The Fourth of July is nearly upon us, time for barbecues in the backyard for a few friends and barbecues in the town park by the fraternal organization for a few hundred friends. At least 20 years ago, there was an advertisement in a local NH newspaper that a gentleman would NOT be manning the basting brush at this year’s community barbecue, and a tiny part of our brain still wonders what drama brought that public notice about. Was the chef replaced in a coup? Did the chef bring disgrace upon himself and the organization wanted everyone to know he was not involved. Which brings us to this week’s fresh to market vintage, which has absolutely nothing to do with that story or barbecues, or does it???
You could wear the enamel pin to a shindig and not worry about staining it or having a child wipe their saucy hands on it. You could pack the Prolon Ware cups to go with your jug of homemade lemonade made with sugar and not corn syrup. You could enjoy an ale in the stein. And you could sit in a corner and softly whisper to the perfume bottle “It’s almost time for the fireworks, my preciousss.”
When we write the intro, we try and find a through thread amongst the items, but this week we just wanted to share the story of the dueling basting brushes advertisement because we grow weary carrying it by ourselves. And it turned out that despite our thought that this week’s fresh to market vintage had nothing to do with barbecues, it turned out they did after all. Which just goes to show that serendipity is a disorganized brain’s best friend.
Red, White, and Blue Enamel Flower Pin
This week in the United States, we celebrate on July 4th to commemorate the ratification of the Declaration of Independence. The red, white, and blue of this enamel pin was most likely produced in celebration of July 4th. These enamel floral pins were very popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The bright colors and fun floral themes make them still popular today.
Red, White, and Blue Flower Pin, $24.95
Pam, Vintage Renude
Eight Yellow Prolon Ware Florence, MA Mugs
I found these not far from where they were made. They have not been used and were most likely the last of their kind when the company closed its doors. These are still indispensable for pool parties or picnics as they are made from mid century hard molded plastic. My mom loved serving lunch with similar dishes, bowls and cups when her large hungry brood made siege at the kitchen table!
Yellow Unbreakable Cups, $54.99
-Mary Ellen, AuntHattiesAttic
Vintage Gesetzlich Geshutzt German Beer Stein
Offering a mid-sized embossed German beer stein that sports an embossed pewter lid. Deep green body with cream trim. The raised pictorial scene features a man and two women happily dancing with steins of beer. Stamped “Germany” and marked 1902E on the bottom with “GESETZLICH GESCHUTZT” below.
Interestingly enough, the origin of covered steins can be traced to the bubonic plague and fly invasions in Europe in the 14th century. Seriously! Read more about the history of German beer steins on the German Culture site.
Vintage German Beer Stein with Pewter Lid, $45
Linda, Selective Salvage
Alvin fine sterling overlay perfume bottle
This perfume bottle, with fine silver overlay by Alvin, dates to the late 1890s. It’s a delight to find it complete with a stopper. Often stoppers and bottles get separated over the decades. Unlike the silver overlay you commonly find when thrifting that’s from the 1950s and 1960s, the silver on this bottle is thick and textural. Both the antique and the vintage types of silver overlay have their virtues, one of my favorite patterns is the 1950s vintage poppies motif called “Flanders.” This elegant perfume bottle ancestor of the vintage overlay pieces brings to mind a time when a vanity was a place to display luxury.
Alvin sterling silver overlay perfume bottle, $475.
Laurie, NextStage Vintage
We hope you enjoy your Fourth of July, whether it’s spent enjoying the bang zoom of fireworks, or whether it’s spend huddling in the basement trying to distract a distressed dog from noticing the booms. Our children live in NYC, where amateur Fourth of July fireworks start in June and end well after the Fourth. That’s a lot of comforting to have to do.
If you subscribe to our blog, you can take comfort in knowing that you will receive one email a week with links to the previous week’s posts (including the fresh to market vintage post) and you will never receive a slice or cube of spam. Even if you beg us, we will not spam you.
Flag Day is a less celebrated holiday than the Fourth of July, to say the least. Do you know the rules about displaying a flag? We wrote about it in a Flag Day post.
