Apollo Ware Melmac Dinnerware Alexander Barna

I had to hurry up and tell you about this amazing item being offered at (Markus Data) Dee Dee's Retro Corner on Etsy.  Dee Dee has has come across this fabulous mint in box snack set of melmac cups and snack trays in Apollo Ware.  Clearly designer by Alexander Barna.  First let me start by saying it appears the original price was $4..49--probably back when gas was 15 cents a gallon.  It is now being offered at  $45--right in line with $3.60 in gas I paid at the pump the other day.

What is amazing is that the cups claim to be "dishwasher safe, chip resistant, break resistant" and have a "2 year guarantee."  A far cry from when melmac first came out.  When the big bulky hunks of melmac dishes circa 1948-1952  was going on melmac was said to be "unbreakable" and carried up to a ten year warranty. I guess over time the composition of the melmac changed, and the manufacturers wised up.

Alexander Barna was the designer. Now I've done a lot of research on him but fallen short. There was a designer of all things from Hungary originally named Sandor Barna but legally changed his name to Alexander. He has ties to St Louis but I have yet to confirm or deny this indeed was the melmac man.   I do know that the Apollo Ware line is something I don't see that often, and sure as heck never see it in it's original box.  Some mid century modern melamine dinnerware lover is really going to love this.