We’re coming up on America’s 250, and that has us thinking about what things we use now were around for the 1976 Bicentennial. There are many things in our china and glass cupboards that were hand-me-downs from the parental units that are actively used. We have a lot of lamps that are at least that old, although they’ve been rewired because vintage wiring is not something we treasure. And a lot of costume jewelry, because rhinestone brooches and beaded necklaces are timeless and we must gather as many as we can.
These things are extra special because we know their backstory; we know who they belonged to. We saw them in situ. But even if it’s a piece of vintage you’re buying that you won’t know the backstory for, like the 110 year old Roseville pitcher or the 100 year old Czech glass earrings which were both around for the US’s 150th birthday, it’s still nice to know it has a history.
We’ll be toasting in the 250th in Bicentennial-themed glasses that were acquired from weekly stops at the local gas station. However you plan to celebrate this milestone birthday, we hope there’s some vintage involved.
Roseville “Tulips” Milk Pitcher c 1910s
In our throw-away world, I have found a deep appreciation for everyday utilitarian items that survived. This Roseville milk pitcher is an example of a piece used possibly daily, as the loss of glaze and chips show, but it still remains a thing of beauty to a collector of early Americana like me.
Farmhouse Style Roseville Milk Pitcher, $45
Linda, Selective Salvage
Czech Glass Red Screw Back Earrings
Marked Czechoslov, on the back of the screw, these earrings were most likely made in the 1920s or 30s. They are in remarkable condition for something close to 100 years old that was not made to last. The base metal is plated with a bright gold wash. All the stones appear to be original with all prongs in good condition. The glass stones are all bright and clear with no signs of decay. Interestingly, some of the stones are closed back while others are open back. This is unusual for the time, as most costume jewelry of the era featured closed back stones, often foiled to enhance the color.
Red Stone Czech Glass Earrings, $24.95
Pam, Vintage Renude
1970s Peter Pan Ice Cream Packaging
The Peter Pan Ice Cream Co. of Woonsocket, RI was quite the player in the New England wholesale and contract manufacturing business, operating from the early 1950s until the late 1990s. These quart and pint containers probably date from the 1970s based on the lack of nutrition facts or a UPC code.
What you’re really wondering is: what on earth is ice milk?
Ice milk was super popular in the mid century years because it had less fat, fewer calories and a cheaper price. The FDA required ice cream to be at least 10% milk fat. Ice milk was between 2% and 7%. It was recommended for dieters, as you can see from the packaging. In 1994, the FDA decided that it was alright to use more appetizing names. Since then, if it has 25% less fat than ice cream, it can be called “reduced fat.” If it has 50% less, it can be called “light” or “lite” depending on what tiles you drew in your Scrabble hand. If it’s labeled “low fat,” that means it has a maximum of 3 grams of fat. “Low fat” is the closest thing now to what ice milk was.
Peter Pan Ice Cream Ice Milk and Ice Cream Packaging, $45.
Laurie, NextStage Vintage
1976 Bicentennial Nebraska License Plate
For the 1976 US Bicentennial, 16 states issued commemorative license plates, including Nebraska. It was one of the many ways to show your American pride. This year, 12 states are issuing America 250 plates.
In many states, you can use vintage license plates on your vintage car if the year matches the year the car was made. Every state has its own specifics, so you’ll have to check to see the rules for your state.
Vintage license plates made excellent decor. Collecting them to commemorate special years in special states is delightfully sentimental. They’re also excellent for crafting. In the 1990s, a small company called Little Earth made awesome products like pocketbooks and CD holders from old license plates. The internet has many tutorials for using them to make decorative bird houses roofing, wall art collages, boxes, wall pockets and dustpans.
1976-1980 Nebraska Bicentennial License Plate, $22.95.
Available from this week’s guest, The License Plate Gal
If you’d like a refresher on US history at the Centennial, the Sesquicentennial and the Bicentennial, we’ve got some posts for you. Consider them the Cliff Notes version of what was going on in the US politically, how we celebrated and some of the souvenirs people collected. (Spoiler alert, we are a very messy country.) The first post about the Centennial was published last Friday. The Sesquicentennial and the Bicentennial posts will be on the blog next Wednesday and Friday. Gosh, how are you going to remember that?
We have a way! Subscribe to our email newsletter. You get one email a week, with links to all the posts from the previous week. And we keep your info safe. We would sooner celebrate a birthday without a single crumb of cake than share your info.
