Pieces of Plastic: A Lustro-Ware History

As I go to more flea markets & frequent antique stores and thrift shops, at each visit I become more aware of how much learning I need to do. Flea markets and shops are filled with items that are looked over and left to sit on shelves simply because we do not know enough about collecting and values. More importantly, those of us that wish to make a profit, albeit even a tiny one, always, always, always need to do research on what is “hot” right now in the collecting market.

For instance, did you know that Band-Aid tins can bring in over $10 on Ebay? The other day I came across a listing for a Shoprite brand Band-Aid tin, hinged lid, and the current bid was up to $15. Who would have thought?! Granted, to some $15 might be nothing, but if you can find a band-aid tin at a flea market for 25cents, why not make an easy profit!

In a previous entry, I wrote about plastics. This is a topic that I really do not know much about, especially in regards to household/kitchen plastic items. Thrift stores are filled with plastic kitchenware, some good and some the typical $1 store variety. During my first trip to the flea market this past weekend, there were a few new vendors with the box lot style of selling. Everything in the boxes were priced at $1 - you just had to dig. This is when doing research comes in handy. In the past, I've tossed aside plastic items - bowls, trays, juicers, etc. I had no idea if these items were worth anything, who they were made by, and just kept digging to find other treasures.

Since I've been trying to educate myself more about all of the different plastic products out there, I figured I would start with a simple & recognizable brand: Lustro-Ware.

The History

Gebhard Keny is the father of Lustro-Ware. A Harvard graduate, Gebhard took over a Columbus, Ohio plastics molding firm in the late 1930s. The line of products he produced was originally coined Columbus Plastics Products and then later became well-known under the Lustro-Ware line. Gebhard used a new type of technology in plastics production that allowed for a good product at a decent price for consumers. The company formed their own in-house design staff and production soared. They became known for blow molding items such as waste baskets and water cans (very popular on Ebay) and then produced thermoplastic canister sets which are still popular today.

LIFE magazine of October 4, 1948 focused on production in America and Columbus Plastics was included in this write up. The one page feature displayed this great inside shot of the woman at work-

LIFE October 4, 1948 
 

LIFE commented on the plastic boom in the States & how Columbus Plastics Products was a part of this increase in plastics manufacturing. In the year this article was published, Columbus Plastics was able to make a $2million business from a $400,000 investment. Production continued through the 1950s and during this time plastic doilies became one of the items made by Columbus Plastics. These doilies are also popular items on Ebay today. Starting in the 1960s, the simple look of the products started to fade and more ornate styles came into production. In 1966, the company was bought by the Borden Company and the Lustro-Ware line, while stile being produced, slowly faded into the background.

Lustro-Ware Today

Lustro-Ware is still popular among collectors today. The kitchen canisters for coffee, tea, sugar, and flour are great additions to any kitchen, especially if you are going for a retro look. Salt & pepper shakers are always popular items as well as juicers and pitchers. Tissue holders, paper towel holders, ice cube trays, and even scoops are just a few more items in the Lustro-Ware line.



The canisters are probably the easiest items to identify. Their simple design yet eye-catching color and text make them great items to display, use, and collect. These are also the items that most likely will not end up in the $1 box at a flea market. However, some of the other Lustro-Ware items could, such as the plastic doilies and any other item that doesn't display Lustro-Ware quite like the canisters do. When looking at plastic items at flea markets, yard sales, thrift stores, and antique shops, always be sure to look for any markings. Researching more about certain time periods in a company's history can also help to date the pieces, which helps in learning more about values.

~ Flea Fact ~

 

The next time you are rummaging through a box at the flea or are peeking into kitchen cupboards at an estate sale and stumble upon a plastic item, look for a maker's mark. Learn different manufacturers so that you'll be able to identify a find when you see it.

 

Flower Shop Finds - Head Vases

One of the most important lessons I have learned so far in the world of going to flea markets was all thanks to a head vase.

Head vases are easy to spot – they are of a woman’s physique from the shoulders up and were popular in the 1950s and 1960s with florist shops, though some were made as early as the 1930s with production continuing through the 1970s. The vases were made in both America and Japan and used widely for floral arrangements in flower shops, thus making their ways into the homes in the States.

Some vases are marked while others are not. Markings include Napco, Enesco, Lefton, Napcoware, and others can be marked with a foil sticker. Markings make a piece easier to identify age and manufacturer, but even if a piece is not marked, it can still hold value.

Head vases are unique and each lady has her own personality. Some don hats and luxurious minks, others have earrings, necklaces, and freshly painted nails. Head vases were also made to mimic celebrities such as Lucille Ball and Marilyn Monroe, while others are of just regular ladies and even teenage faces. Varying in size, vases range from small to others that are able to hold a good sized bouquet.

Photo via www.headvasecollector.com

Looking at the vases without a flower bouquet, it is hard to imagine why anyone would choose this type of vase to display flowers in. The stems, depending on the vase size, would have to be cut extremely short to fit into the vase. The delicateness of the vase also makes for an increase in paint chips and breakage. But, finding pictures of these vases complete with bouquets of flowers makes it easy to see the allure that they held during their time.

My first encounter with a head vase was at a flea market that I frequent every summer. I have my routine of looking at this market – start off in the very first row away from the parking area, work my way down a row, head over to the antique section, etc. I always start at the very first booth in the first row. This vendor has been setting up in this spot for years and every once in a while I have come across a few neat things. They have changed their method of selling, now largely sectioning off tables where on one table everything is $1, another table everything is $5, etc.

I stopped at this booth and walked through. Entering the last row of tables, I came across a large collection of the head vases. I hadn’t seen (or maybe just hadn’t noticed) these types of vases before. The woman at the booth had at least 20 vases – ranging in size from small to the average vase size. I found them so interesting and so pretty, each having their own style and uniqueness. If I recall, I think I may have looked at the internet on my phone just to see what these were exactly. At that time, the smart phones that we all have today were just coming out on the market and I still had a flip phone. I did have internet access on my phone, but had to pay for each minute of access. So, out in the middle of the boonies, I managed to scrounge up about 2 minutes of internet time on my phone just to identify this collection as head vases.

I asked the woman her price for a regular size vase and, if my memory serves me well, she quoted the regular sized at $4 and the smaller sized at $2. Some had cracks, some had paint chips, but many were in good condition. I picked up one that caught my eye – a lady with blonde hair, blue frock, and paid the $4 for her. She had a small crack going down the back of her, but that was not an issue with me. I placed her gently in my bag and finished going through the rest of the flea.

Upon my arrival home, I powered up my laptop and did a simple Google search and then an Ebay search. I then proceeded to sit and hypothetically kick myself because of the big blunder that I made. Google & Ebay showed me that I had unknowingly walked away from a collection that could have brought in a good amount of money. I had stumbled upon a 20some piece collection of head vases and had only purchased ONE – one!! I had spent $4 when I should have offered the woman a bundle price for the whole lot. Clearly, the vendor did not know the worth of the vases and thus had the extremely low price.

I tried to console myself by saying that even if I had purchased all of the vases, it wasn’t a sure thing that I could have sold all of them. While this might have been true, I’m sure that I could have sold the majority of them. Even selling them at the price of $20 a piece (a bargain in the world of head vases), I still would have made a great profit. Plus, who knows if in her collection there was a rare vase that could have brought in hundreds?? I went back to the flea the next Sunday, hoping that there would be a few of the head vases left. Gone, all gone. A lesson learned.

My floral shop lady sits on my shelf at home, next to some of my other favorite pieces that I have collected through the years. Every time I look at her, I do think of how unique the piece is and how I’m glad that I chose her from the many that were available. But, I always end up thinking of the many that were available and the big blunder that I committed by not stopping to do more research and finding out the market on the items.

 

~ Flea Fact ~

While I think we definitely have too much technology at times, utilizing the internet on a cell phone while out at the flea market definitely has its’ advantages. Look on Google and check out Ebay to see what is out there and the market for the item. Find recent pricing/sales and use that as a measuring device on whether or not to make a purchase. Don’t venture home to do research and expect that item to be there the following week. One’s man trash is another man’s treasure – if you don’t buy it, someone else will. 

Hunting for Plastic.

I've recently developed an interest in learning more about the world of vintage plastic. Often vintage plastic can be seen as kitsch, but can also be very collectible. I say that it is something that I have overlooked in the past but am determined to pay better attention to once I've delved into learning more and recognizing unique pieces when I see them.

 

My collection of plastic is pretty much null. I tend to go for the ceramic kitschy knick-naks, often from the 50s and 60s. However, I have acquired 4 plastic birds that have peaked my interest in learning more. I say plastic, but I tend to lean more towards thinking that they are of the celluloid variety.

 

I purchased these cute parakeets at a local antique store for $5. The cage I found at Michael's Craft store and I merely inserted a twig from a tree to support the little guys. The birds are white with each having a different accent color on the tail - one blue and one green.

 

I originally passed them by when I first spotted them at the antique store, but they never left my mind. Venturing back to the store the next day, they still were there and I scooped them up. They are simple pieces, but cute and fit perfectly in the bird cage that I found.  I've tried to do some research on them, but since they aren't marked the search options are limited. I have found similar sized birds that are said to be made of celluloid from the 1930s, ranging from Christmas ornaments to decorations for actual bird cages. Values range online, but I'm not concerned with price as I plan to hold onto these little birds for some time.

 

The second set of birds that I purchased came from a thrift store. Of course, I was shopping when there was a sale so I spent a whopping 50cents for both birds. I only have one of the birds pictured, along with an old wooden shoe that I purchased years ago. The other bird is similar, but is blue and has a different pose. These birds are marked with "Hong Kong" on the tree branch that they are sitting on. I'm on the fence about the type of material that these birds are, as they are a little different from regular celluloid. More research in the works!

 

To help out my search for plastics, I'm going to start to read Fantastic Plastic: The Kitsch Collector's Guide by Pete Ward. The book is filled with great photos and helpful tips in figuring out the mega world of vintage plastics. I'm hoping to finish before this Sunday, when I kick off my flea market going for the 2013 year. More to come!