Do you have a vintage find that you know if you ever found it for a decent price, you’d nab it in a heartbeat? I’m still looking for an old black typewriter, but last weekend, I came upon a whole table full of green depression glass dishes…for a steal! And in my almost 20 years of buying and selling vintage, I’ve never been tempted to purchase them because of their usually high prices…until now.
I wasn’t planning on buying anything…just helping my sister and sister-in-law spend their money. Until we came upon a sale where the family wanted to unload grandma’s enormous dish collection…for paper plate prices!
I was trying not to look too closely, but when I spied the $5 sticker on this stack of plates…
I turned green.
Other people have weaknesses for sweets, alcohol, clothes…I have a weakness for dishes. And when they’re my favorite color with a sweet relief pattern…at an amazing price…I was a goner.
A $3 stack of salad plates and saucers. I know, right? It gets worse…(or better;)…
.50 a piece for the cups and $3 for the cream and sugar set. And then there were the accessory items I couldn’t turn down for $3 and .75 (yes, I got a green glass frog for .75…downright sinful, I know:)
Think I’m going to have to recount my “Flower Frogs”!
I got the whole lot for…$18!
And they were restocking the table when I left…so I quickly took my box and walked away!
After a quick google search, I learned that this pattern is called “Florentine Poppy” and was made by the Hazel Atlas Dish company in the early 1930’s. They’re in beautiful shape, probably because this wonderful lady had so many dishes, she hardly ever used them! Thank goodness none of her family liked vintage dishes!
I quickly added up the Ebay buy now price values, and I’ve got $356 dollars worth of dishes! But these long-awaited for pretties aren’t going anywhere…until my estate sale!
Once I got them all washed up and realized my Bridal Veil spirea was in full-beauty bloom, I decided I needed to do a little Garden party playing with my pretty new patio chairs that I redid in, “Refreshing Patio Chairs: Stapled Cushion How-To”. The aqua, green and grey fabric on the seats would be a perfect complement to add my new green depression to my beloved aqua sandwich glass.
This is how bloggers (and former store owners) play…
When you don’t want your full-of-vintage glassware table to be too fussy, add rustic elements.
Some resourceful handyman decided to cut his chair seats out of crate ends. I honestly wish I would have picked up more of these at the estate sale where I scored them. I think they will work perfectly as chargers for this garden party!
I layered my aqua sandwich glass dinner plates with the green glass luncheon plates and then added an aqua square bowl on top. I love how the notched edge patterns are similar and also the flowery relief pattern. And look how perfect it all is with the seat fabric?
Don’t you just want to come join me for some of my neighborhood eggs made into yummy Egg Salad salad? {See how pretty our neighbor chickens are and get my egg salad recipe in “Chickens, Fresh Eggs, and Egg Salad”.) I’d love to have you all over for a luncheon…one at a time, though;)
I added my grandma’s galvanized watering can and a log slice for some more rustic elements with the frilly glassware. And what garden party isn’t complete without a bird, a garden book and some old binoculars to do a little birdwatching in the garden?
And for a little junkiness, I decided to use the old lumber company tool belts I found in “Curbside Junking Adventures and Tips” for the silverware and napkin…tied onto the backs of the chairs.
You could even place a bouquet of flowers for your luncheon guest in here as a take home favor.
Rustic + Junky + Pretty
…is always a good combo in my book…and at my table!
So what vintage find are you on the hunt for? Some old glassware? An industrial find? A vintage typewriter or camera? ( I love the old cameras I found while buying my new one, “Cameras, Some Things Old, Something New”)
I had a fun day playing tea party with my green depression dishes. Guess little girls grow up to be…mommas who still like dishes! Are you planning a garden party? Have you ever hosted one?
Sharing at these lovely parties:
What a great find. If I ever find a bargain like that, I’m gonna grab it and run! I would love to mix green and pink with vases of apple blossoms–some day! I have a pretty good set of marigold Federal Bouquet and Lsttice going; the dinner plate is a large grill plate and great for holiday meals so the gravy doesn’t run over onto the table cloth. We KNOW who the slob is at MY house. It was seldom my kids! Your post was definitely a touch of spring; I am battlling winter blahs! Tried 2 need recipes this a.m.; that may be a help!
What a great find! I love those too. Thanks for sharing at the To Grandma’s House We Go link party.
They were, Stephanie! Thanks for hosting!
We really are kindred spirits–I’ve started several posts with “My name is Cecilia and I am a Dishaholic!” SWOON! I could have pinned every image and did several 😉 Love the green glass, your wonderful signs and that gorgeous bridal veil! Thanks for sharing @Vintage Charm!
Yes, Cecilia! We can be the founders of the first ever Dishaholics Anonymous or the first stars of a reality TV show, “Dish Hoarders”! Some say when you add, you should take something away, but I love them all! The ladies that come to my estate sale will be so happy;)
I love your dishes. I don’t have room to start collecting dishes but I wish I did. I do have an old black typewriter though.
Lucky you, Debra! I’m honestly running out of room for all my dishes;) Hubby jokes that I could feed the 5000! But where there’s a will, there’s a way-I’ll find a spot (or just get another cupboard;)
My short list of “still to find”- portable typewriter & black scale. Side note- I like to pair my green depression with my green/cream relief pattern of Oven Serve Ware.
Hope we aren’t together when we find that black typewriter! 😉 I do love the green/cream relief pattern of the ovenware too, but tend to enjoy it more in the fall with pottery pieces. Dishaholics anonymous just called…
Oh Lora! I am ‘green’ with envy! I’ve just purchased my first green depression glass plates and am looking for more dishes to go with them. Yours are beautiful!
I’m a dishaholic too – so I’ll be following your blog now that I’ve found it! Thanks for the fun and inspiration.
So excited to welcome another dishaholic to the blog, Carol! This spring I just added 3 more sets! My aching cupboards are complaining! You’re in good company around these parts! Have fun with those green dishes!