‘Tis the season for kitchen magic. Time for handmade chocolates made in time-tested molds like the ones in this week’s fresh to market vintage. And time to stir up your favorite punch bowl brew in a grand punchbowl like the Heisey. It might be eggnog, a non-alcoholic blend with floating islands of sherbet, or this all-time favorite recipe submitted by a gentleman to a community cookbook back in the 1960s: 2 cans Hawaiian Punch, 1 bottle vodka, ice.
If you’re shopping for the holidays, don’t forget to watch the calendar to pay mind to shipping dates. Although we don’t expect shipping delays like the Covid year when it took 4 weeks for a Priority Mail package to arrive, the holiday season is still like rush hour at the Grand Central Terminal Station. Most will get to their destination, but making it on time is by no means a certainty. Take note:
- December 17 is the deadline for First Class and Parcel Select
- December 19 is the deadline for Priority Mail
Deadlines for UPS and FedEx Ground are earlier and dependent on where it’s being shipped from and to.
Also, if a seller is offering free shipping, they are going to ship via the least expensive method possible. You may want to ask about paying for a Priority upgrade.
The good news is, you can choose any of our fresh to market vintage picks, order now, and it will arrive on your doorstep in plenty of time.
Metal Confection and Craft Molds
These are the last of the molds my friend owned before her drastic downsize to move to Florida. She and her mother made lollipops and candy melt figures as well as beeswax and lovely pressed paper ornaments for local Christmas fairs, for her small town library and for other events and friends. Even the oldest molds can be given a scrub and given a light spray of mold release for more culinary or craft items. They enjoyed year round celebrations and events with these, and so can another generation of creative makers.
Metal Molds, $55.99
-Mary Ellen, AuntHattiesAttic
Sterling Silver Scrimshaw Brooch
Beautiful lilies adorn this simple scrimshaw brooch. set on an unadorned sterling silver oval backing and signed by the maker. This brooch is most unusual because of its subject. The delicate floral design is an unexpected depiction of scrimshaw which normally depicts ships or sealife bringing to mind its origins of whaling ships. I believe this piece is Native American, although I’ve been unable to match the signature. Perhaps you can help?
Sterling Silver Scrimshaw Brooch, $52.95
-Pam, Vintage Renude
1940s Heisey Lariat punch bowl set
Sometimes I wonder why I insist on falling in love things that are complicated to ship. It’s going to take some engineering to pack and ship this grand Heisey Lariat punch bowl, underplate and cups. But wow, this set is what punch dreams about being mixed in. How amazing is it that something with the ropelike loops has survived in one piece for 80 years?
Thrift stores are full of the utilitarian pressed glass punch sets from the 1950s and 1960s priced from $5 to $10. And there are some modern sets that are beautiful. Metal punch bowls are interesting (and the devil itself to photograph). This Heisey set is a looker and I trust it will eventually go on to make more memories with a new family and I am confident it will never darken the shelves of a thrift store.
Heisey Lariat punch bowl set, $150.
-Laurie, NextStage Vintage
Antique Salt-Glazed Stoneware Pitcher
This salt glazed pitcher offers up a combination of two of my favorite things – early American stoneware and birds. In this case, lovebirds are the theme, posed on a branch on one side and in flight on the other. According to the Smithsonian’s “14 fun facts about lovebirds,” they really do mate for life, which makes the thought of commemorating them in stoneware seem quite appropriate to me.
Stoneware Pitcher, Lovebird Design, $225
-Linda, Selective Salvage
Lovebirds or partridges in pear trees? Lilies or poinsettia? Gifts don’t have to be seasonal to be sensational. If there’s one thing the weekly fresh to market vintage post highlights, there’s vintage for all seasons for all reasons.
We try and provide seasonal content on this blog, but you never know what you will find. That’s a great reason to subscribe to our weekly newsletter, you get an email with all our posts published the previous week.
Punch bowls have uses beyond holding libations. Four ideas for punch bowls that don’t involve punch has some ideas for other ways to use the mighty glass bowls.
