Saturday's Mystery Box

There's nothing more exciting than a cardboard box and crumpled up newspaper hiding treasures beyond belief.... Well, velvet boxes with pearls are more exciting, but we're talking bargain basement excitement, not 'Breakfast At Tiffany's' excitement!

I love to stop by a favorite shop with no expectations and find old dinnerware; something that has been loved and appreciated in another era. Due to time, death, relocation, downsizing, economics, lack of appreciation, or something shinier and newer, things tend to get cast off. It's a shame, really, but it's also my gain.

My latest treasure is a set of yellow teacups and saucers. Boldly and delicately yellow with graceful swirls and shapely handles. Eight each, which isn't as usual as you would think. Lovely. The plates and bowls? Long gone, maybe, as they were the dishes that were used most often. Teacups were stacked on the top shelf and hardly ever used. Somewhere along the way we moved from the polite teacup into mug territory. I think that's a metaphor for our society!

These lovely teacups are by Franciscan. I haven't done any research on time yet, so I don't know the pattern.

Another find is a cute lil Lefton wall-hangy-doodad; the kind of which people don't really hang on their walls anymore. Well, some grandmama someplace might, but I have a sneaking suspicion that most of them have been tossed in the attic. The yellow flowers made me happy and I had a theme going on so I went with it.

The completion of the theme were four Mount Clemens plates. Roses. My favorite theme. These plates are in great condition and like the teacups and saucers, I don't yet know the pattern.

Trash and Treasures? I gots 'em!

The goldenrod is blooming. The pine straw is littering the drive. The black gums are beginning to show their bright red leaves. A baker's dozen of cardinals came to feed at dusk yesterday. Today we have temps in the 70s and that old grump humidity is at 33%. This is weather I can live with. I was in California for two weeks; got back to the land of honey and magnolias late Monday evening. California was a hot and fiery place. Unseasonably hot. Seasonably fiery. A lovely place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.

I arrived at Ontario airport with one suitcase. I checked two on my return trip. TSA left a kind note in my heavier bag. I don't think they disturbed the duct tape on the older one! Yes, I secured it with duct tape...you just never know when those locks are gonna pop and the Spanx explode all over the airport...plus various newspaper and bubble-wrapped treasures. I had a good time on my thrift circuit around Diamond Bar. Goodwill in Covina, Azusa, and Brea; Community Thrift on Arrow Highway; and one last thrifting trip down the coast as an excuse to get some really good guacamole. And a really nice Fiesta platter!

These are a few of the things I found during my excavations (yes, that's the correct word because I had to dig for a few of these items):

• Shulton Old Spice shaving mug
• Anchor Hocking Hobnail lamp base
• 2 Fire King Lustre punch mugs
• Tupperware pepper mill
• Anchor Hocking Forest Green short vase
• 2 interesting bottles for a bottle fiend that I personally know and love dearly who shall remain nameless!

These aren't the least of the neat things I found. Somewhere along the way I've become obsessed with red tartan plaid. It began with the vintage McGregor Scottish Drizzler windbreaker and has become a major neurosis. I think I'll take two aspirin now and call the shrink in the morning.

Homer Laughlin Oven Serve Pie Baker Pattern OS88

Some women's eyes sparkle at the mention of diamond baubles or gold jewelry. Me, I'm a bit more pedestrian than that. Old dinnerware does it for me. And, no, I wasn't a cheap date when I was 21 and cute as a bug. Now, it's a cheap piece of old American dinnerware that makes my eyes light up. Priorities change, people!

This 1930s Oven Serve 10-1/2 inch pie baker is almost pristine. I couldn't believe my good fortune when I picked it up from the trolley at one of my favorite resale shops. Bright, shiny, no utensil marks; excellent! As far as I can tell from my research, the pattern doesn't have a name but is only known as decoration OS88. I've darkened the bottom picture so that the beautiful embossed detail can be more easily seen.

Frustration---Is It McCoy or Homer Laughlin?

Frustration is seeing something in a book in the library then finding it on the shelf at a local thrift store. Snatching it up and not being able to remember whose company made it. Frustration is not being able to find it in a book again no matter how many trips to the library have been made. Frustration is wondering if you just made the whole thing up or dreamed it!

Frustration is never having seen this particular style before and not being able to even hazard a guess.

Such is the case with this creamer and sugar set. Less than perfect with worn gold and a sizeable chip, it still has clean modern lines with a decidedly 50s feel. I think it's McCoy. But it could be Homer Laughlin. I think. Or it could be some other company entirely. I'm just not sure. But I'm sure that I like it.

Sunny Yellow Chapeau

This hat is 60s perfection. It's so reminiscent of the teased up hairstyles of the era.

I can see Jackie Kennedy in this hat with an open neck jacket; designed by Oleg Cassini, of course. Pearls. White gloves. Low heels. Would she have a pin on her jacket lapel? Now, there's a woman who could wear a hat!

There's an art to wearing a hat. It takes poise. I think a woman walks more regally when she wears a hat. It makes her straighten her spine and stand properly. A tilt of the head, the glance from an eye, a smile that isn't a smile; the wonderful mystery of a woman.

Emilo Pucci Formfit Rogers Gown and Robe

I was strolling down the lingerie aisle at a favorite charity store and this fabric leaped out at me. It was a splash of color in a morass of tired flannel and saggy teddies. It was immediately special. I'm a fabric toucher and a label reader, so when I saw the two words "Emilio Pucci," I knew I had a winner. It was a very good day.

In 1959, Emilio Pucci decided to create a lingerie line. His atelier in Rome advised him to develop the line abroad, avoiding the difficulties of a decade earlier in matching available fabrics to the patterns of his first swimwear line. As a result, Pucci came to Chicago giving the lingerie contract to Formfit-Rogers mills. The venture proved to be successful, and Pucci was made vice president in charge of design and merchandising for the company a year later.

This peignoir set is vintage 60s or 70s. It features Pucci's signature bright colors of hot pink, rusty orange, light pink, and pale chartreuse with his initials being a design element. Known for his bold kaleidoscopic prints, this pattern is almost dainty in comparison with rows of loose bows on a lacey border. Pucci designed in Italy and his garments were American made. The borders are pieced on the gown and robe with tiny darts forming the circular border around the neck of the robe. The nylon fabric is thin and fine. The set is a lovely example of quality American made lingerie.