Some Etsy Sellers Go On Strike With Increase in Fees

Great Boontonware Bread Bowl in White : RetroChalet

What? An Etsy Strike?

Oh no!  Your favorite saved items on Etsy which may include vintage melmac, plastics fantastic and melamine dinnerware sets may have to wait to purchase!  This wait could last a day, a week, or more, as some Etsians are organizing the "Etsy Strike" and will be closing down their shops temporarily!  I had to find out a little more about this..

Here is what we do know. 

I first learned about the strike from on twitter, as they were using a hashtag #EtsyStrike.   They have taken it a step further to create a discord channel, and their own twitter @EtsyStrike account, Even one step more, they now have a website called EtsyStrike.org, and so it seems more than serious.   The slotted "shut down" of shops is scheduled to directly impact the date of April 11, with possible a one to two week shutdown, which has not been confirmed. 

Maybe don't put all your apples in one bowl, unless it's Boonton.  For Sale in My Etsy shop

I had to get hold of one of the shops who were participating, to find out just why the proposed strike.  I spoke in length on my podcast with Harry Burger, from Deer Park, New York (who ironically also ran for a green party congress in 2020.)

I connected with Harry to get his thoughts on the issues. Harry is an engineer by trade but also shop owner of Lightbringer Designs on Etsy, a shop that makes super cute wax seals. Being a small business owner, Harry explains how a 30 percent hike can hurt the small mom and pop. Harry also explains ultimately this increase will impact Etsy buyers are Etsy shops may have to raise prices to offset Etsy's fees. On initial inspection, I was thinking the 1.5 percent increase in sales fees wouldn't be so bad, until I really revisited all the fees that sellers pay on Etsy, which include listing fees, sales fees, offsite ad fees, etc.   

What will the scales of Justice do about the Etsy Strike?  This wax seal from LightbringerDesigns

Etsy's Fee Hike

So why did all this transpire?  Etsy recently announced they would be hiking fees from a 5 percent sales fee to a 6.5 percent fee, You can read the official announcement here, and Etsy sellers can take the survey at the bottom of the page to give feedback.  A Message from Etsy’s CEO Josh Silverman on our Co... - Welcome to the Etsy Community

It should be noted they have not raised these particular type fees since 2018, yet there are other fees involved with being an Etsy seller such as listing / relisting fees and offsite ads (which small shops have a way to opt out of) .  After a record 4th quarter in 2021 they wanted to keep on track, the forum post explains....how was this announced?  .  Sellers received an email from Etsy, as well as finding out about it on the website, and in forums.   Sources such as MSN NEWS quickly explained how people were upset.  Reference:  Sellers on This Site Are Livid After Another Rate Hike    Also appeared in The Street:  Etsy Sellers Are Livid After Another Rate Hike - TheStreet  and the Verge:  Etsy hits sellers with 30 percent transaction fee increase - The Verge

Listen to my podcast to hear the details on the price hikes and as for the strike, I guess we will see how that plays out., as it's developing now.  

Additional Reading Official Etsy Strike Site:  Why Discord? « Etsy Strike 

Forum Post Announcing the Etsy Strike: A Message from Etsy’s CEO Josh Silverman on our Co... - Welcome to the Etsy Community

Boonton Boontonware Melmac Rare Orange Bowl

Orange Melmac Bowl for sale @RetroChalet

Information Wanted. Have you seen this? 

Sometimes I see things and wonder how they are what they are, or why they are what they are.   Even I, after collecting so many years have no idea how this can be possible. 

It's no secret that this Boontonware melmac bowl's shape and thickness should actually date it to the 40's or 50's to the earlier lines of plain BOONTON (marked as such) used in restaurants and institutions, yet the design is slightly different. 

However, there is a hallmark was used for a short number of years "for industry standards" giving it an even smaller window of production.

The problem? The color.  This color technically should be later, perhaps even 60's.  There is evidence of this orange in some lines, mainly SOMERSET, but the items are not molded as thick, with as much melmac.  They are thin and not as bulky.

So it's a mystery, for sure.

Very odd coloring for such a thick Boontonware bowl.

So I ask you, why is the orange on this bowl?

It could be several reasons and perhaps we will never know why. 

1. An employee could have made the bowl for himself or herself. 
2. A customer wanted some bowls made and asked for test of the color. 
3. Perhaps a line was made with this exact bowl, but if so where is it? 
4. The factory was testing various colors to debut in a new "fall line". 
5. It was something molded for samples to customers or employees. 
6. It is a part of a short lived melmac set by Boonton we have not yet found.

What do you think? 

Stop by and let me know facebook.com/MelmacDinnerware

Boonton Melmac Factory Tour Stop One : This Was The Melamine Factory

This is the ariel tour of the Boonton factory as seen in some old memorabilia , an actual black and white brochure from many moons ago, originally I had inherited from Derek Schultz, a fellow collector.   And so I left a festival in New Jersey I was working with my husband selling BBQ to shoot over to Boonton...

Boonton, the makers of Boontonware melmac, in case you don't know what I'm talking about here are some images: 

This vintage set can be had for $96 at ColorMeNew

So Now I present to you: THE BOONTON FACTORY!

Although hard to see, this door  on left with steps is marked 326 above it, and therefore, the exact address of Scribner's Boonton factory!

Boonton Molding Company
326 Myrtle Avenue
Boonton, NJ


First, I must apologize for the graphics on this page. At the time, I was working in Hunterdon, NJ and decided to take a ride to Boonton. This was possibly 2009-2010 or earlier.  I had a crappy flip phone and originally posted this on an old Verizon site, that is long gone. I barely managed to migrate the old photos in time.  I tried to do some updated in 2018 for you from Google. 



Same building as above, but the small door under the red light, was the entrance to Boontonware Factory.  The building is extremely LONG...

This was basically part of the pictures I took, although easier here to see from Google.

At the time of my visit the buildings in question belonged to Dauphin (326 Myrtle) and Carbone (400 Myrtle).  The way in which the buildings were so close made me wonder if they could have both been used by Boonton at one time, however, I later found reference that Carbone resided at 400 Myrtle back in 1957 so that is unlikely, perhaps further investigation though the Boonton Historical Society or old records would confirm or deny if originally in the 40's Boonton had that building. 

 The first thing I want to explain is that when I originally thought of a big factory, I thought I'd find something like that old plant of the Solvay Factory in upstate New York.  You would assume you'd see big industrial buildings, many stories and chimneys, towers, and industrial looking outsides. Not so, this far all the old sites for melmac factories I've been to have been long warehouses. I was lucky enough to have a paper guide, thanks to the late and great Derek Schultz, who left me a guide to the Boontonware plant, Derek spent many years in Jersey and was privy to many factory tours and behind the scenes time with the people in charge doing research on Boonton. Curiously peaked me to visit, and I did some ride by's of the existing building that compromise now 300 to 400 Myrtle .......

Just to get an idea, (much like the paper brochure) just how large this conglomerate is, you have to see it from the ariel view......
Here is an ariel view of the Boontonware address "326 Myrtle Avenue."
The original factory address says it was at 326 Myrtle Avenue.  I will explain in another post more about the inception of the factory, as George K. Scribner started up the factory in a tiny corner of another factory perhaps "allotment of space" or sharing space.  

From what I've learned, the plastics were an accidental addition and Boontonware dishes date back to 1946 based on my research! By 1955, Boontonware would be turning out 70,000 pieces of dinnerware an hour.  That's a lot of dishes.  Wow!

This would have been the site of the original Boontonware Melmac Factory 

building

At the time of my visit, the Dauphin building, however as of 2018 I see them listed in Montville, so I don't know, I hope to get there again with clearer photos. 

Back shots of the buildings encompassing 326-400 Myrtle.As we know the 400 block was Carbone, and as of 1957 was not part of Boonton Molding , but perhaps I will include them in case someday I find out they were indeed leased by Boonton back in the day............

Back shots.......
  

Unsure if this was part of Boonton factory in the 50's , but could very well have been a loading area.  



Boonton Factory or Not? 

Behind Carbone, you can see where the old glass windows of an old factory type building still stand and I am unsure which is Carbone's and which belonged to .Boonton Molding.  

More pics of Carbone (the neighbor) at the time of my visit:

Carbone is still housing this area as of November 2018.

   Mind you, this is technically marked 400 Myrtle Avenue.  

Further Information: 

Circa 1970's :  Boontonware was now a division of PYAH INDUSTRIES. 

BOONTON MOLDING CO., INC.,BOONTONWARE DIV. OF PYAH INDUSTRIES 301 Myrtle Ave.

Boonton Historical Society had a "tent sale" celebrating Boonton's presence in the neighborhood for 57 years. See the article here:  daily record


You can continue onto 

Continue to : Boonton Melmac Factory Tour Part 2 Here

Cooper Hewitt Belle Kogan Boontonware Melmac Blueprints @cooperhewitt

The real Belle Kogan creamer post design, Find it at WifeofWhimsy on Etsy.

Hey, this is interesting! If you like Boontonware melmac or Boonton melamine,you can now see some of the original mock up blueprints of some of Belle Kogan's work for Boonton Molding Company .

Cooper Hewitt Museum has great online designs for Boontonware by Belle Kogan. 
To protect their images, you must go there to see full sizes!

You can see different blueprints that she drew which would later turn into some of Boonton patterns.  Showcased are the Belle line and some later thinner patterns perhaps Patrician.... The above is a small sampling of the full size Belle Kogan production blueprint. The one above says it is from 1953, however I want to explain this is not pre-design. This is a revision to the original design. 

Often times manufactuers would have to change a slant, a specification or something that maybe was causing an issue molding.  So it's safe to say this creamer was indeed in production priot to 1953.  I do think I've seen subtle changes to the nose or pouring spout, the mold line is more or less prominent on some examples.

Glad to see Cooper Hewitt is taking notice!

You may enjoy this podcast

Find them at Cooper Hewitt online here. 

Read my Boonton Factory Tours: 

Part One

Part Two  

Please listen to this podcast about Belle Kogan and Boontonware!

Laureline by Belle Kogan for Boonton Boontonware

Plastic tumblers from Etsy are unmarked and  probably resemble Laureline, these available at the DaileyShopper

Laureline By Boonton
I had a reader write in to me about a drinking glass he had growing up with the inscription, "Laureline.". I had never seen that before per se on a plastic cup, but I did a little research and found this was a Belle Kogan design introduced by Boonton in 1956.   This came from the book, "China and Glass in America."   The earliest reference to the word Laureline being used in the plastic industry was 1952 in a Hardware Age magazine, but I'm uncertain if this is the same type plastic used in the tumblers.

BooksShop on Etsy has this 61 pc TexasWare set for sale, note the blue plastic "AKA GLASTIC" drinking vessels up top on either side of the top shelf, this is probably what Laureline looked like!

These "plastic drinking vessels" were very similar to the plastic glasses that were crystallized by TexasWare.    Not sure if you remember them from your younger days eating at the Ponderosa or buffet style restaurants, but they were plastic frosted type glasses that I thought were cheesy. I used to call them GLASTIC, a mix of plastic supposed to look like glass.  They often had stress cracks in them and / or chips on the rim. Ewwww.

If you know anything about Laureline, let me know.

Melmac Morphed: The Divided Grill Plate

Courtesy: OldBoldReadytobeSold on Etsy

Ah, yessssss.........the melmac grill plate. Perhaps one of the dinosaurs in melmac history.  When melamine was just emerging for dish use, the divided grill plate or compartmental tray was used early on in mess halls, cafeterias, and hospitals.  Although it still has the same "industrial" look to it finding good examples that aren't all scratched up make them one of melmac's rarities.By the mid 1950's many companies had the grill plate as part of their melmac lines.  

Arrowhead divided grill plates, $38 for the stack at OldBoldReadytobeSold on Etsy.

 Edward Don and Company were making compartmentalized plates and selling them to the restaurant industry. Russel Wright's grill plate made in the Meladur line was quickly absorbed by General American and sold outright to cafeterias, hospitals and institutions. Mallory Randall was making grill plates in their Malloware line.  Boonton Molding Company was also cornering the market, offering a more "chunky" version, chock full of melmac!

Boonton divided grill plates are chunky and heavy @ RetroChalet.

From a distance, they looked exactly like their china or heavy duty ceramic cousins often used in diners and roadside cafe's.  Not often bought by the consumer, these bulky plastic models were mainly used for industrial use.   It wasn't long before most top popular lines were merging them into their catalog.

We can't forget about Texasware!  These only $25 from AuntSistersPicks on Etsy. PMC, their molder, also offered them in their DallasWare line.

MORPHING...

During the same time, however, similiar or morphed variations thereof would emerge that would indeed appeal to the modern housewife. Take for instance,  some form of space age plastic fondue dishes like the ones below.  Perhaps not melmac, but close...and a must for entertaining!

Set, $19, TatterandFray

What about picnic sets? They were the rage.  Often sold in camping and travel magazines, one would use these not only for picnics but for camping or RV use. Picnic sets applied the same principal of a cool divided dish or tray .  They are still readily found and some are as pristine as they were in the 40's and 50's.  Most are polystryene or thinner plastic than melamine, but still adorable!

Retro compartmentalized lunch plates, $12, by JumpShipZon.

Regaline picnic set, $14, CashmereJellybean

Of course over time, many shapes, styles, and plastics emerged as divided dinnerware solutions. Perhaps not directly related to the grill plate, except by association or particle composition only, but cool nonetheless.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:

PiratesB00ty offers this pristine picnic set, Fremware, $16

Prolon lunch trays, $28, by Especial Ethel

The Derek Schultz Collection Melmac Galore

Derek W. Schultz & myself. 

Today I was thinking about Derek, and found this picture Renee had framed for me. After all, he was just as nuts about plastics as I am.  Originally I met Derek because he has posted an ad to sell his plastics collection in it's entirety, and I went down to buy select pieces.  I figured he had a few boxes of this or that.  When I got there I was truly in shock at the loads of plastic he had.

That day I spent a lot of money with him;  but what was worth more to me than the rare Russel Wright I bought from him was the instant relationship I formed with him.  For someone I didn't know all too well, and didn't get a chance to visit nearly enough, it was sort of an instant connection. I cannot really explain it other than I thought the world of him, and his lovely wife Renee. They were the types of people you don't get to meet often.  Just downright nice people, good people.

Rare Brookpark Black Cups from the Derek Schultz Collection.

Derek and I were certainly two plastic gurus, exchanging emails just about anything over the next few years. Sadly it would only be the course of a few years unbeknowngst to me. Though he wanted me to buy that huge plastic collection he had, and I so would have loved to, I had a basement full of my own.  Then came the call.   "Come and get it", he said.   Originally citing the storage fees were just too much for him, he said he was just giving it to me.  I made arrangements to get some helpers and load it up as soon as I could so that he wouldn't have to pay any more storage fees.

Harmony House Melmac Mixed Set from the Derek Schultz Collection.

The photo was taken as I was just about finished loading it up, all sweaty and dirty, it was hot that day.  Renee took it minutes before he told me the truth about his situation. Derek had lost some weight for which I commended him that day.  If you look closely you may notice a small bandage on his throat. He was in the early stages of cancer--and just minutes after this photo I was bawling when I found out the reasons for the weight loss and the sudden donation of plastics. Although Derek was hopeful, I knew in my heart this would be the last time I got to see him.

Rare Boonton Grill Plates, Thick and Heavy from the Derek Schultz Collection.

Cancer is something I know all too well. It's taken most of my loved ones from me as it runs rapid in my own family. So here was Derek, my kindred plastic spirit buddy, and now I would be losing him too.
I kept in touch with him on the email, but that would be the last time I saw Derek in person. Suffice to say, I haven't made it very far rummaging thru his boxes.  At first after he passed I couldn't even open them.  It was as if had I opened them, I would be reminded Derek was not here anymore.  There was somewhere around 130 boxes in all, and well, I've only made it through maybe 10 total, over the past few years. I should say the boxes were HUGE about 3 feet by 2 feet by 2 feet.   It took me almost a year to go and visit his wife, and learn more about the man I wish I'd had the opportunity to know much longer.

Working on it, slowly...

I've managed to group things together better and gave some old scratchy undesirable things to Goodwill.   Though I try to list items on Etsy regularly, it's taken me a lot longer than expected as I have my own things to sell leftover from an old antique stand I used to have.  I can say that I'm not scared anymore to go through them.  Smiles come to my face when I think of how much Derek must have loved the piece to buy it, and when I come across something I've never seen before I wonder did he feel that same excitement then as I do now when viewing a "new discovery?"

Rare Carleton for Gracious Living Covered Sugar from the Derek Schultz Collection, however, Mr. Melmac had debunked the fact this may in actuality be a Harmony House Lid, perhaps not the right lid after all?

I can only hope Derek is looking down happy that someone is still loving his plastic.  Please know anything you purchase from the Derek Schultz collection does help Renee.  These items are labeled such in my shop!

What now?

Read more about Derek. 
View Melmac in My Shop.