I kind of have a thing for mid-century cookware. It started about seven years ago when I came across a bunch of it in a vintage furniture store near my house. All the pieces were vibrantly colored, many with enamel surfaces, cool decorative patterns, and illustrative prints. The cookware seemed to possess everything I loved about good design, and at a much lower price than the Eames chair I was coveting. I’d never seen anything close to this coming from Calphalon or All-Clad. I was hooked. After that, I began scouring flea markets and the local Goodwill hoping to find the perfect teacup, platter, or serving bowl to center my kitchen around.
Today, it’s not so much a shot in the dark for me. I’ve learned what to look for: I favor Japanese, Scandinavian, and Dutch designs (though I do also love vintage Pyrex), and by doing tons of research online and in books, I’ve come to learn the names of the designers I like or the look of a particular stamp of authenticity. I’ve also stayed out of vintage furniture shops, avoiding their way-high markups. Like other people who are vintage obsessed, I’ve become best friends with eBay, Etsy, and flea markets.
From time to time, I’ll be sharing some of the cookware designers that I’ve fallen for over the years. It seems appropriate to start with Cathrineholm of Norway since my first purchase was a single blue stockpot from its Lotus collection. Not surprisingly, Cathrineholm is the gateway drug for many enamel cookware collectors. Looking at some of leiferik2008’s collection here, it’s easy to see why.
And if you’re still looking for holiday gifts, vintage cookware is worth considering—if you find it on eBay or at a flea markets it’s cheap, and it’s green because you’re reusing instead of purchasing something new.
Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.
I’ve seen the fondue pots in thrift stores and admit I’ve been mildly intrigued but my first love is still 1930’s and 40’s kitchen ware-all that jadeite green and pastel colored wooden handled utensils really do it for me. The crowning glory of my collection is my 1938 O’Keefe and Merritt Stove complete with the over burner shelf, working clock and of course the “grillevator” which was very high tech in its day. Today it is just plain fun to grill anything on this rotating up and down grill contraption.
Oh if stoves could talk, the meals this one has helped prepare!
I have a nice collection of Franciscan Starburst, but it’s unfortunately not cheap. I also have a fairly decent selection of vintage cookware and appliances, although there’s no real rhyme or reason to it — everything from a Dormeyer electric hand mixer with fins to a teal ice crusher.
There’s really nothing like owning this stuff and actually using it on a daily basis, which I do.
Thats a cool bowl. Might have to look into his stuff more
I agree with Jon completely. Using these links to the culinary past is really fun. I have an electric silex juicer with a milk glass reamer on top and a sunkist growers logo on the front. It has the original black cloth covering the elecric cord. It is still in great shape so I feel fairly safe using it for now. I wish it could tell me about all the lemonade and lemon meringue pies it has helped make. I don’t leave it plugged in in case it burns down the house while we are all sleeping but I wouldn’t trade it in for a whole kitchen full of new gourmet appliances! It is too cute! Okay, I confess to owning some new appliances too just for convenience sake but the oldies but goodies are here to stay in my kitchen.