Handles, Handles Everywhere

We live in a capitalistic society. Therefore, money drives every decision. The cost of aluminum. The price of labor. The speed and easy with which a design can run through production. So it should come as no surprise that the decorative handles on the items produced  by Krischer Giftware, and later Shane Industries, would evolve through 30 years of production.

Here is a selection of the handles used in the collection.

The most familiar handle - the arched  ribbon and flower handle with the  center space of the ribbon pierced out. Seen on trays and the very popular #404 shown here,  oval bread tray with scalloped edge, it was sturdy, not very malleable, and  a real pain to clean.

This is the flower and ribbon bail handle found on  #474 and #462, is located in the center of the tray.

This is an early casserole handle I call the tab handle. Void of the traditional  ribbon or floral identification marks, it appears on items #407 and #461.

This is the folded flower and ribbon handle shown on a serving bowl. It was also seen on ice buckets and footed salad bowls.

The folded handle as it was done on trays such as #409 and #431.

The "C" loop handle done in the Gros Grain ribbon motif as seen on bowl #450.

The footed handle, similar to the folded handle, but the ribbon ends become the feet on this tray #449.

Ice tongs done with the Gros Grain ribbon design. The Gros Grain ribbon was used as a handle in silent butlers, salad spoon and fork sets, and pedestals for compotes.

The single flower handle replaced the tab handle shown above and appears on later casserole holders with the shield stamp as well as an ice bucket.

The folded Gros Grain ribbon handle appears on an ice bucket as well as the cream and sugar containers in the set creamer, sugar with lid and tray #479.

 





Of course, many items had no handles at all. Lazy susans had tabs on the rims. Some like #406, just had a plain scallop edge. Many had soup bowl edges that were picoted. More will follow.