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!

 

 

Collecting Karma.

A cold, January morning found a little over 50 people waiting outside for entry to an estate sale. I was among those standing outside of a home that looked to have been built during the late 1800s, early 1900s. The estate sale opened at 9am and a small crowd had gathered outside, numbers in hand, to go into the home to find treasures but also to get out of the cold.

I was the youngest person there amidst a crowd of ages that spanned from late 40s to late 60s. I am a shy person so usually will stand back and listen to conversations as well as people watch, which I love to do. Conversations erupted between those that were waiting to look inside, with topics ranging from children to what a person did for a living. Eventually the topic of estate sales came up and this was when I started to listen more closely. Being a newcomer to picking items in attempts to flip them for a small profit, it's always good to listen to those that are older, wiser, and have been dealing in the picking business for longer than I've graced this earth.

A man spoke about a variety of different estate companies and which ones he has had better luck with getting cheaper prices. He mentioned that it's best to go to estate sales that aren't run by large estate companies and if possible, stick to those that are headed up by families and friends. Estate sale companies often know what they have, as in the appraisal values for items. Add that to the profit that estate companies have to make from using their services and the prices can be set higher than actual value. This isn't true for all estate companies, however. Some work a home where the owner/next-of-kin just wants to get rid of everything and thus prices are lower than actual value.

Sales run out of a house by family/friends are obviously going to be cheaper for a variety of reason:

• "Just get rid of it." Families/friends that inherit homes through deaths & illnesses often just want to get rid of everything and anything in the home to move on, move forward, and often get ready to put a house on the market. They remove the items they want and then are left with a considerable amount of other items without knowing how to get rid of it. They might not want to involve an estate company to be able to save money, keep all of the profits, or have more control of the sale. If they have 3 cabinets full of dishes, chances are they are willing to part with the dishes at a lower cost than pricing them at a higher cost and risk still being left with 3 cabinets of dishes.
• They don't know what they have. Unless someone is interested in antiques and vintage items, the chances are high they will not know what the value/history of an item is. Plus, the lure of making a buck and getting rid of an item adds to the "Just get rid of it" mentality, whether or not the item is worth more than they realize. The amount of time it would take to research boxes full of antiques, compare prices on Ebay, look in newspapers for certain collectors, is not worth it to the seller. This makes the chance for a picker to pick up good items for a low price at a family run estate sale higher versus a company sale. Again, this isn't always the norm but just a viewpoint.
• The Haggle. Haggling is easier to partake in at a family estate sale because the sale is pretty much a glorified garage/yard sale. Bring a pile of items to the money taker and he/she will probably just take a look at the items and give you a bulk price. Companies usually have everything marked, look at each item, and tally it up. Some might do a bulk price, but that depends on the cashier & the items you are purchasing. 

Conversation turned to what each person was interested in & what they collected either for themselves or to later re-sell. By this time, many of us had been waiting over half an hour to get into the home and some people voiced their frustration. An older man who had been discussing his collections and flea markets that he sold at, piped up at those who were complaining about the long wait to look at items. The man said that everyone needed to have some understanding and patience, that everyone would eventually be able to have their turn inside. He stated that if there was an item inside that you were meant to have, it would still be there when you got in, that it would wait for you. If the item wasn't there and someone else purchased it, then it wasn't supposed to be yours. The man then stated that things always work out, that if God wants you to have the item, you will. Another man piped in with a chuckle and said "I don't think God visits estate sales. He has more important things to do." The original man laughed back and said that maybe using God's intervention wasn't exactly using the right words, but that he firmly believed that things always would work out at sales if you believed in the thinking that if you are meant to have it, you will.

I wanted to tell the man that I completely agreed with him. I have always believed that in antiquing, going to the flea market, and picking that if you are meant to have the item, you will. The price will be right and haggling can be done. Call it being "green" or call it conjuring up the romantic notions of antique collecting, it is just a way that I have always felt about collecting. These feelings become tenfold when I end up stumbling upon something that I had been searching for for years or when an object appears that seems like it was just meant for me...like when I found a 1950s day dress for $5 that fit me like a glove. Call it collecting karma or just pure luck, whether you believe that the Lord above has a hand in estate sales or not, I do believe that if it's meant to be, it will be.

~ Flea Fact ~

Listen to conversations for tips and pieces of advice. Sometimes words that are spoken can be helpful bits of knowledge to add to your picking skills. Other times, words can be affirmations of what you have always practiced - collecting karma.

An Estate Sale Newbie ~ Part One

Estate sales are something that I always read advertisements and listings for, but never really bothered to check out. I don't have an exact reason why, it just never crossed my mind that an estate sale is like a flea market/antique shop/thrift store all wrapped up in one convenient location. A few months ago, there was an estate sale in my town so I figured that I would finally go check out this form of sale and see what I had been depriving myself of for all of these years.

There are different forms of estate sales. Some sales are conducted in the actual home, other seclude the sale to a garage or outside building, and at others the items are removed from the original home and sold at an auction house.One needs to go to an estate sale fully prepared for a variety of reasons. 9 times out of 10, there will be a great listing of photographs of items that are going to be sold on the listing's website. Checking out the photos beforehand ensures that you will be attending a sale where there are items that you are potentially interested in. Also, some sales have a number system where those that arrive first prior to the sale are given numbers for admittance. If there is an item that you must! have, then get there early enough to secure a number and make sure you are one of the first in.

I wasn't fully prepared for this estate sale. Not so much prepared as in I didn't look at the pictures of the items for sale listed online before the sale or made sure to get there as soon as the home was open for business. Prepared as in I didn't realize that I would have the liberty to open kitchen cabinets, sift through bedroom dresser drawers, open up closets, and meander through the home like I was visiting family...

The home was built probably in the 1920s/1930s. I had arrived at the house around two hours after the start of the sale, so I was able to walk right in. The previous owner left the home in the style of the 1970s, with the mustard yellow furniture and rugs that were a lovely shade of split pea soup green.The estate sale employees encouraged all visitors to look throughout the entirety of the home, open up drawers, sift through cabinets. I was shocked and somewhat uncertain about this... I almost felt like I was invading the personal space of a family, that I was breaking into the home of an elderly couple and ransacking their house. It was awkward.

A mass of people were in the small living room dismantling an old entertainment center, complete with a record player and 8track system. This odd looking man was talking to a woman, either his business partner or girlfriend, about how much money they could get for the furniture. The lady replied that the style of furniture was "hot" right now and she was sure they could sell it. Later on, after I had made my purchases and was leaving, I saw them loading the furniture into their van... loaded down with an assortment of furniture pieces, artwork, etc. No doubt they were pickers and dealers.

I briefly looked through the dining area. 2 chairs and a table filled with jewelry and watches. I do purchase/wear vintage necklaces, but did not see anything that caught my eye when I looked at the table. Onto the kitchen where cabinets were filled with coffee mugs, crock pots, dish towels, and silverware. An old calendar was still pinned to the wall and a bottle of dish soap remained near the sink. I turned to look at the items displayed on the kitchen table and my eye immediately fell on a nesting hen.

Over the last year or so, I have become aware that I have started a small collection of roosters & hens. Heck, I should just say birds in general. I have no idea why these items catch my eye, but they do. When I go to flea markets and antique stores, roosters and birds are not on my list of things to be looking for, but I do find them and if the price is right, will purchase. This was a Hen on a Nest, made by the Indiana Glass Company.          
This company started making the nesting hen in the 1930s. The earlier birds do not have beading on the top portion of the nest, while the later more current birds do. The company continued to produce the nesting hen up through the 1990s.

 The hen that I found at the estate sale was of the early variety, with no beading. The sticker price on the hen was $4 - a complete steal! I had seen this type of nesting hen at flea markets and antique stores, all priced well above the estate sale sticker price. Listings on Ebay and other Internet sites have going prices anywhere between $12 to $20. The $4 was a price that I wouldn't find again.

I ventured outside to a small garage that was used basically to store tools and gardening equipment... and a large model of a circus. Yes, a handmade model of a big top circus. I'm not talking some little tent with a few plastic lions thrown in. What was in this garage was amazing and heartbreaking at the same time. On a board, probably at least 8ft in length, maybe 5ft wide, was a big top model circus. Three tents, complete with the red and white stripes and lights. Surrounding the tents were an assortment of everything you would picture at a circus - clowns, carnies, the old-fashion animal cages on wheels, elephants, tigers, monkeys, trapeze artists, cotton candy vendors, balloons, a water station... everything that a circus would need.

I wish I would have taken a picture because my words do not do this piece justice. The men that were in the garage looking at the tools all at one point made their way over to the circus to admire the work. It must have taken months, perhaps years, for the person who made this to have it complete. I envisioned an old man spending hours outside in this garage, carving the tigers, painting the lines on the circus tents, and assembling this work of art. It broke my heart when I saw the price tag of $50 on it. I thought to myself that someone in this person's family must have wanted this - why wouldn't they?? I wondered what would happen to it if no one bought it that day. I didn't want to think that it would end up as rubble in a garbage can. I made sure to look at the intricate details and admire this labor of love. It wasn't in my budget to purchase it, though the $50 was such a low price for all of this work. Also, I had no place to store the circus and no need for it, besides wanting to save it from being thrown away.

That's what was the hardest part about the estate sale. I was going through someones home. I was looking in their cabinets and shuffling around their silverware drawer. The people that had owned this home most likely were deceased, maybe for a few months, maybe for years.The family had gone through and taken what they wanted and needed to get rid of the rest. Or, there was no close relative left and so all of the contents of the home were up for sale. Regardless, this form of picking is unlike a flea market setting or an antique store. 

At the flea or store, you are removed somewhat from the original owner of the item. You can always wonder where the item came from, what the owner was like... at an estate sale, there's no need to wonder about the owner because you are in the owner's home. You see what they collected, see their magnet collection on the refrigerator, know what kind of clothes they wore. It's a totally different experience...