Russel Wright Idealware Fortiflex Found at Cattle Dog Modern on Etsy

The very elusive Fortiflex Pitcher offered at Cattle Dog Modern.

It's not often you find Fortiflex Idealware by Russel Wright. This wonderful pitcher is in one of the original Idealware colors, Carnation Pink and still seems to have an original sticker on it. For $99, it's a huge bargain.

Get it now at CattleDogModern!

Ideal Toy Company had a Housewares Division, whom Russel Wright designed these pieces for circa 1957ish.  Primarly the line consisted of tumblers, pitchers, salad bowls w/ serving spoons and elusive refrigerator containers.Small bowls have been found as well. Though I've seen other Idealware items such as trays and mixing bowls they aren't proved to be a Wright design.  With the success of Tupperware, one would have thought this line would have fared well. Sold in upscale stores like Macy's, it was targeted to the entertaining housewife who liked good design. Made of a polystrene meets Fortiflex type material, it was boil-proof and durable, and could be used both for hot foods or in the cold fridge.

Photo: Cattle Dog Modern. Most pieces of Idealware are unmarked or cracked on base from shrinkage of the plastic.

Pieces found today are RARE and expect to pay high prices, up to $200 for a pitcher and double that for a set of tumblers and pitchers in the original box.  The reason is most pieces weren't marked and over time, the bottons of the tumblers and cups became brittle and cracked resulting in people tossing them out.

Click on the pitcher to go to the Idealware page.  

Read more about Russel Wright's work with the Ideal Company HERE.

Gaiety by Joan Luntz Brookpark Arrowhead

Gaiety Colors and Pieces...unmarked for International Molding by Joan Luntz.

Unmarked and lovely is the Gaiety line from International Molding. A budget line , this was often featured in dime stores and grocery stores. It is unmarked but surely designed by Joan Luntz, who designed almost every melmac line the company made including Brookpark and Arrowhead.

Key colors include white with grey speckles, turquoise with white speckles, orange with white speckles and yellow with white speckles.

Gravy boats and funky in design courtesy, Retro Chalet. The same boat mold were used for Brookpark and Arrowhead lines.

It is still easy to find these pieces and assemble a set, though I think the gravy boats, tab handled cereal bowls, butter dishes and lids to the sugar bowls are getting harder and harder to find! Although the divided casserole dish is common, the open-smaller style is not.

Works of art.

These are still somewhat easy to find, but slightly smaller and open bowls are not.

Though I have seen black with white speckles and pink with white speckles in same molds, (as well as solid pale pastels like pink and blue), surely this was not named "Gaiety" and quite possibly named something else. Companies back then had a good way of marketing like products made from same molds but changing the colors, just look at Colorflyte and Royale lines by Branchell!!

Pink and black bliss, is this called Gaiety too? Courtesy: RetroChalet

New Melmac Carlisle in Restaurants Near You Cici's Pizza Harrisonburg, Virginia

I'm happy to report that modern day melmac is still in use in some restaurants. Recently I had the pleasure of eating at CiCi's All-U-Can Eat Pizza and Salad place down in the mountains of Virginia. They must have had twenty different types of pizza....some like spinach Alfredo and taco cheeseburger something or other I would never even thought of on my own! The best part about the whole place was the fact the plates were all melmac.   Yep, that's right, a BIG OL' stack of Carlisle in yellow was waiting...not sure who made the tumblers but they reminded me of the old Texan by Texasware!!!

As for the soup, salad, and pizza, you can' beat it for the price and the taste.   They are a-ok in my book! Thanks for keeping melmac alive!

History of Carlisle: 
Dates back to 1955. In actuality they were in early plastics making including serving ware. They are directly related to Si-Lite, and through them acquired Brookpark , Arrowhead and Kenro later in life.  Read all about their history HERE!