Melmac Dinnerware 1962 Christmas Department Stores

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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.

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.

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!

Harmony House : Sears Melmac

Photo and Item offered by palimpsette store on Etsy.  This is the Catalina Sugar Bowl.

Gorgeous in Design, sturdy and well made were the Harmony House melmac liens.  Some of the styles included "Catalina" and "Talk of the Town" melamine. Many of you may have seen Harmony House in ceramic or china, and that's because Harmony House was a generic brand name for Sears!

Life Magazine,  May, 1957

In fact, many manufacturers created items under this generic name, whose point was "to increase Harmony in your home."  Sleek designs, affordiblity, and color pallete were key to the good design items offered by Harmony House.  One may call it the "Macy's" department at "Sears."  Any discriminating housewife in the 50's would not be complete without a Harmony House room - from furniture, linens and spreads to cool ceramic dishes or Melamine designs.:

This photo and grouping for sale by palimpsette store on Etsy shows the lovely, 

sleek design of the Catalina Sugar & Creamer.

Sleek detailing of cups makes for good design. Photo /Item by RicRacandButtons on Etsy.

Close up of backstamp as shown by Magark, who deals in vintage items.

I love these bowls photo and item by TimeforVintage on Etsy.

The Talk of the Town line was square and modern in design as opposed to the round designs of the Catalina.  The backstamp still donned the Harmony House logo.

Photo: LindaPaloma

In my experience it's been a slight bit harder to find.  Although I do not have proof I only can offer a few guesses for why:

•  Catalina may have been more popular and carried for longer, which is why it is more plentiful.
•  Perhaps Catalina was priced lower than Talk of the Town, who knows?  
• My personal #1 theory would be that the Talk of the Town looked too similiar to the already rapidly selling "Brookpark Modern Design" by Joan Luntz, and the "Arrowhead" commercial line.  Just a thought.....look at the photos below and tell me what you think?

 Jadite Talk of the Town, items &  photo by BantamHouseAntiques.on Etsy.

Undersides of "Talk of the Town" Melmac photo and items at LindaPaloma on Etsy.

Top View of "Talk of the Town" Melmac photo and items at LindaPaloma on Etsy.

 Talk of the Town Cups, not as square as Brookpark. These items &  photo by BantamHouseAntiques.on Etsy.