GPL Watertown Canadian Melamine DND

The Real Deal: Watertown Lifetime Ware available at TheSquirrelCottage

I don't talk a lot about Watertown Lifetime Ware designed by Jon Hedu probably because there's a whole great site by Christopher McPherson dedicated to it , called Plastic Living!  However, I do have to chime in once in awhile when I find or see something unique or truly despicable.  Awhile ago I interviewed Paul Rothstein from Maple Leaf Plastics (MAPLEX, and later Rainbow), owner of two out of three great Canadian melmac factories.   In talking with Paul, I mentioned that a lot of Canadian melamine lines resemble their American counterparts. He assured me they weren't copying American designs, (or vice versa), as copyrights did apply--even back then big trouble would have ensued!

If this isn't a Watertown Creamer Knock-off, I don't know what is. Marked GPL available at JessiRetro

A lot of people assumed that when America was done with their molds perhaps they were sold off to Canada--but this is not so. Oddly if you trace back GPL in Canada, (General Plastics Limited)--they were producing lines of industrial dinnerware that looks so much like Watertown Lifetime Ware it's not funny.   Around the same time in the states Watertown pretty much dried up  (after being sold to Northern who went out of business soon thereafter). Many just assumed this was the trail...perhaps it made sense date-wise. However, I gave Canada much more credit. They weren't waiting for anything. You see, while our grandmothers were making turkey on Watertown Lifetime Ware the Canadian granny was setting her table with GPL.

Watertown dinnerware sold at FortheBettys, as you can see the creamer here looks just like the GPL above.

For one, if these were American molds the dishes and pitchers would measure exact and they aren't....off by only a small bit. So this means that there is no way they could be using the same exact molds that were used in America. (Molds were very expensive and made out of steel or metal which were tooled to have an upper and lower mold cavity which would press the melmac into the dishes using giant hydraulic compression molding machines.) Now of course all that old metal is replaced with computerized molding presses.  

The ONLY other plausible possibility is that American designers licensed their products to be distributed in Canada, however, if this was the case, they would have been happily marketed under the same names or at least have been the same sizes--and they weren't.

TinsandThings has this great Watertown Lifetime Ware knock off pitcher !

As you can see it's marked "DND"  which to me is odd, normally marked GPL.  Could DND have bought GPL in the 1960's?

Here's another backstamp from TinsandThings pitcher, showing a 1968 marking, this doesn't show the DND or GPL logo. Odd.

Now here is another strange discovery, apparently GPL either changed their name to DND or sold their molds to another company, per the examples above circa 1963-1968 from Canada with love.  In my opinion Canada was struggling in their plastic sales and may have been instructing their tool and die markers to make something similar to  NAME THE MELMAC LINE  American design.  It's nothing for America to be upset about - according to Paul melmac wasn't a huge seller in Canada like it was here in the states. He says, and I quote, "Sears sold more in one season in melmac dinnerware that most factories produced all year up here. " Canadians must have been a hard sell for plastic dishes, or may have though them junky.  I would probably not blame them, having a tea party on plastic may not have been feasible.  This was pre-internet and no one was selling used melmac then so why would we (or the designers) back then ever find out?

FOR COLLECTORS:
Many collectors turn their nose up at the Canadian lookalikes, but not me. I embrace them in my collection. It's fun to add the Canadian Lookalikes to your growing collection, as you will find VIBRANT colors different than their American counterparts.  As well, they are more rare and hard to find because they weren't produced in the same quantities as American pieces.  Finding them can prove fun and challenging.

This Canadian melmac was called Vogue, and was popular. I love the style, but if you look carefully at the braided edge, reminds me of a very rare Texasware pattern that had braiding on the edge.  Grab it at AllThatJazzEmporium

Same theory applies to (a few of the many 'almost exact but not quite' pieces ): 
Russel Wright Meladur eventually Lapcor made in Canada under Rainboware
Coloramic which looks like Branchell Colorflyte, by Kaye Lamoyne
Moderne which looks like Joan Luntz' Brookpark and Arrowhead
Boontonware lookalikes that are unmarked...resembling the Belle Kogan styles

Watertown Balmoral Melmac Connecticut Made

Photo Courtesy and Melmac Available at Etsy shop SwanVintageFinds

This lovely colleciton of Watertown Balmoral Melmac belongs in a museum all it's own. Designed by Jon Hedu for Watertown Manufacturing Company in Connecticut, we often find mostly Watertown Lifetime Ware.  The Balmoral was a different line and is somewhat harder to find, and little is known about it.  From above, it may look a lot like the ultra popular Watertown Lifetime Ware, until you see the cool retro handles!

Oh yeah, a style all it's own. Buy this collection for $45 at SwanVintageFinds!

Backstamp courtesy of SwanVintageFinds.

Collecting Watertown can be fun.  The earliest sighting of it according to Plastic Living's wonderful Plasti-holic Christopher McPherson is 1946. We know sometimes in the early 1960's did Northern Chemical Company of Boston (the ones who made my favorite Russel Wright Residential, Read about them here) buy the dinnerware lines from Watertown, but soon after both lines produced by the company vanished. POOF, just like that. (Unless you count the Canadian-lookalikes...)  That gives Watertown a 1946-1962ish or so run.   In a nutshell, that's a solid 15 year window of production. Considering the pieces that are still in circulation one can say this is very popular. This line was well made, heavy duty and has a whole lot of Melmac in the plates and cups.  Get them now before they dry up!

You may also like: 

Watertown Lifetime Ware Set in Translucent Blue $65 at Retrochalet.

Lifetime Plate Collection, $18, Cedar Run Vintage on Etsy.

Fantastic Plastics T-Shirt: Melamine Dinnerware Love

Perhaps you've seen the T-shirt icon on the left hand side of the blog! This wonderful and comfy t-shirt was sent to me by wonderful PlasticLiving researcher Christopher McPherson. It was designed by wonderful artist and designer Matt Hinrichs, (of Scrubbles.net).

 

It playfully says, "Ask me about Plastics!" This is perfect for any melmac , plastic or melamine collector..... just ask them about their prized collection and listen to 'em rave!  Not to mention, this looks an awful lot like......Watertown Lifetime Ware!  (Which you don't hear me talk of that much, since Plastic Living has it covered!!)  You can get them here retail $19.99.

I had fun with this shirt!

Too much fun maybe? This is a two tone newer melmac bowl I found at the thrift store recently.

 You May Also Like: 

Matt Hinrichs Silkscreen Artwork

Visit LitKids on Etsy!

Watertown Woodbine : Ivy Simply Beautiful Melmac by Jon Hedu

Blackbird Antiques NC offers these Woodbine cups and saucers.

Watertown Lifetime Ware's designer Jon Hedu was a genius.  Though Watertown's Lifetime Ware is widely collected still today, one later line not spoken of enough is Watertown's Woodbine.  I simply adore this line, the flowing ivy-like designs, which came later than the original Lifetime Ware. 

The raised design is simply lovely, showing the tiny fruits and wrapping vines.  Courtesy: BlackbirdAntiquesNC.

This line is simply stunning with a raised motif all around it. Perhaps the famous wild Woodbine Ivy, much like a Virginia Creeper, that grow wild and bore tiny fruit was the inspiration for such a design. This Woodbine design is simply stunning and with 3-D motif protruding out of the pieces themselves.  If something could be called a "design melmac masterpiece" this is it.

Note the raised backstamp also has a bit of a vine in it!  Courtesy BlackbirdAntiquesNC.

The designer left no stone unturned because even the attention to detail on the backstamp has a raised motif!  The original patent was filed in July 1952, and granted in October of the same year.

Courtesy: Google Patents, Read all the Patent Info found here.

So why is it that this lovely design hasn't made it's way into more homes?  One can only assume it was not as well received as it's predecessor Watertown Lifetime Ware--though I can't fathom why.  It's not for lack of marketing, that's for sure. I found evidence it was advertised in 1953 though various outlets including House and Garden Magazine, volume #103, with the target audience hearing the words "Distinctive Dinnerware" and at "the discriminating hostess..." The add even suggests you could even write to the "for a free folder" on their melamine. (Porter Street address.)

It was mentioned in the Hospitals Journal (The Journal of the American Hospital Association vol 28 circa 1954) and years later being tested favorbly in Consumer Reports, 1957.   Just by old magazine mentions,  we can establish a minimum four year market to table window.   So where is it all and why is it so difficult to find these days? Did the public stick to the tried and true regular old Watertown Lifetime Ware during this time?  Did perhaps the raised motif make for hard cleaning as dirt would have built up into the tiny berry crevices? Who knows, but it certainly is lovely and in my opinion everyone should have a piece in their melmac collection. ♥

Related Reading:

Read all Watertown related posts HERE.

Go to the Plastic Living Watertown Site HERE. 

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!

Melmac Galore

Melmac Dinnerware, piled in boxes, makes for a good retirement plan someday. Back before no one wanted Melmac collectors were stashing it in their storage units and containers. Some of these boxes were given to me by Derek Schultz, a fellow collector I once knew, now deceased. He was attempting to collect it to write a Melmac book, as were several people I know.  These samples were collected from all over North America on outings.  Do you see any Melmac or melamine that you collect in these boxes?

Much older Melmac contains knife marks and needs a good cleaning.  I like to use a blend of comet paste and hot water and a toothbrush for scrubbing the dirt out of knife marks on most light surfaces.  Melmac was labeled as indestructible but over time it did lose it's sheen thanks to washing in hot dishwashers.

Some have yucky sticker residue on them.  Peanut butter helps remove the sticker good.

Rare Watertown Butter dishes in Olive green were found. Was this a mistake or did Watertown Ware come out with this fugly green?  Sorry grandma, I hated the 70's.

So where can you find all this Melmac for sale? RetroChalet.etsy.com look for it soon! I had went through and sorted it on the driveway once. The neighbors looked a bit puzzled. I put it in order by sets, and ended up donating a plethora of badly scratched examples to Goodwill. 

Derek Schultz, owned the collection, and I tried selling some of the best pieces and sending his wife some of the profits.  Unfortunately, sending melmac via the USPS turned out to be not profitable when postal rates soared and much has to be packed well in large oversize boxes. 

So some still remains, sitting in a dark and dusty place, perhaps, until the time is right.  

FURTHER READING:

You may wish to read more about Watertown Ware here on the Watertown Page!

OTHER PROJECTS I AM WORKING ON: 

White Witch Magazine is my new project.  It's for modern day nature lovers, and good witches! Hope you will check it out! 

This page last updated November 16, 2024.