New Sadek Starfish Shell Covered Tea Mugs Recall the Joy of the Starfish Story

Starfish Covered Tea Mug

I was excited when I ordered these whimsical covered tea mugs for my store.  Made by Andrea by Sadek and topped with a delightful starfish on the lid.  They come in very vivid colors, bright blue, dark aqua, light green and coral and are welcome glimpse of spring.   Simply perfect for those of us who are longing for warmer days. 

They instantly reminded me of the Starfish Story.  I love it when something reminds me of good thoughts during my hectic day.  It is that single heart-beat pause that keeps my feet on a gentler path when tiredness and stress would take me down the dark road of impatience and anger.  It is all too easy to have a bad day.

 

This story has made is way around the web in many adaptations.  Sometimes the "thrower" is a man, woman, or child.  It doesn't matter for the moral is the same.

A young man is walking along the ocean and sees a beach on which thousands and thousands of starfish have washed ashore. Further along he sees an old man, walking slowly and stooping often, picking up one starfish after another and tossing each one gently into the ocean.

“Why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?” he asks.

“Because the sun is up and the tide is going out and if I don’t throw them further in they will die.”

 “But, old man, don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it! You can’t possibly save them all, you can’t even save one-tenth of them. In fact, even if you work all day, your efforts won’t make any difference at all.”

 

The old man listened calmly and then bent down to pick up another starfish and threw it into the sea. “It made a difference to that one.”

I love smiling at my Starfish Mug and remembering, "Everyone matters, and you can make a difference!"  Even a small smile to a person at the checkout line can be life changing.

 Blessings ~

 

Note:  The starfish story was written by Loren Eiseley (1907-1977) and published as The Star Thrower. 

Removing Dinnerware Utensil Marks

Increasingly, I find contemporary dinnerware patterns covered in pencil -like marks making the dishes look dull and unattractive. Names like Pfaltzgraff, Johnson Brothers, Dansk, and Nikko along with the Gibson, HD Designs that are Big-Box Mart (BBM) brands are affected. I would expect the BBM brands to be less durable, but the others surprised me. I did a little research on flatware, dishwashers, and glazes wondering if one of these was the culprit, but I was not able to find a definitive reason for the phenomenon. Some folks blame the stainless flatware, others the unglazed stoneware. I tend to think it is the stoneware. Growing up, we used Royal China USA Currier and Ives and we were none to gentle with it. We stuffed it in the dishwasher, scrapped the forks and knives over the plates, and stirred the heck out the cups. We broke them and we scored them with knives, but I do not remember gray marks.



Sample before cleaning



Regardless of how they are getting there, they gotta go! I found a few methods you can try. Please use caution on all your dinnerware. Do a test sample on the back of a plate, a badly chipped or broken piece to avoid any damage. Never use anything abrasive on fine china, hand painted decals or patterns that are not under gaze. Please be careful with your Fiesta and Franciscan dinnerware as well. Always Test, Test, Test! When in doubt, check the manufacture’s website, if possible.

One common ingredient to all the solutions is elbow-grease so be prepared to do a little work. Always rub in a circular motion and thoroughly wash all the product from the dinnerware before using them again.

Pencil Eraser: This may remove some light marks that have not scored into the surface. Surprising it does work, but you have to rub really hard.

Baking Soda: A mild abrasive and useful to remove light marks. Make a medium paste with water and the baking soda. I like to apply it, stack up the dishes and let them sit for 5 – 10 minutes. Then I use a damp cloth and apply the elbow grease. You may have to rub hard, just don’t break the plate.

Abrasive Cleansers: A grittier abrasive and will remove darker marks and lighten those where scoring has occurred. The two brands that I like are Bon-Ami and Bar Keeper’s Friend. I find both of these at my local supermarket with the household cleansers. Again, make a paste, apply, wait and rub. Clean of the grit before using the plates.

Steel Wool (0000 grade): For very heavy marks you may need to use a super fine steel wool pad. Scrub in a circular motion until the marks begin to lighten. Then switch to either the baking soda or cleanser method. Do not use steel wool on fine china. Do a test sample on the back of a plate. This method is not recommended for Franciscan or Fiestaware. I have not tried this method, but if you dishes are so bad you are going to toss them, this may work. This grade of steal wool is recommend for cleaning windows without cleaner so it should be okay and not scratch.

Commercial Pottery Cleaners: There are two that I know of made to remove utensil marks but they are they are pricier than other methods.

Revere Ware Stainless Steel Cleaner is said will remove even the nastiest metal marking from china or porcelain without etching or abrading the surface. It is manufactured by Copper Clad Products, Inc. of Reading, PA and can be found in many grocery and discount stores. I have never used this product. 

Pfaltzgraff Stoneware and Porcelain Cleaner is available directly from Pfaltzgraff and designed for their stoneware but can be used on most everyday dishes and collectible pottery. It is not safe for fine china. This cleanser is corrosive and made of a combination of phosphoric acid, ferric chloride and silica, so you will need to use gloves. Follow the directions carefully.   I have used this product and I like the shine it brings back to the plates.  Be careful of patterns, colors and leaving it on the dishes too long.   


After cleaning with Bar Keeper's



Personally, I have found that Bar Keeper's Friend followed by a quick treatment of Pfaltzgraff Stoneware cleaner works the best for me.  The abrasive cleaner removes the marks the easiest and then the Pfaltzgraff cleaner adds a little shine to the plates, 

I hope you find these tips helpful to extend the life of your dinnerware and keep your tablesetting beautiful.  

Beware,  if unsure if a pattern can take the cleaning method safely without damage, use common sense and test on older or broken pieces or at least on the back of a plate first.   It is recommended that you do not let utensils rub on plates and dinnerware in the dishwasher and clean marks when you first notice them. Happy Cleaning!

New Web Store Loaded with Great Features for Buyers

We have opened our new website and our delighted with the shopping cart from Big Commerce. Buyers will love the Superzoom feature to get a closer look at the products they are buying. Our new coupon codes allow us to reward our loyal email clients with special savings and notices of advanced sales. There is a Wish List you can share with family and friends, items are groups by brands so you can find just the ones you are looking for. We now have gift certificates and the ability for Buyers to rate their favorite products. If there is a need for a return, a request can be generated from the Buyer’s account directly on the site. It just doesn’t get any easier!

We are developing customized newsletters so our customers will receive only the information on their favorite products. Currently our customers can select;

• Ebay Collectibles
• Fontanini Nativity®
• Cat’s Meow Village
• Hartstone Pottery
• Andrea by Sadek
• Purr-Fection by MJC

In addition, we can send special birthday greetings to our customers if they supply their birth date.

We will be starting a great Cyber-Monday Sale so if you are not on our mailing list; here is your chance to sign-up. Use the form on the right. Even if you currently are receiving our newsletter but want to be included in the birthday savings or specialized groups use the sign-up form link and add your information again. The List is very intelligent and will delete duplicate information (as long as you use the same email address, of course).

Milton Bradley 1905 Parlour Game "Fortune Teller" Find

Another fun find today at a local auction was this antique 1905 Milton Bradley Fortune Teller adult parlour game that I quickly listed in my eBay Store, Candabean Collectibles, this week. Games are always popular with collectors and seeing the name of Milton Bradley and the 1905 date was very exciting. Everyone knows the name of Milton Bradley and the classic games his company manufactured; “The Game of Life”, “Candy Land”, “Twister”, “Concentration” and “Yahtzee”. Doing a search on the Milton Bradley name found some other interesting facts about this 19th Century American inventor and industrialist.

For one thing, Milton Bradley is the oldest of the game makers in the US, but since 1984 the company has operated as a division of the world's largest toy company, Hasbro, Inc. I had not realized that they were purchased twenty-five years ago. However, the name still exists, which is a good thing.

In 1860, Milton Bradley began his company with a game called "The Checkered Game of Life". Based upon the familiar checkerboard, the squares were labeled with opposed moral positions, which led to inevitable consequences up or down the board--bravery upwards to honor, idleness downwards to disgrace. The object of the game was to achieve "Happy Old Age" instead of "Ruin." It was a great success. The Milton Bradley Company reissued this game in 1960 simply as “The Game of Life” with the goal of becoming a millionaire. This is one of the first games I remember growing up as a kid.

Parlour games played primarily by adults were particularly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and the company produced games with such names as "Word Gardening," "Visit to the Gypsies," "Happy Days in Old New England," and "Fortune Teller." The company also made a variety of jigsaw puzzles, including a best selling line of puzzles featuring wrecked vehicles, which were apparently particularly attractive to young boys.

My “Fortune Teller” game is similar to the original “Checkered Game of Life” in its moral attitudes. The game is played by one person being the witch or fortune teller. The player spins the dial and the card in which the wand lands is read by the witch reveling the players secrets to the group and providing advice to avoid disaster.

We remember Milton Bradley for all the great games, but another contribution and a particular passion was in the education field, particularly his involvement and influence in the developing kindergarten movement in the early 20th century. The basic concept of the movement was children learn through their own creative activities developed at an early age. Sounds pretty simple and the Kindergarten that I remember. I doubt that Bradley would recognise it today.

Bradley's company's involvement with kindergartens lead to producing many educational materials including colored paper and paints. His choice of colors; red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet would remain the standard colors for children's art supplies through the 20th century.

I wonder what Milton Bradley would think of today's games that talk and squawk? When I purchase early learning toys for my grandson, I begin to wonder if there is any room little left for the child’s imagination and their own creativity. We use to play contently for hours with these great old board games, many required two or more player involvement. I watch kids today; cast aside the new high-tech virtual items, bored within minutes. Nothing can replace parent or other kid involvement which is why these simple board games remain popular today.

My Introduction to Clarice Cliff through Winston Churchill

I attended a wonderful tag sale last weekend and found this charming Staffordshire Toby Mug of Winston Churchill. As my ancestry is mainly English, I tend to have a fondness for its people and have a great respect for Sir Winston Churchill. My paternal grandmother and I shared this admiration and for most things English. I have a plate of hers with his likeness that I treasure.

Seeing the mug, I recognised the likeness immediately and took it without hesitation. Turning it over, it was made in Staffordshire England, by Shorter and & Sons, Ltd. Many of the Staffordshire toby mugs that I have come across are not nearly as nice as this piece. It is well made, with vivid coloring, a substantial piece of pottery. Not knowing very much about Shorter & Sons, I decided to do some research.

Many of the Stroke-on-Trent, Staffordshire Potteries became closely affiliated due to family ties and mergers through the years. Shorter & Sons is one of those potteries. Arthur Shorter began Shorter & Son’s in 1878 with a partner (James Boulton). Due to the death of his brother-in-law, Arthur Shorter purchased A J Wilkinson Ltd. In 1920 he acquired Newport Pottery. Arthur’s sons, Colley & Guy worked closely with their father at the three factories. The interesting connection in all this is a seventeen-year-old designer by the name of Clarice Cliff who had just joined the Wilkinson pottery about the same time that Colley & Guy began managing the Newport and Wilkinson plants.

Clarice Cliff was a very talented artist and a prominent 20th century Art Deco designer. Her bold patterns known originally as Bizarre by Clarice Cliff were an immediate success. She became Art Director for the Newport and Wilkinson factories. For the 1930’s it was unprecedented for a woman to have such a promenade role in a company and much was written about her during that time. Cliff distinguished herself from other Staffordshire designers by her ability to design not only the patterns but also the pottery shapes on which they were painted.

Getting back to the "Shorter" of the story and my Toby mug, Colley Shorter took a great interest in Clarice Cliff's work and they spent a lot of time together. He sent her to Paris and to the Royal College of Art to study modern design. It was Colley who conceived the idea of putting her signature on her designs that are so highly collectible today. It is rumored that at some point their business relationship became an affair. In any case, after the death of Colley’s first wife in 1940, Colley & Cliff were married. After his death in 1963, Cliff sold the pottery works to Midwinter Pottery.

She created many outrageous, wild and vivid patterns that were cleverly marketed in pamphlets, in-store painting demonstrations and endorsed by paid celebrities. A story that appeared in the California Pasadena Evening Post pictured her with a five-foot-high 'horse' made entirely of Bizarre ware made to promote the pottery. Cliff made what has become her most famous and quote about her pottery: "Having a little fun at my work does not make me any less of an artist, and people who appreciate truly beautiful and original creations in pottery are not frightened by innocent tomfoolery"

It seems to me that Cliff and Churchill were both great visionaries. Cliff actually did a small Toby of Winston Churchill that bears her famous signature, but this is not the one. None the less, my Winston came from a family of potteries where beautiful and original creations were made lead by a highly creative an artistic woman. Perhaps that is why he is so charming. My daughter says that finding vintage pottery is like being an archaeologist. You never know what you will find when you start digging. You can read more about Clarice Cliff here:

LE Smith 1930 Scottie Dog Creamer or Pipe Rest Mystery

I enjoy learning, it keeps life fun. I am amazed by the little bits I learn while traveling around finding items for my collection or resale. Sometimes they are real mysteries. For example, a few weeks ago I found this cute little Scottie Dog at a local thrift store. A simple little pressed glass crystal dog I took for a pipe rest by the shape and design. I thought it might be 30's - 40's and perhaps something that was created due to the popularity of Fala, Franklin Delano Roosevelt's beloved Scottie dog, noted as one of the most popular of the US Presidential Pooches. My research showed that some collectors believe it to be a pipe rest, as I did. However, most attribute it to the L.E. Smith Glass Company as a creamer that was made for Post Grape-Nut Cereal as a giveaway for kids in the 1930's. According to Tom Felt, L E Smith Glass Company, The First One Hundred Years, none of the factory inventories corroborate this information. But, he continues, special order items would have been shipped in their entirety to the purchaser (Post). It is clear that L.E. Smith used the Scottie dog in many of their designs. Also, Felt tells us that the value of the piece may be in the number sometimes noted on the bottom (1 - 37). Some numbers are difficult to find, such as no. 36 and are highly sought-after. Some like to collect all numbers. So, is this a 1930's enticement for kids to want Grape-Nut cereal for the creamer “toy-surprise” or is it a pipe or cigarette rest?

Tom's Book is a great by the way and I recommend it.

Awesome New Frankoma Pottery, USA Craftsmanship at its Finest!

Can’t believe it is almost the end of June. It was a busy spring. I just returned from a trip to Phoenix to visit with my parents. I am not a flyer, so I packed the car and the dog and set off on a 1947 miles journey west. I have made this trip many times, but usually hit St. Louis at night so I have never stopped at the Gateway Arch. This time it was noon and as there wasn’t any one in the car to cast a dissenting vote – Dobby (my 5-year old dachshund/beagle) was up for a walk so there were no complaints from her. We really enjoyed our time in the Gateway Arch Park.



Parking was easily accessible and reasonable. There were several groups of kids doing the history “thing” and all were friendly and courteous. Of course, Dobby is quite the kid magnet and she enjoys the attention. She can be a super deterrent as well, when I am not feeling in a safe place. Dogs are good! The day was beautiful, bright blue sky and warm weather. The Mississippi was slightly over it banks and Levee Street was covered in water. Two young men were crossing the water-covered street and joking that they were “Crossing the Mississippi”. I stuck my toe in the water, but Dobby wasn’t having any of it. I decided trust her judgment, as the water was very dirty. Many antique and collectibles stores lines the cobblestones streets around the Gateway Arch that will have to wait for another time.


Once we turned southwest, we started running along historic Route 66 and I had planned the trip so was able to stop in Sapulpa, Oklahoma and the New Frankoma Pottery. They are completing their first year under new ownership. The newly refurbished show room was a treat filled with newly made classic Frankoma designs along with some new designs. They also have a free museum of thousands of pieces of Frankoma pottery on lone from a collector. Frankoma is made from terra cotta clay mined from the local Sugar Loaf Hill, one of the few potteries to be made entirely in the USA.

Dobby and I arrived about 9:00 right when then opened and I was able to purchase many pieces for resale. One of my favorites was this Rearing Clydesdale Bookend, an original Frankoma ware/mold #431, designed by Joseph Taylor released in 1942.

They also have beautiful dinnerware and bakeware that will grace any table. Fantastic colors like butter cake yellow, corn flower blue, rasberry tart, bone, red, forest green, and basic black. New patterns of dinnerware such Green Creek and Ranch, in multiple colors.

Wishing all the best to the new owners and continue success. I am thrill about working with them and look forward to new and exciting designs.

And, the show room was dog friendly.. can't ask for more...