncovered vegetable and a platter. The pattern is from 1910 I think. What fun! I use that when the family comes to dinner. |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Jul 26 2004 : 9:51:26 PM
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I wsih I had some of my grandma's old dishes. Hmmmm..maybe I could get a few on Ebay..will have to check. I am not sure of the name of them though. It would be nice ...just a few. Your pattern is really nice too, Gramma..I looked it up.
Jenny in Utah
Bloom where you are planted! |
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HiDez Gal
True Blue Farmgirl
122 Posts
Roberta
Joshua Tree,
CA
USA
122 Posts |
Posted - Aug 12 2004 : 6:09:28 PM
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I have some special pieces of my grandmother, on my mother's side, wedding china it is so lovely but i rarely use it. My grandparents on that side of the family were married in the late 1800's. I inherited a full set of china from my father's mother, it is not so old and there are lots of pieces so i feel free to use it more often.
I love pottery too and various utilitarian pieces like mixing bowls. I also am crazy for the green glass items from the 20's and 30's as well as the green handled egg beaters, meat forks, spatulas, etc. I have an old hoosier sitting out in the garage that needs some work, must make a note to myself to get that work done and bring it inside to display some of my treasures :-)
From my favorite coffee cup:
"A gal's gotta do what a gal's gotta do." Minnie Cody, 1901 |
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Kim
True Blue Farmgirl
146 Posts
Kim
Pflugerville
Texas
USA
146 Posts |
Posted - Sep 02 2004 : 8:19:08 PM
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I collect the red handled stuff! Old cookie cutters, utensils, etc. I love vintage dishes and glassware. I also use my stuff a lot. It makes me feel good. Especially the stuff that was my grandmothers.
Ebay is an excellent source. I 've purchased a lot on ebay.
farmgirl@heart
Longaberger Lover and all things antique |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Sep 02 2004 : 9:32:14 PM
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I like ebay too. I have bought alot of the Aunt Jenny dishes and stuff from the 70's, as well as the Colonial Homestead dishes. I have found some nice old cookbooks as well. I like the green handled stuff...just like that red handled stuf..cute huh?
Jenny in Utah
Bloom where you are planted! |
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Clare
True Blue Farmgirl
2173 Posts
NC WA State
USA
2173 Posts |
Posted - Sep 03 2004 : 03:45:48 AM
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I have a selection / collection of both red and green handled kitchen utensils. I'm from the red generation, so that brings back lots of memories for me, but I enjoy the green too. I mostly just look at mine as some isn't it the strongest shape. I've picked these all up at estate or yard sales - I hadn't thought to look on Ebay for these things. I guess if I decide I need to "beef up" my collection that would be a good resource.
Somethng I recently learned about mashing potatoes is that the old fashioned potatoe mashers that "riced" the cooked potatoes is really the best because it breaks down the startches when you put it through such small spaces; however the old green one that I have is some kind of metal and leaves an after taste. So, I also have another green masher that is shaped like the red handled potatoe mashers but the face/surface for mashing is a series of little circles on metal. This one doesn't leave an aftertaste and works much the same... and ya know.. I think the potatoes are tastier with this technique. I know I could spend a small fortune on some new fangled ricer, but for my purposes this old version suits my needs just fine!
****Gardener, Stitcher, Spiritual Explorer and Appreciator of all Things Natural****
"Begin to weave and God will give the thread." - German Proverb |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Sep 03 2004 : 08:38:51 AM
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You know what I use to mash potatoes? I know this is sort of weird (at least I get funnny looks when I do it in front of anyone) but I use a quart canning jar. That is what my grandma used, and the bottom of it works great for mashing. I just hold on the top rim and mash away. My green handled masher has the zigzagged sort of surface, and isn't in the best shape. One of my son's bought me a new stainless steel masher with black plastic handle, but I never use it.
Jenny in Utah
Bloom where you are planted! |
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n/a
deleted
57 Posts
Judith
Rockford
IA
57 Posts |
Posted - Sep 03 2004 : 8:37:34 PM
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| a canning jar..now, that is interesting. I'll have to try it. I have electric gadgets, but still love using hand tools and utensils..kind of like silent sports. Off, the subject..but, my in-laws are leaving their home of 35 yrs. to an apartment, and "downsizing". My husband, and other siblings went to help them move some items today. My mother-in-law (the best) sent some items home with him for me. Pretty dishes, silver and glassware from her own cabinets. I feel so honored. She always is so generous. |
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MeadowLark
True Blue Farmgirl
2206 Posts
USA
2206 Posts |
Posted - Sep 04 2004 : 07:11:57 AM
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I will try your method Aunt Jenny for mashing spuds. I have used my gramas red and yellow striped masher and it doesn't seem to work that well. I have my Grandmas green glass cookie jar that I treasure. It has a green painted tin lid and part of a silver label that says cookies on it. I wonder if cookies were commercially sold this way in the 30's? How wonderful grammaj that your mother in law passed on her treasures to you...they are so special.
Time Flies |
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bramble
True Blue Farmgirl
2044 Posts
2044 Posts |
Posted - Oct 14 2004 : 11:12:08 AM
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Bayou Bunch...What fun! It's not every day your gramma lets you whomp the rutabagas! You're making great memories! I collect the red handled cookie cutters and kitchen utensils, but two of my favorite pieces are the springerle rolling pins I inherited. As for dishes... I love old dishes and always have.
Our everyday dishes are blue willow and for "good" we have
Royal Tonquin in the dark pink/red. I found 18 pcs of this pattern at a flea market for 9.00 and said this is for me! The pattern has a victorian house, a large flower urn, sailboat in the background and the family walking across the lawn in all their finery on some pieces.So the collection began but it became VERY collectible( and expensive...) so now I just get pieces for holidays
and once in a while from hub or mother in law. But we have enough to mix and match with another pattern that maybe some of you know "rosepoint"? It's creamy white with a raised rose pattern garland at the rim and there is a tiny cluster of wildflowers in the middle. My Gram called these WOOLWORTH dishes? I love them and use them too because she left me a service for 25! I don't have a dishwasher (growl) but couldn't put them in anyway! Bramble
with a happy heart |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Oct 14 2004 : 8:52:42 PM
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I wouldn't have put my dishes in the dishwasher for years and years and then didn't have one (dishwasher for more years and years) now I only will put the chipped ones (the ones we use the most..they are on the tops of the two big stacks of dinner plates in the hutch) in it. Then I wouldn't be so upset if it hurt them..so far no problem.
I love the rosepoint pattern Bramble! So pretty! My grandma had some too...my sis must have ended up with those.
Jenny in Utah
Bloom where you are planted! |
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bramble
True Blue Farmgirl
2044 Posts
2044 Posts |
Posted - Oct 15 2004 : 07:17:14 AM
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Jenny! Something about your mention of Colonial Homestead made me look them up because they sounded familiar. We had these dishes while I was in elementary school. You could buy them with S&H Green stamps!
You collected the stamps from the supermarket, gas station, etc then pasted them into redemption books. It was my job to keep track of the books and calculate what we needed for our next purchase.(Clever Mom !I was practicing Math and having a great time doing it!) I still have a candle stand we got from there!Thanks for another trip down memory lane! No one else I know talks about (or cares about all this old stuff and I JUST LOVE IT! Thanks Farmgirls! Bramble
with a happy heart |
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Eileen
True Blue Farmgirl
1199 Posts
Eileen
USA
1199 Posts |
Posted - Oct 15 2004 : 09:00:55 AM
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I grew up with Melmack and aluminum colorful glasses that you see in all the retro catalogues. Also jelly jar glasses for juice. Never wanted to see them again and after marriage started a collection of Noritake progression china for everyday called Blue Moon. About 15 years ago when I decided to replace all the broken cereal and soup bowls I found out that the pattern had been discontinued. I was so bummed.We decided to get a new set of dishes instead so bought Phalsgraff (sp) Folk Art. I asked if there was any chance of it being discontinued in the near future and the clerk told me that it was an old staple and would never be discontinued! About a year later we got a notice that it was being discontinued arrgh! We bout as many extra pieces as we could afford to round out our collection but I find that we break them much more easily or chip them. I still have the noritake set in the china hutch and am about to get it out and start to use it again. I find it odd that I never find any of it in the thrift stores or goodwill. So many other great pieces end up there that I was sure I might find some now and then. There is a place on line that I was told about where I could go for pieces of discontinued china but when I went to look at the prices they were more expensive than when they were new. Go figure! When I figured out how much my set with all the missing pieces was worth I was astounded to find that the value was more than $2,000.00! No wonder they never find their way to the thrift store.
I too have a lovely old pototoe masher that I love. The canning jar is a great idea I will have to try out. I am not supposed to eat potatoes but my hubby loves them.
The pieces that I have from my mother and grandmother all came from Ireland and are Haviland china. A couple of lovely cookie plates and serving dishes that don't match anything I have but get used for holidays and birthdays anyway. I also have and love several tea cups with saucers. Soooo beautiful. From my mother in law I have quantities of hand crochet lace tablecloths and doilies, chair sets and also depression glass pieces that I love to use along with the china at holidays.
One year I got a bug to collect those old frenchfrie cutters, you know the ones that hang on the wall and you push a pototoe through and they come out all presliced for fries. Well I found 3, one with a red handle and cuts thin fries, one with a green handle that cuts thicker fries and another that is a different shape with two handles that work in a scissor fashion that cuts a medium fry. They remind me of sleds when sitting on a table so I use them to display dolls or teddybears. The scissors one looks like a directors chair so I have a teddy bear sitting on it to. Fun old stuff.
Eileen
songbird |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Oct 15 2004 : 09:17:04 AM
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Bramble....I do remember green stamps. My mom collected blue chip stamps instead...I think they were just given out where I grew up more. I remember going to the redemption store to get something when we had enough....our bathroom scale and our first blender...things like that. I think more of the colonial homestead dishes ended up in eastern states..they were very hard to find in Calif and I could easily find them on Ebay (before I had to quit looking ...cold turkey) and they most all came from the east. I love all the memories brought up on this thread!
Eileen..I have a french fry cutter like that too..the green handled one that cuts the thicker fries....I should use it more.
Jenny in Utah
Bloom where you are planted! |
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Farm Kitchen: old dishes |
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old dishes
