SOCIAL MEDIA

Sign up to follow this blog:

Sweet Goodness! You've Visited My Blog Over 1.2 Million Times and Counting! Thanks!

If you are looking to see how much your melmac is worth, you can read this post. I am sorry that I cannot answer all of your questions - but if you look hard enough on this blog, I think you will find most of your questions answered.
Friday, March 29, 2013

Nylex Bessmer Australia Kitchen Designs

aussie kitchen double egg cup on etsy hobartcollectables
Hello, look at this, a double egg cup by Bessmer sold at Hobart Collectables on Etsy
Australian Kitchen Wares and Designs 

Who can argue that other countries sure have a great view on design? I really love the designs that are found coming out of Australia, by Nylex Corporation --- who mainly used melmac in their Bessemer line. Their designs are funky, mid century modern styled, and over the top.

Bessemer Melmac
Bessemer Plastics by Nylex: Made in Australia!  Photo: HobartCollectables on Etsy
The Legend of Nylex

Nylex Plastics employed so many people in Australia back in the day. My research indicates struggling with unions and rising costs of assembly, the company was destined for final failure in 2009. What most people do not know, is the company was known for it's gorgeous melamine, but also it's beloved coolers, which had the brand name of Esky. (Ironically nicknamed after Eskimos.)

When the company went into financial failure in 2009, Coleman actually bought out the product line.  Aside from the beloved coolers, and tons of lost jobs and industry, the major news stories were all fights over preserving the iconic sign (below) . Perhaps the rest of Nylex, someday, will be forgotten history.


Nylex Plastics Sign Credit: Vincent Quach (Invincible)
Nylex Iconic Sign Credit: Vincent Quach (Invincible)

Collecting Bessemer

Assembling a collection of Bessemer may be difficult if you aren't in Australia,  as you would have to purchase most from overseas collectors. The problem being the monetary conversion and shipping may be hefty getting this into the states. The final result would be so very worth it however, as Bessemer's designers had a knack for making these great kitchen ideas!

Bessemer Steak Plate Etsy from Destination Vintage Oz
DestinationVintageOz on Etsy offers this melmac steak plate / platter by Bessemer!
It's my opinion that Bessemer would be rare to find here in the States, unless it was coveted as a gift or souvenir, or people who have moved from Australia and bought it with them.

Assembling a full collection may be hard. Since it was primarily known for sugars, creamers, platters, trays, and pitchers, a good sized design worthy shelf in your home would be able to house the best in mid century modern kitchen designs.


Bessemer from etsy shop NostalgiaBloom
Bessemer Butter Dish and Sugar Bowl in Pretty White by NostalgiaBloom on Etsy
As for the designers; This great post by Ian Wong shows who designed for Bessemer   at least the chief designer being Lionel Suttie ..Share your Bessemer stories below!
bessemer melmac from nostalgia bloom on etsy
Also from Nostalgia Bloom (above) on Etsy. These come apart!

Related Reading:

All Bessemer.
Saturday, December 3, 2011

Bessemer Modern Australian Melmac Made in Australia

FoxandThomas offers this straight from Austrailia!
I love the designs of Mod Australian Bessemer.  This was a line of plastics and melamine items produced there but much of it landed in the states.  I am completely unsure if the Bessemer of these products is the same of the Bessemer cookware products of today, but their website does indicate they've been around since the 1960's, and that most of their items used to be sold through in-home-party-plans.  Can you imagine having an in-home-melmac party?

Hobart Collectables, probably the largest vintage seller from Australia on Etsy, has this great Ashtray which can bring us some clues if we look close enough. There's a great article on Hobart  Collectables on Vintage Chalet that you may find interesting. 

Clues :  Nylex Corporation made this Melmac Ashtray for Bessemer products.
Now other than great plastic serving items, Bessemer did make melmac dinnerware. I don't know how popular it was in Australia, but it did exist. Here are a few designs.
The above and below designs are available at Vintage Twists.


If you are thinking the platter looks very similar in style to some American designs you've seen, you are absolutely right. I think as far as modern styling goes, they were on the same page as American designers. Now perhaps the best thing I've found recently by Bessemer was on Ebay, by Ridgefield Estate Treasures.  and I am unsure if this Bessemer Plastics is different than the Aussie Bessemer. I was thinking how modern in design it looks, and how lovely it is.

Bessemer Plastics made this mod chafing dish and is available at Ridgefield Estate Treasures, User Id BGilliam
The point is it seems like anything marked Bessemer here and there makes for a good modern home.