16 October 1957 “Halloween Magazine Ads & A Sunny Sunday”

It is a lovely sunny Sunday here in New England and we are going to be biking into town with friends today. We will have our meander along the canal and the boardwalk. We will putter about town, stopping at the Mill Pond, feeding swans or watching fish. It is a good day for it and we will end, no doubt, with some spiked apple cider by the outdoor fire pit on the terrace.  A good day all round, I hope.

So, to continue yesterday’s Halloween theme, I thought I would share some fun Halloween Candy adverts from Life magazines through the 1950s.

I remember double bubble even in the 1970’s and 80’s and also getting Pal gum in my Halloween sack.

Of course everyone loves candy bars:

Even Father got in on the act, as shown in this Dutch Masters Cigar ad.

And why not a cold glass of Hawaiian Punch before you head out for tricks n treats.

And here is what Halloween candy would cost in 1951.

I hope all have a lovely day and Happy Homemaking.

14 October 1957 “Halloween Songs”

  This probably won’t be my only Halloween post, as I think it such a fun and kitschy holiday. It is definitely one of the times, as well as Christmas, that I wish I had a little one to dress up and entertain.

Though there are many Christmas songs, there are actually a few vintage Halloween songs as well. I love this number from the 1950 movie My Blue Heaven starring  Betty Grable, Dan Dailey, Jane Wyatt, David Wayne and Mitzi Gaynor and directed by Henry Koster. Though it is not a Halloween movie, there is a wonderful Halloween number and song. It it is at minute 2:15 in the following clip.

 

If you would like to watch this move entirely you can watch it HERE at the Apron TV. (If it doesn’t load, go to Classic Movies, click load more and it is the last move listed in 13 parts. Enjoy it!)

Here is a great number from 1965 from the King Sisters. I love how the opening is a play on Alfred Hitchcock.

Here is something rather fun. Someone owns a vintage 1949 children’s filmstrip on Halloween that would have been shown in school. It is read by the owner so might be enjoyable for a child to watch.

Here is a fun song, Punky Pumpkin, sung here by Fran Allison with some fun images of vintage Halloween decorations and ephemera.

Here is a little ditty called “ Trick ‘r Treat”

Here is “Midnight Stroll” by the Re-vels

And I will close here with this wonderful 1922 Betty Boop cartoon about Halloween.

How many of you decorate for Halloween? Do you make homemade costumes or buy traditional costumes such a ghost, witch, hobo, for your children or do they dress up like modern cartoon or TV characters?

Happy Homemaking.

12 October 1957 “The Perception of Safety and the Rose Colored Glass: Then and Now”

I thought today I would answer and discuss a comment left on my last post, which read:

The world really is not "scarier" than it used to be. It is just that It is just that people hear more stories now due to radio, TV and computer coverage. You could scare yourself witless if you expose yourself to too much media coverage. There were just as many perverts, rapists, murderers, etc in the 1950s as there are now, the coverage was just more limited. There were more alcoholics, unemployed and homeless families because there was no welfare. Don't think that the 1950s were all rosy and fun just because the "Leave it to Beaver" and "Donna Reed" show show them as such. The prisons were still full and people were on death row.

First off, I just want to say, as I have said MANY times before, I never want to be seen as simply saying “It was great then and bad now”. If anything my project over these past years have been to see how it Truly was and to sometimes compare and contrast it to today. I know there were many bad things back then, but what I find odd is how quickly people spout out statistics which have no grounding. It is as if we simply believe the view of the 1950’s we have been fed by the media. One might simply say, “Why in the 1950’s we all wore poodle skirts, went to sock hops, liked IKE, and loved segregation”. Which would be a far cry from the reality.

Whenever I write a post simply celebrating something like ‘Leave it to Beaver’ it is to celebrate that moment. That show. Even then, there were many households that did not resemble Beaver’s, surely. But in many cases those whose didn’t actually found some joy in for 24 minutes a week  living at Beaver's via the television. And in some ways, it was entertaining but also set a bar for parents to be considerate to one another, respect each other’s chosen roles and to also consider their children and to teach them that actions have consequences. Something I honestly DO believe is little taught today. I know, myself, having never had such basic common sense skills taught at school when I attended. Later, however, I was homeschooled and learned those things by the actions of my parents.

One thing I often believed before I started my project was what the Anon commenter said, “it is safer today but you simply hear more stories today because of the media”. I believed this too and even now believe that the ‘media’ simply creates drama to maintain a 24 hour news cycle. But it is NOT true that we had More or the same amount of crime in the 1950’s as we have today. For one we have even more Laws now so by that mere fact many more would simply be breaking them.

But, lets look at some actual numbers:

The homicide rate per 100,00o as per FBI reports were as follows:

• 1957   4.0
• 1967   6.2
• 1977  8.8
• 1987  8.3
• 1997  6.8
• 2007 5.9

So, we can see that the crime of homicide has gone up quite a bit and now back down again. However, it is still quite true that in 1957 there were LESS homicides, or that type of crime.

 

There is also a general belief today that our country’s moral values (And these do not have to be religo-centric) have declined. Here is an interesting fact:

A new cultural values survey of 2,000 American adults, given by the Culture and Media Institute, finds that 74 percent of all Americans believe that our nation is in a moral decline. Interestingly enough, 64 percent of those surveyed felt that the news and entertainment media are a major influence in that decline.

And here is an interesting article someone wrote concerning that HERE.

Now the question of people in prisons. My commenter said “ The prisons were still full and people were on death row.” This, of course, is true. There were full prisons and there was (and still is) death row. However the number of prisons and prisoners has escalated SO much since the 1950’s that currently we as a country hold 25% of the world's prison population, but only 5% of the world's people.

“From less than 300,000 inmates in 1972, the jail population grew to 2 million by the year 2000. In 1990 it was one million. Ten years ago there were only five private prisons in the country, with a population of 2,000 inmates; now, there are 100, with 62,000 inmates. It is expected that by the coming decade, the number will hit 360,000, according to reports.”

Today, like many other aspects of our life, the prison system has become incorporated. They are, in fact, a money making business. And what is needed to increase these business? Criminals.

An interesting thing to point out is our difference with China. Now China, for many years, has been Communist. Today they are more a Capitalist/Communist hybrid, but one could say they definitely hold a power over their people. We have one half million MORE prisoners than China, which has a population five times greater than the U.S. That is not adjusted for population but with literal numbers we have a greater number of people in prisons today than China does though her population is five times greater! Now, this is really a case for some other sad states of our country that I don’t want to get into, but the point being that there are MANY MORE in prison today and many more prisons today.

In the 1950s, there were about 23,000 people in federal prison and 186,000 in state prison. Americans were therefore concerned about the number of people in prison and the seemingly exponential growth of crime during this decade. This number has increased over the last 60 years; as of 2011, there are 208,118 people in federal prison and approximately 1.4 million people in state prison.

Even when we look at the difference in population from then and now we can see there are many more people in prison today.

US population 1957:  171,984,130

US population today:   307,745,538

The next aspect I want to discuss is this statement; “There were more alcoholics, unemployed and homeless families because there was no welfare.”

Let’s start with Alcoholism:

Alcoholism as viewed as a ‘disease’ began in 1935 in a small way. It was not accepted as such until 1956 when,

“the World Health Organization formally declared its support and provided a definition of ‘alcoholism’ which noted that alcoholics were excessive drinkers, dependent on alcohol to the extent that they suffered noticeable mental disturbance or interference with bodily or mental health, interpersonal relations, and economic functioning. They were people who required treatment.”

I think it is plainly obvious that today’s endless media and advertising certainly increases one’s chance of ‘getting into’ alcohol at an early age.

There are endless ads on TV promoting drinking and children watch TV. Many parents today and teens wear and collect liquor emblem products. Children see and are influenced by such things. It is a fact that the number of alcohol ads and the complete non-existence of ‘merch’  such as printed t-shirts, promotional toys and the like did not exist in the 1950’s.

Much of the ‘illegal’ drinking today does happen while under age.

Approximately 12.5 million underage teens drink each year. In 2005, according to self-reports by United States students in grades 9-12:

• 74% had at least one drink of alcohol on one or more days during their life
• 26% had their first drink of alcohol, other than a few sips, before age 13
• 43% had at least one drink of alcohol on one or more occasion in the past 30 days
• 26% had five or more drinks of alcohol in a row (i.e. binge drinking) in the past 30 days.
• 4% had at least one drink of alcohol on school property on one or more of the past 30 days

In 2005, underage teen drinking consumed 15 percent of all alcohol sold in the United States, totaling $19.8 billion in sales.

Although teens and young adults between 16 and 24 years old comprise only 20 percent of the total licensed population; they cause 42 percent of all fatal alcohol related crashes.

We are often given the image, thanks to shows like Mad Men, that in the 50’s and early 60’s people were drinking all day long never ceasing cocktail hour. This, again, is simply Hollywood's way of saying, “Oh, it was cool back then, but boy are we smarter today”. But, the reality is that though more youthful drinking may have started in the 1950’s with the increase of time and leisure the previous generations didn’t have, there was still less access to crave it through advertising. Here is an interesting 1958 Educational Video teaching the young kids the danger of Alcohol.

 

Let’s look at unemployment next. The unemployment rate in the 1950’s was under 3%. We are currently close to 9% according to the U.S. Department of Labor: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

And I thought many new that the ‘welfare state’ came out of the Great Depression of the 1930’s with the start of Social Security for the elderly. The amount and ready availability of Social Security and such aid simply did not exist in 1950’s as it does today.

In his first State of the Union address after Kennedy’s assassination, President Johnson declared war on poverty, and launched his "Great Society" program. Between 1964 and 1975, total real outlays for means-tested assistance (medical, housing, food and cash) rose nearly 400 percent. Between 1960 and 1973, real spending on federal, state and local AFDC soared over 400 percent.

Medicare, Medicaid and other health care programs represented windfall profits for hospitals, doctors and health care providers, and their lobbyists made sure that these welfare programs were well-funded. Since 1975, this has been the only type of welfare that has enjoyed dramatic growth. Between 1975 and 1992, Medicare and Medicaid outlays more than tripled in real dollars

There was also a social taboo against welfare in the 1950’s. It is true one would feel ashamed to be on assistance. Many who were forced through hard times to take it worked hard to get off of it. This of course was easier as I stated earlier, unemployment was well below 3% (less than half of today’s) so it could be done.

There are many things to consider when we say one time is ‘better’ than another. Even the concept of ‘better’ must be considered. Better for whom, really. But, when I mostly deal with the middle class American experience as the main tenet of my project, that is the framework from which I view my own study. I am also simply a Blogger. I am not an educator nor do I ever claim to be the fount of all truth.

I have found, however, over the past three years in my OWN experience in my own class, that the 1950’s in many ways, was a safer, friendlier, better employed, more local business, downtown growth time. Certainly, if you were an African American living in Georgia in 1950’s you were not happy. But, let us not forget it was the 1950’s that lead to the free movements in the south for the African Americans. This year, 1957, the first blacks were allowed to go to white schools. It caused a great uproar in the south, but it was done in the decade of the 1950s.

So, again, I never want anyone who reads this to think that I think that 1950s=good today=bad. That has never been my intent. I do believe, however, that since the 1950s (and certainly due to many of the laws and actions of the 1950s) we currently live in a state of less freedom than we might have had. We have to spend more of the same dollar due to rampant inflation, our inability to be a one income family is apparent in that. There is more ‘in your face’ rudeness and atitude largely, I believe, to the portrayal of such norms in media as a means to seperate and segreate us into easily advertised to numbers. We are actually viewed as segments such as Males between 16-35 as a type to be advertised and sold to. That is a state, regardless of the date and year on the calendar, that I think we would all do well to evaluate and consider.

I, however, will continue to go on sharing and expressing findings and likes from the 1950’s. It was such a unique time in our history as well as the history of the world. It represents to me, much as industrialization did to modern life changes, that moment in time when our neo-modernity was born. The time of the media was very much incubated in the 1950’s post war boom.

I hope all of you continue to enjoy my silly little posts and continue to also question me, as did this anonymous reader, as I often find it a good way to lead to discussion and research of facts. IT would be a rather bland community if we all agreed with one another, wouldn’t it? And discussion is the base of good community. Rather we are chatting with a cuppa over the garden gate, or a text fest on our mobile phones, conversation will continue to exist with the human animal. And in my own way, here on this site, I have come to truly enjoy it with all of you.

Happy Homemaking.

Now, let’s close with Frankie Lymon telling us he (and other mid century teens) are NOT juvenile delinquents.

 

 

9 October 1957 “Leave it to Beaver Premiers”

Leave it to Beaver was premiered this month on the 4th here in 1957. The show was created by the writers Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher, who were both veterans of radio and early television. Leave it to Beaver was one of the first shows where in the plot was driven from the children’s point of view.

Leave it to Beaver has always had a special place in the hearts of those who either look fondly back at a time they recall or for those of us who, though never having been there, are inexplicably drawn to it. Certainly, one could argue this show was as accurate to everyday middle class life as any TV show, which is not very close. But, what is quite interesting is that this show is and was both entertaining and also very educational in learning of common sense and good human interaction. The children would often face situations where they would be drawn to try the easy way or the more exciting way, but if it lead to bad decisions or ill treatment of others, they eventually learned their mistakes with consequences from their parents.

It was also interesting that June and Ward, the parents, would often discuss and sometimes not agree on the ways to teach or punish or encourage their children, much like parents often and still do. In a way this show would be a great teaching guide for the masses of youth who are today mostly raised by TV/Computer and over crowded day care: That there are consequences for one’s actions, we should always think of others and of results BEFORE we act, and others feelings are as important as our own. Somewhere along the line, the need to satiate children into believing that they are the most important and special thing in the world over all others. The idea that we have value is a good lesson, but that others also are of equal import and should be considered as well as ourselves seems to be a main element missing in the modern children/TV programming.

Here is the house the Cleavers lived on in the first two seasons. It was meant to be on Mapleton Dr. I always thought it was rather an odd flat roofed affair. The little dog house dormers do make it more interesting and I like the front port has two facing bench seats.

This is the house they ‘moved’ to for the last four seasons. This image is from the 80’s but shows it pretty much as it looked then. I have to say, I rather appreciate the way it looks today.  They beefed up the trim work, added a garage with dormers and a side porch and added side lights (the long windows next the door) and a transom (the window over the door) which gives it a much more colonial look. Especially the larger multi-paned window to the left of the door which would have been Ward’s office has a much more Colonial look. Although, I do believe the garage was there during the filming of Beaver.

Here is the first episode of Leave it to Beaver, aired on  4 October 1957. You can watch the entire episode on APRON TV under Classic TV. It is in 3 parts. 

Concerning lessons learned from this show, I think this episode from the final season when Eddie Haskell gets a credit card is so telling of what is to come to our economy and way of thinking. We ALL could learn a lesson from this episode. It can be watched HERE on TV land. I couldn’t find it on YouTube, but the entire episode is available just follow the link.

And just for fun, I found this great link HERE where in someone has taken the time to post pictures from each episode. It is an interesting way to view it, rather like looking through an old photo album of old friends or a remembered and treasured childhood, it is work a look.

Today I am off celebrating a friends birthday. We will be biking with a picnic, going into town later for bowling and dinner. It should be fun and the New England weather is giving us a lovely Indian Summer day of sunny weather in the low 80’s. I hope all have a wonderful day and Happy Homemaking.

7 October 1957 “Touching Base with Tenant Troubles”

I have had something come up with our rental property again. The ice box (which we cleaned many times) still has a wretched smell and the tenants are saying it is not useable. As we do not want to spend unnecessarily, I am trying to get our fridge ready to take to them. And then we have to make do with a smaller back up one. Rather boring story with no real point other than to say, it is taking me out and about and I want to at least touch base with all of you. I am determined, however, to make lemonade out of these lemons and we shall see what I can whip up as a new layout for my kitchen with the large fridge gone.

I am happy to see the Forum is starting to get its steam up already. Any of you who have not stopped by, why not give it a try and say hello. I do hope all will have a lovely weekend.

Happy Homemaking.

4 October 1957 “There is Nothing Like a Bath”

 

“A hasty plash and dash may do a surface job of cleaning. But it’s time to revive the ancient art of bathing as one of life’s greatest satisfactions”

This article from a 1955 magazine of mine exclaims that in America (at the time) there were thirty million bathtubs and a number of ‘uncounted’ showers.

Though daily bathing as a norm then, in 1955, many older people most likely still had a sink wash daily and a bath/shower on Saturday. For most people, including my age group, in the 1950’s daily showering may have been the norm. Though washing one’s hair was a one time a week occurance for women. It is for me, today as well. I usually wash and set my hair on Friday’s. Other day’s my hair is protected by a shower cap.

This article goes on to mention that even those still using a bathtub as a means of cleansing oneself, the ‘art of the bath’ was something altogether. I have to say I agree.

Bathing has meant, for past civilizations, something quite important. The Greek word for ‘bathe’ meant: “ to drive sadness form the mind” and the Japanese call bathing “the washing of life.”

Ancient Romans baths, called thermae, were a social affair. Even the walls of their baths were rubbed and anointed with oils to herbs to give off scents.

The 18th century well to do enjoyed slipper of chaise longue shaped baths, filled by servants carrying gallons of hot water up flights of stairs to their boudoir, usually placed before a fire.

Benjamin Franklin brought the first bathtub here from Europe, but the United States colder climate and ill conceived plumbing did not see actual baths prevalent until the late 19th century with the advent of the shower and enameled baths.

This was probably a scene my fictional 1957 me would have been told of by my grandmother who would have been familiar with the odd boiler cranking away coal or wood fire to heat the bath.

Here is a list of 1950’s relaxing bath tips:

Here are some fun to make homemade luxury bath recipes

Ginger Cinnamon-Salt Body Scrub by "AJ"
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup almond oil or olive oil
Mix all ingredients together, then gently rub over your damp skin (except your face) to slough off dry skin. Rinse with warm water. Save remaining product in a wide mouth jar for easy use later.
Oatmeal & Brown Sugar Scrub
Exfoliates and is very moisturizing but doesn't leave a greasy feeling. Before you turn off your shower scoop a small handful of scrub into your hand. Rub gently onto your skin. Rinse.
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup ground oatmeal (not instant)
1/4 cup pure honey
3/4 to 1 cup (or to total saturation)
Oil of choice - I use Jojoba, Grape seed or Sweet Almond
1/4 tsp Essential or Fragrance oil of choice (optional) Vanilla works nicely. Though this smells great on it's own.
Mix the brown sugar & oatmeal together in a large bowl. Now add the honey. Drizzle the oil over the mix. Mix well. When all your mix is saturated and sinks to the bottom of the bowl and you have oil on top you're done. Add your essential oil or fragrance oil. A six or eight ounce wide-mouthed jar works nicely. Spoon mixture in.
Almond and Bran Scrub:
1/2 cup very finely ground almonds
1/2 cup coarse wheat bran
*1 cup hot green tea
10 drops lavender essential oil
Mix the almonds and bran. Add the tea; stir until the mixture forms a smooth paste. Cool just to body temperature. Add the lavender essential oil, thoroughly blending the mixture. Use this scrub as often as once a week.
* Green Tea is for toning and a oily buildup.

I currently have a smaller bath tub. I appreciate and enjoy the water in the summer and am often in a pool or the ocean as much as possible. Come the long winter months, I crave a good hot bath, but our tub is so small that I rarely enjoy it. I am planning, some day, to install a large claw-foot in our bedroom. I once saw a bedroom with a tub installed in the room in front of a fire and thought it a luxury that also made sense in that one would not have the expense of adding an entire new bathroom and also needing the space to find for the bathroom.

How many of you enjoy a good tub?

Happy Homemaking.

3 October 1957 “New Forum: Vintage Living, Modern Coffee Klatch”

As many of you know, I have had various attempts with our Forum. At one point, it was a wonderful place where we had such lively discussions and great debate. We shared recipes, ideas, asked and answered questions and really had some wonderful topics. All the while I was very impressed and happy how well we all got along even when we were on polar sides of a discussion. It felt very much like a place of friends. A virtual Coffee Klatch with neighbors around the kitchen table or over the garden fence with a cuppa and a good chin wag.

After our Forum began to grow in numbers it somehow became prey to Spammers and Bots. Rather like the town gossips, perhaps, who spoilt it all with unsavory discussions and odd behavior. Not understanding how to eliminate these predators to our quite little community, I had some help. However, this resulted in an inability to keep up with new members wanting to join coupled with my own misunderstanding as to how to accept said new members.

I have, therefore, been wanting to address the forum for some time. Well, after many attempts of frustration and pulling out my hair trying to understand PHPBB, I finally found a very good service that now hosts Forums. This is a new concept (long needed I might add) and I have decided to go that route. It means, however, all our wonderful back log of information is not going to be on it immediately. What I plan to do is attempt to cut and past our old information into the new Forum once we see how much interest we get in the new one.

I have laid it out now with simply three main categories of Meet and Greet, Homemaking, and Vintage Lifestyle. Then within those categories I have made some initial sub-categories such as recipes, Schedules lists, vintage dressing and so on. We can add to this as we go, but I think the format will be easier for us to control. I have had to pay for the service, but am willing to pay a small monthly amount to get back our wonderful chat area. We shall see if it is worth it in time based on how much we all use it.

If I understand it correctly, one can simply go to it and sign in. There is no need, at present, to be given a permission. If it comes to needing it again, I think this site will allow me to better understand how to go about giving said permissions. For now it should be open to all and ready to start a new. I hope you will all at least stop by and give a “hello” or even post and share to get our community back up and running. Though it doesn’t look like much right now, it could become another great part of this site and our community.

I have been doing much thinking lately about my online time and life. Realizing that much of what I hold dear in the Vintage world actually can and does live happily side by side with this technology. Right now we are living at a time when we can group together like minded folk to form a neighborhood and organization of a type, despite our geographical locations. This is, in many ways, the answer to the new real ‘small community’ and ‘small town or village life’. I think much of the modern world has become so homogenous and so over burdened by the bland corporate experience of the everyday, that the internet is a sort of new frontier for we to explore and make it what we wish it to be, at least our own little corner of it. In a way it is much like the New World or the Old West once was, unchartered territory for us to take and shape as we like. I hope you shall join me there and help carve out our new improved Vintage inspired online life.

I have linked up the new Forum with the above Forum button, so that should take you there. You can also simply click HERE to go and give it a try.

Now, as it is a new place to go and we have always been good in the past with our etiquette and behavior, I thought it fitting to close with this educational film on Office courtesy & etiquette from 1953. Enjoy and DO stop by the Forum and let me know if it is worth our time to build it up.

Happy Homemaking.

2 October 1957 “Blue Heaven: Collecting Anchor Hocking & Vintage China Mix n Match”

We had a power outage yesterday, the 1st, so both 1 & 2 October are posted today, thank you.

As many of you know, my everyday dishes are the lovely Temporama set I received as a gift on the Christmas the week before I began my 1955 project. Not only do I love their pattern, strength (easy in the dishwasher), and style, but they will always have a special place in my heart. In those timid beginnings in my project way back then, when I would find myself frazzled, apron-stained with various burnt offerings for Hubby’s initial 1950’s breakfasts, the joy of coming into the dinning room of a morning and seeing my lovely blue and white china on a pressed linen table cloth really helped me to move forward. I still contend that a clean pressed table cloth set with lovely dishes or an open cabinet of clean dishes in the kitchen far outweigh the strength of Prozac. At least for me, they did and still do.

There is something about rows of coordinated china that has always got me. It doesn't have to be all the same pattern but I keep my small growing collection with a base color of whites and creams and mostly blue detail.

Here is one of the cabinets in my kitchen displaying my Temporama and some of my Pyrex in the Amish Rooster pattern.

For coffee cups, when we are not using the cup and saucers of my Temporama, I use the standard white anchor hocking fire king coffee mug. These mugs come in a vast variety of shapes and patterns and were once even used at Mcdonald’s, possibly as a promotion.

Concerning the size of these, our basic morning coffee mugs, they are definitely a 1950’s measurement. These coffee cups hold exactly one cup or 8 oz. straight up to the brim. While, if you compare it to a modern coffee mug, as I have done here with an old IKEA mug I have, you can see the vast difference in size. The modern mug is exactly twice the size holding 16 oz. We do drink and eat more today merely by the larger size of our plates, bowls and cups, considering one hot chocolate, say, in a modern mug would be two cups of hot chocolate from the ‘old days’.

Now, another collection of which I have a few pieces, is Royal China, “Blue Heaven” pattern. Here you can see a collection in this Flickr group. I have a bowl, some serving plates, the salt, pepper, and creamer pitcher. It blends very nicely with the Temporama design. Here is the stamp from the bottom of one of my bowls. You can see it was then made in the USA in Sebring Ohio. The company was bought a few times, finally by Coca-Cola and then disappeared.

Now, Anchor hocking and fireking, which is the company who produced my small white mugs, also did a run of products with the Blue Heaven design. The other day, at our local antique shop, I found a set of six soup bowls in the white fireking with the Blue Heaven pattern stamped in the bottom. Here is one of the new bowls on the left with one of my plain berry bowls and mug.

Here you can see in this individuals Flickr set, that my plain white mugs can be found with the Blue Heaven stamp, the center is the soup bowl (as I found) and you can see berry bowls with a darling scalloped edge. There are also varying sizes of casserole dishes in this pattern, such as this And even darling little individual casseroles that I would love to won one day, like this: These would be great to serve French Onion soup or little individual servings of baked scallops at a summer dinner party alfresco.

  They even have drinking, low ball and other size glassware printed with the Blue Heaven pattern. I would love to get a set of these for our bar.

  Another pattern of which I have no pieces but would like to add to my dishes collection, is the Swiss Chalet (also called Apline)  pattern. This was  manufactured by the Stetson Pottery Company in Lincoln, Illinois and by Marcrest china (Where it was called Swiss Alpine) This is circa 1960.

Here we see the actual china cup and saucer. And here a Fireking mug stamped with their interpretation of the pattern. It seems Fireking/ Anchor Hocking often did such deals with various china patterns. This allowed one to get the get baking quality casseroles, sturdy mugs, and wonderful mixing bows of the Anchor Hocking company and still coordinate with their dish pattern.

A little about the Anchor Hocking (which produces Fireking as one of their product line). Anchor Hocking Glass Corporation  was founded in 1905 by Isaac Jacob Collins.  That company merged with the AnchorCap and Closure Corporations in 1937. Anchor Hocking is primarily located in Lancaster, Ohio. (Plant #44 is located in Monaca, Pennsylvania.) The first glassware they produced as the Anchor Hocking Glass Company was Royal Ruby in 1939.

They were sponsored by the well known radio program, “Casey, Crime Photographer”. I have a few of these episodes on Apron Tv  and here, in part 1, you can hear the radio announcer at the beginning mention the Anchor Hocking company. (Go to the Apron TV link to hear part 2 and more episodes).

So, one can have, without spending much money, a lovely set of dishes. And rather than amass an endless collection of random dishes from here and there or continue to buy ill made modern pieces, you can really have a nice set of dishes. Such patterns as can be found in these old style dishes can really make a difference to a kitchen redo. Some paint (coordinated to your choice of china pattern) and some contrasting or complimentary color as an accent and you can make your kitchen feel brand new without having to spend money on new cabinets or appliances. And in these tight money times, we still want to feel our homes are special but not spend an arm and a leg to do so.

What are your favorite patterns of vintage dishes/china?

Happy Homemaking.

There will be no Vintage News this week, as I have another project I hope to get out to you this week instead, so stay tuned.

1 October 1957 “Wash Day Helpers”

this was meant to be posted yesterday, but we had power outages and internet loss, so both 1 & 2 are posted today, Thank you.

Here are some fun helping hints from my vintage magazines.

I believe the ‘plastic starch’ they refer to in this hint is actually the liquid starch still available today. If added to laundry and then clothes simply dried until damp, ironing activates the starch and it will last into a few washes.

• to reduce static cling, simply add baking soda, borax or 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle.
• to whiten laundry add 1/2 cup of 20 Mule Team Borax or Arm & Hammer Washing Soda to the wash cycle.
• for extra greasy stains simply add a bottle of Coca-Cola to the wash cycle. Wash as usual.

Enjoy and Happy Homemaking!

30 September 1957 “Ultra Vintage with Potted and Pressed Beef”

To me, Vintage isn’t always red lipstick and girdles. Though I obviously have an affinity for the middle of the last century, I have always loved earlier times as well. The other day, when I was feeling a bit peevish, I found myself day dreaming over my 1908 homemaker’s manual and old pre WWI Country Life magazines.

I have often found solace in the late Victorian and Edwardian periods. I am not sure why, perhaps it is simply my ability to romanticize which leaves such a time ripe with possibilities. I also, from an historical standpoint, find it fascinating that prior to Industrialization, the civilized world changed very little. Grandparents and grandchildren knew horse and foot travel, lights of candles and clothes sewn only by hand. Then after the Railroads and Industry spread, the Victorians were the first real ‘modern’ people. Traveling with times tables on trains. Motor cars were arriving and more roadways. True, by today’s standards they are antique, but in many ways they would have seemed as modern and alien to those in the 17th century as are we. But, I digress.

  I found some interesting preservation techniques for potted meat that I think I shall actually try. I will share with you the results. It will give it about a month after I have prepared it, however, to see how it is holding up. Checking for mold and the like, because any way we could  make our own preserved food to use later, it is cheaper and better quality than canned foods and we know what goes into it.

1911, pre World Wars and even Pre Titanic, is beginning to see fashion really take a turn. The lady of fashion has greatly changed her overall sillohuete from just five years previous. The line is becoming smoother. The waist is being raised, much like the Regency period, and hats are beginning to shrink a bit. This smoother line and raised hemline will culminate in the dreaded ‘hobble skirt’ which literally restricted walking. Interesting to note, however, is in this postcard depicting the current fad, doesn’t the young lady actually have the beginnings of the sexy hourglass shape of the later 1950’s early 60’s associated with Marilyn an such?

Of course the average middle class woman is going to look more cohesive to her 5 year predecessor with the standard waist and fuller skirt and blowsier top, not unlike Queen Mary and her ladies here in 1911. The royals often taking a more sensible approach and of course much copied by the middle class. While the du monde were the ladies of the upper classes.

I will show images of my pressed and potted beef when I prepare it. Do any of you think you would ever try such an endeavor? Would you be more like to do so if the attempt is a success with me? I just love finding new ways to make and keep things handy that are more natural and less chemical. I also feel a bit more empowered when I garner a skill lost.

Happy Homemaking.