9/10/09

Good morning and welcome to Vintage Thingies Thursday, sponsored by my friend Suzanne athttp://coloradolady.blogspot.com/2009/09/vintage-thingies-thursday-bear-planters.html

Today I'm posting the first set of vintage dishes I ever bought. Now, seems like everything vintage that I post has some family theme and this one is no different. My Mom has a set of these dishes that she's collected since I was a kid. I can remember going into the Palace, a very upscale department store back home, and buying her pieces for special occasions. So, when I found I set that was severely underpriced, I bought them on the pretense that I'd send them to her to add to her set. But, instead, they became the start of my collection.

The pattern name is appropriately "Apples" by Fransciscan. All but two of my pieces were made in California. In the 80's, I think, a company in England bought out the brand and started producing them overseas. The English dishes lack the clarity of the CA ones. The lines are blurry where the CA lines are very clear and clearly hand painted. I have pieces dating back into the 20's and there are only a couple more pieces I'd like to collect, but they are so outrageously expensive that I'll need to win the lottery to get them. I've watched the prices go up over time, but my starter set was place setting for 8 and a small hostess set of serving pieces for $100. In the 90's, that seemed like a lot of money, but even then, I knew it was a great price. I bought a lot of things over time from the same vendor at the Austin City wide garage sale. He didn't spend enough time studying the value of his items and consequently, I knew I'd always get a bargain. So, now I have the original service and all these serving pieces. We only use them on special occassions and luckily, I've never broken a piece.



Now, y'all head on over to Suzanne's blog and check out all the links to cool vintage items other followers have posted.
Take care and have a great day. Lane

11 comments:

Becky said...

Ooooooooh Lane. I love "Apples". My aunt has the rose pattern from Franciscan, but I'm more a red person so I've always liked Apples more. Thanks for sharing!

marlene@ByTheSeam said...

I have always like that set myself and have seen them in different places. They are really nice. Glad you got a good bargain on them.

Coloradolady said...

Lane, I remember not too long ago someone posted about this pattern and the tea pot sold for over $2000.00 on ebay (maybe more, I can not remember the exact selling price).

I could not believe it, and I remember them saying the found the pot at a tag sale. Lovely set you have and I am sure it is worth a pretty penny as many pieces as you have.

Have a great VTT and a wonderful weekend.

Postcardy said...

My parents had the Ivy pattern from Franciscan. I don't collect dishes, but I have the Franciscan apple salt shakers for my apple collection.

My name is Riet said...

That is a beautiful dinner service. Nice and bright. I love it

Barb said...

Love those dishes....I have a set of 1960's Diamond Shamrock premiums....I brought a set of 8 with me....but in storage I have so many sets of dishes, I just love them.

Quiltluver said...

I do enjoy looking at your vintage items. I'm not one for buying those kind of things, but I do love to look and even browse the antique shops now and then. When your mother is a packrat for all kinds of knick-knacks and is always trying to give you more stuff that needs to be dusted, well it kind of makes you run in the other direction!

Piece by Piece said...

The Fanciscan dishes are lovely, Lane. Patricia

Marie said...

I have the modern Pink Floral Franciscan plates, I really enjoyed your history lesson on these! I knew about the England production, but not that I should try to find the difference in the clarity on the plates!

Keetha Broyles said...

I have always loved that pattern. You have a fabulous collection!

Nancy said...

My Mom had that pattern and my Aunt had the Apple Blossom. Occasionally there are pieces of Apple in my local thrift shop. I would be glad to keep my eyes open for you.