Saturday Swap Meet Finds

An interesting morning at my favorite hangout. I bought a lot of merchandise which I will list for you later, but I want to tell you about the one that I didn't buy. Walking down one of the aisles I spotted a large table loaded with plates and bowls. Looking closer I saw that it was restaurantware and turning over one of the plates it was marked Wallace. Each piece was pink covered with white flowers completely up to the edges. I had seen this before and was almost positive that it was a line that Wallace had made specifically for the Hawaiian restaurant and hotel market back in the 50's. The designs were later copied by TEPCO sold with the same names. A big trademark lawsuit was filed and I think the result was that TEPCO had to change the names. There were almost 100 pieces, but almost all were flatware and cereal bowls. I have a Shadowleaf platter from Wallace that is a part of this line listed for $150.00, but I wasn't sure about the value of these common pieces. The dealer wanted $80.00 for the lot which I really didn't want to spend without more information, so I passed it by.

After I got home I did the research. Couldn't find a lot except to verify what I already knew and find out that replacements designates the pattern as WAL6. Unfortunately I can't find much pricing information. I found a chop plate on ebay for $5.99. I think that is way under priced for this item, but I'm glad I didn't buy the lot. I'll see if the dealer wants to negotiate tomorrow if the china is still there.

Here's a shot of the Shadowleaf platter that I have in the store:


Wallace Shadow Leaf Platter

This is a typical example of how I learn things even when I don't buy the items. I need to start taking a small camera with me to take pictures of these items.

Now on to the items I did buy:

• 5 Vernon Kilns Homespun Luncheon Plates Update (08/12/09) Listed: Vernon Kilns Homespun at Quality Junk in the Atomic Mall



• Six various Homer Laughlin Theme Shape California Mission wall plates Update (08/11/09) All of these Mission plates have been listed.

Church Plates at Quality Junk in the Atomic Mall


• One California Mission Plate unknown pottery Update (08/11/09) Listed



• A beautiful large tab handled Japanese platter. Either Kyoto or Jyoto I'm not sure yet.Update (08/12/09) Listed: Kyoto Platter at Quality Junk in the Atomic Mall


I will research, photograph and list these this week and update this post.
Thanks for listening.... ☺☺☺☺

More Not So Quality Junk - Mason's Chamber Pot

This is a perfect example of "One mans trash is another mans treasure". When I first saw this piece laying on the ground in a pile of junk at the swap meet, my immediate reaction was to just walk away. It was dirty and cracked and the handle was broken off but the "Bottom mark checker" syndrome kicked in and I picked it up to look. Seeing the Mason's Ironstone mark, I decided to look a little further and noticed that it used to have a handle that was broken off and missing. This was my first clue that it was not a planter as I had originally thought but a chamber pot. Then I noticed something else about it that was different. It was obviously a blue willow design but there were only two figures on the bridge instead of three. That was something I had never seen before and I knew that I wanted to study it further if the price was right. It was in such bad shape that the seller was glad to get rid of it so I paid his price and took it home with me.

What I already knew was that the Mason's were a family of potters trading under various styles at Lane Delph and Fenton (Staffordshire) from c.1800 to c.1854. Charles James Mason patented the famous 'PATENT IRONSTONE CHINA' in 1813. The Mason patterns, molds, etc., passed through several firms to Messrs. G L Ashworth & Bros in 1861. This firm was renamed 'Mason's Ironstone China Ltd' in 1968.

From my research it appears to be circa 1840's and if it were in good condition probably retails at around $300-$400. Apparently the Two Man Willow was a common variation back than and the story of two young lovers being chased across the bridge by the girls irate father had not yet become widespread.

Another fact that surfaced from my efforts to get information about this piece was that the Willow pattern actually originated in England in the late 1700's and was than copied in other countries including Japan. I may be the last to find out about this as I always assumed it that it was first used in the Orient and spread throughout the world from there.

I guess the point that I am trying to make here is that sometimes something that appears worthless can yield a great deal of valuable information. Since my limited finances make me more a collector of information than actual pottery I don't pass by damaged pieces without at least considering the fact that they may have secrets to unlock and should not be tossed in the trash so quickly.

Here are some other images that better show the damaged areas:


Quite frankly I don't know if I will ever list this pot for sale, but it has already deposited a large sum in my knowledge bank.

Mitterteich Find At Goodwill

Mitterteich MIT1 DinnerwareSince I had a shipment to go out I stopped at Goodwill on the way back from the Post Office and picked up some odd pieces of Mitterteich that were just sitting there. I thought that they were a match for my Norway Rose pieces, but when I got back home and looked at them again I realized that they were a totally different pattern in the same shape as Norway Rose. I finally found them by browsing through the Mitterteich at Replacements Ltd. There is no pattern name, but replacements designates them Mit1. They have pink rose buds instead of the brown orange Norway Rose flowers. I will take pics and list them ASAP. I was pleased to add another Mitterteich pattern to the store as I only have the Norway Rose right now and Mitterteich is really high quality ware. There are four cups, 3 salad plates and one dinner plate in the lot. (Update 08/11/09)Listed: Mittertech at Quality Junk in the Atomic Mall

Taylor, Smith & Taylor Calendar PlateGetting back to the shipment that went out. It was a Taylor, Smith & Taylor 1959 Calendar Plate. This plate is frequently referred to as the Holland Blue plate because of the windmill design and blue background color. The thing that amazes me is that this was one of the TS & T listings that I just transferred from Blujay a couple of days ago and it is already sold on Atomic Mall. Actually I had this plate listed on Yahoo auctions for years before Blujay. This may just be the luck of the draw, but I think it just further demonstrates why I love the Atomic Mall.

I should also say that this renews my interest in Calendar plates and I am going to start actively looking for them to add to my store.
Calendar Plates at Quality Junk in the Atomic Mall

As a footnote I also listed more of my Sunday buys and updated that post. Here's the backlink again.

Sunday at the Swap Meet


Thanks for listening.... ☺☺☺☺

Another Listing Day

I spent the day photographing, editing and listing most of the items that I purchased last Sunday. Since I listed them in my last post I found it convenient to just update them there also. Here is a back link to the updates.

Sunday at the Swap Meet

Don't have time for more today.

Thanks for listening..... ☺☺☺☺

Sunday at the Swap Meet

Well I missed a couple of days here in blogland, but I have a great excuse. I heard the call of the wild coming from Viejas casino and had to answer it. Went out Friday night for a little while and than again on Saturday. Since I came home with a couple of bucks more than I took out there I consider it to have been a successful interlude.

This morning I went to my swap meet for a couple hours of walking around and shopping. It's interesting to note that yesterday I didn't find a thing there and this morning I picked up quite a few interesting items that I will list after researching them.Here's a quick list to let you know what's coming.

• A lot of seven Burden China Canteen Service Bowls (update 08/04/09) - These are actually China Bowls from an era (post WWII) when Hollywood Studios used real china for their studio canteens. I am still researching but I am fairly certain that the V mark on them is a WWII victory symbol. All adds up. Burden's first issues were in 1945, Right at the end of the war. I will probably do a complete post on these when I have pics and more info. Listed: Burden China at Quality Junk in the Atomic Mall
• M.A. Hadley Country Scene (Blue) 13 1/2" Soup Tureen Base (update 08/04/09)This set has a very large number of pieces and was first issued in 1940. Additional pieces, modifications and deletions have been made ever since. This is still an active pattern. Listed: M.A.Hadley Pottery at Quality Junk in the Atomic Mall
• Two Harmony House Romance dinner plates (update 08/04/09)I don't know who made these for Sears, but they are definitely USA made according to the mark. Listed: Harmony House China at Quality Junk in the Atomic Mall
• A Craftsman (Japan) Green Bamboo dinner plate (update 08/04/09)I purchased this beautiful plate because it reminded me of an Otagari Iris Bowl I have, but this piece is much lighter. Listed: Craftsman China at Quality Junk in the Atomic Mall
• A Homer Laughlin Best China 11 1/2" oval platter with a pastel floral rim (update 08/06/09)I believe that The "Best" in this case refers to the quality of this line. Listed: Homer Laughlin Best China at Quality Junk in the Atomic Mall
• A MIJ Blue Willow bread plate (Update 08/11/09) I believe this to be Maruta even though it is not marked. Listed: Maruta bread plate at Quality Junk in the Atomic Mall
• A Craftsman (Japan) Willow (blue) salad plate and fruit bowl (update 08/06/09)Upon close inspection I found that these both have small rim chips, but I listed them anyway because of the beauty of this pattern. Listed: Craftsman China at Quality Junk in the Atomic Mall
• A 15" Hall white Fish plate with a sauce bowl in the tail (update 08/04/09) I have seen these in colors, but never in all white before. Listed: Hall China at Quality Junk in the Atomic Mall

It will take me a while to photograph and research these, but I will list them all as soon as I can. There was a lot more pottery there that I would normally have considered good buys, but during this slow period of the year I just don't have the storage space and I don't like to buy more than I can process in a reasonable time frame.

Thanks for Listening..... ☺☺☺

Listing Day Taylor, Smith & Taylor

Well today has turned out to be a very productive day for me. I was able to list a few new items and at the same time move more glassware and pottery from Blujay to Atomic Mall.

I was finally able to finish moving the last of my Taylor, Smith and Taylor from Blujay to Atomic Mall.

This was one of the great Potteries of the Ohio river valley. Located in Chester West Virginia, It was formed in 1899 as Taylor, Lee & Smith. Because of internal differences Lee left the company 1n 1901 and the name was changed to Taylor,Smith & Taylor. By 1906 Smith had bought out the Taylor's and became the sole owner. Col. Taylor remained on the board and the name was retained even after the company was purchased by Anchor Hocking in 1972 to become the foundation of their pottery division. T,S & T finally closed its doors in 1981. Like so many American potteries a victim of foreign competition.

Taylor, Smith & Taylor at Quality Junk in the Atomic Mall

Enough for today. Thanks for listening...☺☺☺

History on Pottery

I was just listing this beautiful Piece of California Memorabilia in my Atomic Mall Store when the thought crossed my mind that there is a tremendous amount of both American and world history that has been promulgated on various types of pottery. I decided to write a blog article and perhaps add to it as new items show up.

I was particularly excited by this plate for couple of reasons. First from a technical standpoint I believe this is the first Homer Laughlin wall plate I have seen that was issued on the Cavalier (Rim) Shape. I have seen plenty on their Rhythm (Coupe) Shape. The thing I found the most interesting however, was the number of actual little windows into California that are depicted on this single plate.

Here's a list of what I spotted:

• Golden Gate Bridge - San Francisco Bay
• Cable Car on Russian Hill - San Francisco
• The Campanile - UC Berkeley
• Rose Bowl - Pasadena
• Palace of Fine Arts - San Francisco
• Mt. Wilson Observatory
• Water Sports - Surfing, Fishing, Swimming
• Redwood Forest
• Capitol Building - Sacramento
• Movie Sets - Hollywood
• Mission of San Carlos Borromeo - Carmel
• Old Whaling Station - Monterrey
• A Golden Map of the Golden State

I would have to say that they hit all the highlights and than some. Remember that this is just one plate. Literally thousands were issued over the years and potteries and decorators continue to crank out history even as it is being made today. Remember also, that plates are not the only pottery pieces on which history has been recorded. Plaques, Mugs, Bowls, Figurines and many others are also out there waiting to be found and admired.

I guess I should mention that this plate and others are on display and for sale in my store.

California Plate at Quality Junk in the Atomic Mall

Thanks for listening..... ☺☺☺

Technical Porcelain and Chinaware Company

Probably many of you will not recognize the company in the title, but you would if I simply called it TEPCO, the more familiar acronym. Most sources state that TEPCO was founded in 1918 by John Battista Pagliero in El Cerrito, California. At first TEPCO's production was primarily just what the name states, Technical and electrical porcelain manufacture. In the years leading up to World War II, TEPCO potters and decorators began producing beautiful airbrushed patterns on heavy ware for the restaurant and hotel trade. By the beginning of the War they were a major player in commercial china. These pieces are very much in demand by collectors today. During the War years the company was the major suppier of china for the U.S. Pacific Fleet. They continued to produce quality restaurant ware right up until the company closed around 1968.

For those who may want to learn more please check out this link:
"Reprint Of An Article About Tepco On The E.Z.Smith Web Pages"

Now for the curious among you who are probably wondering why TEPCO popped into me mind today. I was looking through some piles of china on my back patio that I simply have never got into since I closed my brick and mortar store 5 years ago and came across a number of restaurant ware pieces including a few small TEPCO berry/fruit bowls. They jogged my memory about the article above and so I decided to list them in my store and when I reread the article I felt I had to share it with you'

I am hoping to add more commercial china to the store as time allows. It is an important and continuing part of Pottery history. For now this link should show most of what I have listed.
Restaurantware at Quality Junk in Atomic Mall

Thanks for listening... ☺☺☺

Glass, glass, glass - It's all Greek to me!!!

No disrespect intended to all of you dedicated glassware collectors out there. I just can't seem to be able to get a handle on all of this glass. However I have quite a bit and I am going to try and start researching and selling some of it. I've always had some listed in the various online stores I have tried in the past, but I just have never had the interest in it that I have in the pottery and dinnerware pieces. 90% of china and dinnerware is easy to identify. Come on people, they print the name right on it. Not so with glass. Yes, my hat is off to you who are brave enough to venture into the world of glass collecting.

Without further ad0, I started transferring the glass I already have listed on line to my Atomic Mall store and will be adding more every day for a while. I invite you to take a look from time to time and I apologize in advance for all the mistakes I am sure I'll make. Please do not hesitate to email me and set me straight should you find them. Actually, I welcome constructive criticism.

Glassware at Quality Junk in Atomic Mall

Enough for now. Thanks for listening... ☺☺☺

Sunday Morning Swap Meet

Went to the Swap Meet again today. More to get the exercise than to find anything, but you never know. I did find some pieces that I bought more to research than to sell.

Brief Descriptions:

• Narumi NAR55 Oval Platter. 16.5" long. Gray pine needle branches with small yellow cones in the center of each needle spread. This differs from replacements description, but I am fairly certain that it is the same pattern. My guess is circa 1950's with a probable replacement value of around $75.00. It is in excellent condition with very light trim wear. (Update 06/08/09) Narumi China at Quality Junk in the Atomic Mall


• Homer Laughlin California State Plate in the Cavalier Shape (not eggshell). 10" diameter. White body, pastel blue rim with gold heraldic crosses. Date marked 1956. Excellent condition. (Update 06/08/09) Listed: California Plate at Quality Junk in the Atomic Mall


• Fitz & Floyd (Table Collection) Plate. All white body with a poem about "Friends" in blue. 10 3/4" diameter. Older Fitz & Floyd mark. Original paper label "Japan". (Update 06/08/09) Listed: Fitz & Floyd at Quality Junk in the Atomic Mall

I need to do more research before listing these and will update this post when I list them.

NEW ISSUE
This afternoon I found time to move my remaining Sterling China from Blujay to my Atomic Mall store.

Sterling China of Wellsville, Ohio was founded in 1917. During WWII they were a major producer of china for the U.S. Navy. They produce commercial advertising china products, but also are well known for a line of Russell Wright they first issued in 1948. In 1952 they bought out the Scamwell Company of New Jersey. They used an East Liverpool, Ohio address for business purposes. As far as I know they closed in 2006.

Buy Sterling China at Quality Junk in Atomic Mall.

Thanks for listening...☺☺☺☺

Who said that Saturday was a day off??

Started off the morning at the swap meet. It was slim pickings, but I did manage to pick up a half a dozen Sebring Pottery Rosalie Dinner plates. Almost all in perfect condition except for light wear. I'll try and get them listed soon.

Well I thought this would be an easy day for me, but you know how that goes. "Best laid plans of men and mice." I have spent the bulk of the day working on a fairly large post with lots of pictures for my wife's blog.

Than I finally managed to get a couple of new items listed in my store.

And now I am updating this.

Here are the new listings:

Franciscan Tiempo Gray (Stone) Salad Serving Bowl



Metlox Colorstax Plum Berry Bowls



My apologies for the short post. Time for my "old guy" nap. Thanks for listening....

Not So Quality Junk - Grimwades Butter Dish

Of course this is not a pottery dump, but it is a little like what my house would look like if I didn't screen some of the things I buy at the swap meet or are given to me. Unfortunately one of my idiosyncrasies is that I cannot bear to toss any piece of vintage pottery or dinnerware that has either a high resale value and/or is over 100 years old, regardless of its condition. I am talking about pieces that I could never afford to have in my house or store if they were not damaged. I am not talking about everyday, dinnerware that is cracked or chipped. Like most folks I have no problem finding the trash bin with those. Of course sometimes I have to stare at an item for a month or two before making a judgement call between these two categories. In browsing through my store you will probably find a couple of dozen items like this and I am always very careful to describe the damage. I list this "not so quality junk" in the hopes that some other poor, retired sailor might like to have a beautiful, even if damaged piece of history.



Here is one such piece that I purchased a week ago and have not decided what to do with it yet. It is a Royal Winton Grimwades Covered Butter Dish. Probably circa 1930, but I need to do more research. My guess is that this piece would have a value of around $100.00 if in good condition. There is a good sized chip on the rim in one corner of the bottom which of course degrades it.



There is one other fascinating thing about this piece. If you look at the top above and the bottom below, you will notice that there is absolutely no glaze crazing on the top and yet the bottom is so extensively crazed that it appears to be deliberate. This leads me to believe that this is a marriage of two pieces of the same pattern but issued many years apart. Of course there are other equally plausible explanations, and we may never know the truth.


It is this mixture of age, beauty and mystery that makes it impossible for me to pass these pieces by and toss them in the trash.

Here is some Royal Winton that is listed: Griwades at Quality Junk in the Atomic Mall

Enough for today, Thanks for listening...

Who Said That Change Is A Good Thing??

Ever since I decided to start using this blog again I have been avoiding updating it to the latest format. It would seem that they have updated things in the last five years and they want me to do the same. I know what happens every time I try something new on line. Usually one big mess of my own making.

Today was a slow day around here so I decided to take the "leap of faith" and pushed the update button. I was not disappointed in my expectations. Five hours later and I am just beginning to find the light at the end of the tunnel. I think I'm about half way there and I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm working on it. Things should be back to normal by tomorrow.

Thanks for listening...

Jibber, Jabber, JOBBER !!!!

One of the most confusing things people run into when they are collecting pottery in general and dinnerware in particular is the term "JOBBER". Just exactly what is a jobber anyway? The best definition for our purposes is a company that orders and purchases large quantities of merchandise from manufacturers for the purpose of reselling to retailers rather than directly to consumers.

Examples abound throughout the dinnerware world. All to often, reference publications use the term manufacturer when they are actually referring to a jobber. Further complicating matters Jobbers often use trademarks to refer to a line of merchandise that they are trying to sell. They may order items to be sold under these trademarks from a number of different manufacturers.

Unfortunately, those of us who sell this pottery and dinnerware are even more confused than the people who write the reference material.

Just as an example, Marshall Burns & Company of Chicago. One of their trademark lines was Marcrest. They ordered items for their Marcrest Line from a number of different manufacturers.

Daisy & Dot -- This pattern in the popular Colorado Brown color was made by Western Stoneware, while various other colors were made by other manufacturers.





Marcrest at Quality Junk in the Atomic Mall


Swiss Alpine -- This pattern is almost always unmarked but was made by Stetson for Marshall Burns, again for the Marcrest line.




Almost every major pottery, Homer Laughlin, Franciscan, Taylor, Smith & Taylor and many others sold to jobbers to resell to merchants. Often they sold the same pattern to more than one jobber to be resold under different pattern names.

This led to a common practise throughout the industry where retailers would be offered an exclusive for a certain pattern in their territory, while their competitors were offered the same pattern for the same territory simply under a different name.

The bottom line here is that you must be careful when searching for a specific pattern. It never hurts to do a little research.

Thanks for listening...

Poetry 101 - Life At Night

Another effort to relive my poet years. I'll let you be the judge.


Life At Night

All day she thought about the night
The fun and noise and drinks in sight.

She wanted but to party
To make her life more hearty.

What drew her to this crowd
So drunken and so loud.

Did she feel some hidden need
To erase the world or from it speed.

Those thoughts are left from other years. The habits hard to break.
She fears the pains of daily life. The effort she can't make.

If life is one big party, No problems need she face.
So every night she hurries there. To join the endless race.

No faces she need love, Nor rejections pain to feel.
No reminders of commitments, That were never, ever real.

In this the faces are alike. They want no pain, not yet.
And so they run around each night. Not to worry or to fret.

The Old Guy
17 Mar 2001

Feel free to share if you like and thanks for listening....

Amazing Facts!!! A Sale in July?

You might think it a little presumptuous of me to congratulate myself on having made a sale, but the fact is that July sales for me on line have always been as rare as hens teeth so I am going to brag it up.

It's really not a large sale from a monetary point of view, but it is an item that I always liked and almost (remember I said almost) hate to see go.

"The legend of the Dogwood dates back to the crucifixion. Early lore likens the Dogwood petals, shaped like a cross and stained with red, to the Cross of Calvary"

It is a Stetson China Dixie Dogwood Platter by Joni. Stetson pottery also produced Blue Ridge-esque designs from 1946 to 1966. Stetson employed one of Southern Pottery’s most famous creators, Lena Watts. With her came many look-alike patterns. One of the most common “Blue Ridge” patterns that Stetson adopted was the “Southern Dogwood” pattern. Stetson’s version was often marked “Dixie Dogwood, Joni.” Like Blue Ridge, not all of Stetson’s wares were marked. But, in the case of Dixie Dogwood, there is one simple way to tell the difference. “Dixie Dogwood” has red “blood” dots on the ends of the petals. Blue Ridge “Southern Dogwood” doesn’t. Stetson China used decal transfers for its entire lifetime except for a three year period, 1954 - 1956, when it used hand painting exclusively. Most of the Blue Ridge like patterns were issued then. The "Joni" back stamp indicates ware that was created for "Joni" one of Stetsons largest jobber clients.
Update (08/07/09) More about jobbers: Jibber,Jabber,Jobber

I really must thank the buyer in Washington State for breaking up the monotony of the July doldrums.

I do have a few other Joni pieces in the store if you care to take a look.

Joni China at Quality Junk in Atomic Mall

Thanks for listening....

Church Plates - Faith or Advertising

I do not want to start a controversy here regarding the need for or the right of churches and religions in general to advertise themselves.

What I want to do is point out the beauty of these churches as they are shown on plates. I am sure that most people keep these in their homes as acts of faith. I also believe that churches for the most part use these as a means of fundraising as well as a way to commemorate significant events in their histories. Potteries in almost every country in the world have filled orders at one time or another for these plates and other similar memorabilia.

My point here is that the hundreds if not thousands of these plates that are available at very reasonable prices create an area that most people can afford to collect and proudly display.

I do not have many of these but I am always on the lookout for more.

Church Plates at Quality Junk in Atomic Mall

Saturday at the Swap Meet - Franciscan Tiempo Find!!

Not much action at the swap meet this morning. The only thing I picked up was a really nice Franciscan Tiempo Square Salad Bowl in the Gray (Stone) color. It was covered in dirt and buried in a pile of junk, but it appears to be in perfect condition.



Tiempo is part of Franciscans Metropolitan shape. The line was designed by Morris B. Sanders in 1949. Metropolitan was a duo color line. In 1949, Tiempo, a single color line in the same Metropolitan shape was introduced and eventually issued in 8 solid colors. Tiempo was discontinued in 1954 and because of the relatively short issue period is considered somewhat scarce in any color.

Franciscans Metropolitan and Tiempo lines were typical of solid and duotone color lines that almost every major pottery in the U.S.A. issued during this period that were intended to give the consumer the choice of mixing and matching place settings on the table. I see a resurgence of this preference among homemakers today. This is an excerpt from a Gladding, Mcbean & Co ad in the "China, Glass & Lamps" trade journal Sept. 1950.

"Truly beautiful simplicity of line in New and sparkling House & Garden colors makes Franciscan Tiempo correct for formal as well as informal table arrangements. Each shade is so basically excellent it is perfect used alone. Yet any two ... or three ... or even the four colors may be combined. And like all Franciscan dinnerware, Tiempo is extremely resistant to chipping, crazing and cracking."

I have a fairly large selection of Franciscan in my store.

Buy Franciscan China in Quality Junk at Atomic Mall

Thanks for listening...