Props to Mad Men

I'm behind the curve on the TV series Mad Men--and trying desperately to catch up before season 5 starts in March. Like many other vintage lovers, I'm there as much for the hairstyles, dresses, and set design as the drama, dysfunction, and dalliances.

One of the things I enjoy most in this rich 1960s period piece are the little background touches--the wallpaper in Betty Draper's kitchen, the roly poly glasses on Don's desk, the clock on the wall in Peggy's mom's apartment. The best part is, you can find and own a lot of these items. I've been seeking them out madly lately--here are a few of my favorite vintage prop-worthy items.

Mid-century cork lamp from bitofbutter

Double cruet with kitschy rooster from ReBopShop

Wrought iron wall clock from rovervintage

Park Sherman desk set from KentonCollectibles

Royal Haeger ashtray from 10karri

Roly poly bar glasses from jenscloset

Living A Vintage Life: In Shades Of Avocado

Take a trip back in time with me - a time when Tiki Gods, Harvest Gold and Avocado were staples of home decor; when double-knit polyester and mutton chops were stylish! Dig out your leisure suits and disco shirts and stroll along with me through 'Wes Clark's Avocado Memories'. I don't know how I ever found this delightful capsule of 1960s-70s California suburbia but it's one of my favorite sites on the whole internet and I'm tickled to have a chance to share it here. WCAM isn't just any vintage website - there's nothing girly or fashionable here. Nothing for sale. Just pure reminiscing about a time period that many of us vintage lovers and folks deep into their 40s can relate to.

Spanning 1966-1980, Wes shows us with bare honesty and humor his childhood in Burbank, California, the changes inflicted upon their little ranch home and the suburban lifestyle of the era. A period when a true patio was decorated with Tiki gods, whether it be in Burbank or Honolulu, and family dens were decked out in drinking memorabilia and anonymous farm gear.

Leafing through WCAM will not do it justice - you must slowly journey through, as though walking through a long buffet line. Scroll to the bottom of each page, click every link and taste every morsel Wes has to offer: the 8mm movies, the school cafeteria recipes, the locomotion, Kraft cheese and more! It will take days, and you may need to take a break just to check the calendar once in awhile, but the journey is worth it. Fortunately he started adding more pages after the initial site was built - there's enough here to keep you busy the rest of the summer so slather on some Coppertone (or baby oil with iodine for dark, homemade 'tan'!) and grab a glass of Tang and start your Avocado vacation!

Fenton's Violets in the Snow

Fenton Silver Crest
Violets in the Snow Vase
by MyMilkGlassShop

To continue my series on Fenton Silver Crest, this week I will discuss the decoration, Violets in the snow (VITS). VITS is the first Louise Piper decoration, and was first seen on Silver Crest in 1968.

Louise Piper is a renowned Fenton artist who came to the company in 1968 and was a beloved fixture in the decorating rooms - many artists expanded their skills under Louise's tutelage.  Fenton glassware with Louise's name on it are highly sought after and extremely collectible.

Louise's gorgeous decoration of delicate purple flowers graces more than the Silver Crest line, and first appears on Spanish Lace in 1974. VITS was discontinued by the end of 1984.

The hardest to find pieces include the ashtray, the candy box, the table and classic lamp, the pitcher, and the square planter.

This glassware makes a stunning, everyday decoration. I'm especially fond of the Silver Crest Violets in the Snow Handled Bon Bon, which I use to offer small treats on the coffee table.

It is with a sad heart that I end this article w/the notation that Fenton will be shutting down its main furnace and discontinuing its traditional glassmaking business.  We are witnessing the end of an era and the disappearance of US made decorative glassware.

Fenton Silver Crest Spanish Lace

Fenton Silver Crest
Footed Cake Stand
by Treasure Hunt Vintage

Last week I talked a bit about Fenton Silver Crest and alluded, in that blog post, to a highly sought-after treatment to Silver Crest, known as Spanish Lace.

Spanish Lace was first introduced on a Silver Crest footed cake plate in 1962.  Spanish Lace continued in production until the 1980s.  The hardest to find in this slightly common line are the footed salt & pepper shakers,  and the Gone w/the Wind hurricane lamp, a most impressive piece at 24".

Collectors can also find the hand-painted decoration, Violets in the Snow, on Silver Crest Spanish Lace, but I will talk about that treatment next week.

Fenton Silver Crest
Spanish Lace Candleholder
by Silk Creek Gallery

Spanish Lace is not exclusive to the Silver Crest line, and can be found on a number of crests, including the teal and plum crests.  Additionally, Spanish Lace can be found w/out the crest in limited supply, on lines such as carnival glass, Country Cranberry, Persian Pearl, and Ivory Satin Glass.  Spanish Lace without a crest continued in production until the late 1990s/early 2000s, with some of these lines being made for QVC.

I'm a big fan of milk glass, and think, in general, it decorates a table like nothing else, especially at Christmas & Hanukkah time.  But when you couple milk glass with a highly ornate, and sometimes hand-painted, treatment - your guests are sure to be envious of your table and have nothing more to do than shower you with complements.

This classy Fenton line looks spectacular paired w/red and green, or blue table treatments.  Even placed on the mantle or on side tables to offer holiday bon bons, Fenton Silver Crest Spanish Lace simply dazzles.

The Etsy Vintage Team offers a wide selection of Fenton - please click here to review those pieces.