Melmac Dinnerware 1962 Christmas Department Stores

Find out how to get these great items below!

We know the fun melamine of the fifties is never ending, but what about the 1960's? Yes, indeedy, it was still going strong.  Just imagine, living back then and nearing the holidays. Not having Amazon or Ebay , or Etsy to search on, you would have quite possibly enjoyed a coffee or tea and then having opened a Reader's Digest.   

This look screams 1962*. Set of 5 plates $8 @ RiversideTradingCo on Etsy.

An old marketing book refers me to this:   "The Melmac® Dinnerware spread in the Reader's Digest's 1962 gift insert was a huge success".  This was reported by a gentleman by the name of Ernest K Hunt, who was the Merchandising Manager in the Plastics and Resins Division of American Cyanamid in 1962.  He was indicating that inside brochures are often ripped out and taken (with) by smart shoppers. 

Melmac Patterns from 1962: Lots of flowers and wheat, thinner styling.

Melmac Patterns circa 1962

I can only imagine from this, that housewives rushed out to buy (quite possibly for themselves) a new set of superior melmac dishes.  Perhaps they ripped out of the insert and handed it direct to their husband so he would bring home the most perfect gift.   When I see old melamine dinnerware, right away I notice the dishes of the 60's appear in a different color palette and different thickness of the original. Perhaps many manufacturers decided to cut the original bulky designs of the 50's and / or production costs were higher for the materials.  

However, I love the names, and some manufacturers I don't see often: 

• Golden Glory by Royalon
• Floating Leaves by Stetson
• Whispering Pines by Harmony House
• Sunburst by Lenoxware
• Rambling Rose by Brookpark
• Autumn Glory by Newportware
• Windblown by Kenro
• Folklore by Oneida
• Summer Idyll by Miramir
• Enchantment by Metro
• Curry by Durawear
• Dellwood by Prolon
• Mayan by Texasware
• Regal Leaves by Mallory

An insert from 1962 from a Magazine, to show you some 60's designs.  

According to one magazine, The Department Store Economist  already trained their salesman hard in January 1962 store associates were ready in the beginning of the year for that coming holiday.  They write "Of course you have to have a good display of Melmac quality dinnerware on your shelf...where its beauty will catch a woman's eye as she passes by. (Allow about 2 seconds for those attractive patterns to turn her head ...stop her dead.) "   The book goes on to indicate that you have a 58 second sales pitch including answers to popular questions. 

Amazing 60-ish* wheat design by Boonton Molding Company in Somerset Style, find this whole set 41 pcs for $78 at shop FromtheSeller on Etsy.

Note: * The designs  noted with * above are not guaranteed to be 1962, but are reminiscent of the look of 1962 based on ads and brochures available.

Melmac Capac California and Durawear Linked 1959

Capac backstamp courtesy of ShopMichL on Etsy.

I recently read from a Modern Plastics that in 1959 California Molded Products Inc (CMP) had recently acquired Capac Inc., (who was then a manufacturer of melamine dinnerware,) and at that time they were constructing a 16000-sq.-ft. plant in Santa Paula, California.  The building was supposed to be completed in December 1959--which I find odd because during the early 1960's came the decline of Melmac.  This however proves Durawear and Capac were indeed molded by the same company (as of late 1959).  Prior to 1959, this line of melmac from Capac, Inc. remains a mystery to me.  I found the company itself as of the mid 1970's making computer parts.  Does anyone have any information prior to 1959?

Lovely Capac set find it at ShopMichL on Etsy.

It's funny how the cities on the backstamps of Santa Paula for Durawear and Pomona for Capac are in actuality 92 miles apart.  I wonder did they continue to mark them that way after CMP acquired Capac--if not, and they changed the stamp, it may help in dating melmac made prior to 1959 or after.  I think that by the end of 1959 it is reasonably safe to say that CMP was the MOLDING giant of California. This indeed was THE equivalent of Texasware in California and as such, probably molded Capac, and Durawear and much more. I wonder if somehow they were also molding Miramar and Laguna once it closed? That remains to be seen........See the Miramar factory tour here.

Was Laguna then molded here too?  These plates at StitchyImpressions on Etsy!.

SOURCE (vol 37),

Durawear Melmac from Santa, Paula, California

Durawear, (not to be confused with Duraware) seems to be hard to find, but I often wonder if that's because I'm on the East Coast and this lovely line was made in Santa Paula, California.  I hardly ever see it, and when I do, it may be a stack of orange cups here, or brown leafy plates there, never a complete set.  Update: As of 1959 I found where Durawear was being made, read the post here. Up until 1959 however, remains a mystery to me. Even stranger to find sugar bowls with patterns , both lovely and rare, are few and far between. This pretty item is on sale currently in UpCountryVintage's shop , but normally retails for a real bargain price of only $8. 

I often love thinking of how far an item traveled before it gets to you. The future new owner will be happy to know it was made in California, but now resides in Hawaii, and will have most likely traveled thousands of miles before it gets to you. Sweet!

Welcome to the Melmac Center : Russel Wright Melamine Ephemera at it's Finest Shows Rarities in Modern Design

Update: January 27, 2012: Mr. Melmac aka Robin Thorne has identified lots of new patterns! 

Not only do I love the Melmac of the 50's but the advertising too.  This ad is from one of my Etsy customers, who is enjoying their melmac dishes I sold them in their travel camper. I must say, they were very smart as they found a perfect match in Boonton's maroon and Meladur's burgundy.  I would not have thought of mix matching the two but they worked!

CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO SUPERSIZE!

What I love most about old ephemera, is learning new clues.  I don't know what year this ad was from, but I think I' would have estimated it at 1953-1955, but I stand corrected by plastics great Christopher McPherson ! UPDATE: He has one very similiar if not exact from 1957.  So there you have it.

 I do know Russel Wright's Residential was really being advertised a lot in 1953-1954.  There seemed to be a huge campaign by Cyanamid for advertising the super duper Melmac dishes around this time.  I'm sure that companies may have paid to be included in their "Melmac Center" ads, as many different ones exist and sometimes the manufacturers will change.   We can also date the ad around the early 50's due to two other reasons a) the fab colors used and b) the 2 digit zip code. (by the early 60's the zip codes were changed.)

What I'm shocked at is in my opinion a lot of the dishes here are considered rare and hard to find now. Something so plentiful then, is dried up now. Rare in the sense that in my 20+years of collecting I've not seen enough of the below starred items to make an entire set.  To me, that's rare.

Obviously I'm not counting the dishes behind her. Be sure to click the hyperlinks to see "real melmac examples"!

First Row: 

Brookpark Modern Design  Update: Robin aka Mr. Melmac says, "This is the famous TROPICANA PATTERN in orange! This also came in turquoise, tan, red, and yellow although the orange and turquoise were by far the most popular." ( See a set similar here.)

TexasWare

Classic*(by Mallory, this is rare and hard to find,  If you are looking for other Mallory go here.)

Lucent Update: Robin aka Mr. Melmac says "Spring Bouquet by designer Raymond Lowey for Lucent, this is very rare indeed!"  (You may also like  Evening Song which is most often found Lucent also by Raymond Lowey)

Second Row: 

Holiday (by Kenro)

Branchell* (Branchell is common with their Color-Flyte lines, but this pattern, Button Flower is a rare pattern. See it here.)

Harmony House    Update: Robin aka Mr. Melmac says "This is a popular pattern called Woodland!"
 
Fostoria Melmac is hard to find much less this awesome champagne bubble pattern! Update: Robin aka Mr. Melmac says "This is one of my favorites called Kismet. There was a popular MGM musical by the same name at the time references the middle east. These are a little like moque domes, but also abstract and remind me some of the logos of the time like the ones for US Steel and Alcoa! Pure whimsy! "

Row Three: 

Prolon  Update: Robin aka Mr. Melmac says "This Prolon Florence pattern is called "Blue Poppy". I bought a complete set in Palm Springs about 20 years ago for $12--a steal today! It's heavy duty and often you will see this in brochures and articles."


Stetson

Russel Wright (Residential)

Lifetime (Watertown. I have never seen this pattern. Where have I been?)

Row Four:

Newport  (by Westinghouse)

Melmac Tag* these have care and cleaning tips and were included with sets.

Royalon* (Marcrest is common but this pattern isn't. Most often you see Royalon's Corsage. See it here and just for the record, I've always been confused why it says Marcrest styled by Royalon, no doubt just to sound fancy...)

Durawear (not to be confused with Duraware!)


So I consider 8 of these patterns to be rare.

Russel Wright obviously got special treatment. Not to mention a RetroChalet fave!

What's even better is that you could obtain clues by these old ads. For instance, why is the tiny tag on Russel Wright's Residential the only one that has a second name on it....  Everything else just has one line, but Russel Wright's name being associated with his design was imperative.  Note how his card is "special."  I rest my case.

What about the fact you could mail away a quarter and get a little melmac book?  How adorable.  What about the fact you could TRUST sending your "coin" away?  I so want to live back then. The two digit zip code is what I noticed right away.  Sometimes a silly old ad can be our best clues of what existed, and when.  Or clues to what else we may not have found...just yet!