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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.
New lines for summer in Walmart Stores now, usually gone by May.
What is old is new again. The fun vintage dishes of the fifties may have died off in the 1960's, but today melmac is a staple in many homes. Who would have predicted that the fun retro colors and mod styling would circle back again, and again, and again... Quite possibly Martha Stewart's interest in Melmac in the last 1990's into early 2003, got the ball rolling again.
Bowls, plates, tumblers, and solids mixed with stripes are going to be big this year.
In the 1950's dishes were not cheap. Many people go to the Dollar Store and can pick up a new, made in China melamine dish for $1. Stores like Target , Bed Bath and Beyond and Kohl's sell designer melamine like Jackie Shapiro and French Bull designs for a pretty penny now-a-days. Most probably made at the same plants that make the Dollar Store dishes. In my opinion, the Walmart tends to be best priced for the styles and colors. This year, most items are ranging under $2 per plate or bowl. Colors are brights and many solids are present to be mixed with stripes or floral prints.
I am a vintage diva, however, nothing beats appreciating a great Melmac display.
This cool creamer and sugar set is a rarity that comes to you from AttysVintage on Etsy.
More modern airline look styling comes to you from long defunct St.Paul Plastics, of Minnesota. They did a lot of airline ware, perhaps most all the plastic airline dishes circa 1960s-1970s until their demise. This Air-Flite is indicative of modern styling but it is unclear if this was in actually an "airline set" or made for the consumer.
The Air Flite line bears the Plastics St. Paul round circle mark that is on all their wares.
Here are normal styled melmac tumblers that were made by Plastics Inc. for National Airlines. Some are "two-tone" but one is older and made of solid color melamine. If you saw these out and about, you may not realize they were actually airline ware, as they look more like regular plastic bathroom tumblers. Remember, meals on airlines were just small portions and so the inflight airline ware tends to be a little on the small side.
Ironically, Saint Paul, Coon Rapids and other neighboring towns in Minnesota continue to be plastic production hubs and in the United States. In fact, Plastics Incorporated Coon Rapids location which was at9534 Foley Blvd has continued to serve Plastics companies, one of which being named Tyco Plastics.
Update:I raised $1462.05 from this site plus the Etsy Recyclers Guild site for this man I didn't even know.
I'm getting on my Pretty Pink Plastic Phone and dialing the City of Story, Iowa.
Bought this pink plastic phone from AuntLettuce, it was made by "The Steel Stamping Co. Lorain, OH".
Oscar Wilde once said, "Morality, like Art, means drawing a line someplace." So today I started my campaign to help a man I don't know because his story touched me. His name, Ron Craig. He is 54 years old, and lives on a farm in the town of Story, Iowa. It is two miles outside of Ames, Iowa, (one of the most prestigious towns they say..) He used to work for 3M, has four horses and stray cats. He lost his job due to the recession, but worked odd jobs and some work for the Census to make ends meet. When juggling bills, he didn't pay his homeowner's insurance. Then in August, 2010, he watched his whole life go up in flames.
See the full video of Ron's home HERE. So is the story originally shared from Marie a week ago. (WearTheHeartIs) who tried to help Ron. She cared. She called local churches in Story after this house fire and told them the story and the town officials to see what they could do. The churches never responded, but the town "officials" came out, to look around. Ron's farm has farm clutter and debris like some old timer's do. On the land was a mobile home/RV from 1973, which had been sitting unused for some time. Instead of helping, the town of Story slapped a citation on Ron asking him to remove the RV/Trailer. Marie stopped asking for help, and I can see why. Ironically, the kicker here is, this new "remove your RV law" went in effect six years ago. Ron's trailer has been there for 1973. I think the word in legal terms should be "grandfather clause." So here is this man, standing in the midst of a shattered life and home, and the town of Story, instead of dropping off chicken soup hands him a citation. Update: According to news reporter, "it's a warning."
Perhaps that's why I like my old vintage phone. It reminds me of a time when people had DECENCY and a REAL CONCERN for their neighbors, or for HUMANS in general. What happened to small town generosity? Even the town of Danforth, Maine from (population 723) dropped off dinners to my mother when she was fighting Cancer. People she didn't even know stopped by to help and offer support. That's what small towns do. What kind of town is this?
So after I get enough donations to obtain this man some new shoes, clothes, shelter and food, I'll raise hell about this citation if Marie hasn't successfully done so yet. I honestly think she'll have no trouble because what they are doing is ILLEGAL, IMMORAL and UNJUST. Of course this is society. We try to help this man get out of his inadequate living conditions, and the town wants to site him and condemn him instead of HELP HIM. For now, the town of Story needs to write a new chapter in their book because this one stinks.I don't understand how people can be so cruel. "Hello, hello, operator? Can you get me the Mayor of Story on the line right now?"
Any of us could be Ron, and any of us could NOT get help from our neighbors. Sadly, I would hope that's not the case. Due to the nature of this situation, I'm asking everyone to donate $1 in an envelope and send it to this man. I fired off letters to the Mayor, the News Stations, Extreme Makeover, posted on teh Story County Facebook pages, phoned and called every church and local organization that would listen, heck, even NBC news I went all out .
No one did anything to help him. When I asked one reporter why there wasn't any coverage of his fire, I was told it was the same week there was a horrible flood in the area. I begged her to get out there. She never did.
Poor Mr. Craig's fire was in poor timing. So I embarked on my own personal fundraiser and raised over $1462.05 from the good folks, crafters and antiquers on Etsy.
