I don't want to disappoint you, if you were expecting a tete a tete, but this is not about the "designer". Rodney Kent is a figment of the imagination of Krischer Giftware and not a very creative one at that. They looked out a window and saw the intersections of Rodney and Kent Streets in Brooklyn and said.... well that works!
If, however, you have been aching to see some lovely kitchen utility sets or maybe a cruet or two... well then you will be quite satisfied.
Basic Butter
In the beginning there was the basic butter dish, and it was good. Please don't confuse the original with the poor quality 1980s reproduction of this item from Southern Living Magazine. The glassware maker is Federal Glass Company. The number is 470.
This butter dish below is from the late '50s. The glassware is from Fire King. It is number 418
The same lid and glassware but a fancier holder. I believe this is part of a collection of cassarole holders and coasters with the trim that is similar to the handles on this piece. One day I will do a blog on this collection as a unit. Again the era is late '50s. I was outbid on this piece and I don't know what the number is.
This butter dish I can date to 1955 because I have a page from a catalog dated 1955 show this and many other pieces.
Napkin holders.
This holder must have come as part of a set as I have never seen any number for it.
This also shows on the 1955 tear sheet as an individual #
The individual toast holder #405
Condiment jars
This is the individual condiment jar. It sits in a tulip flower tray and has the clear plastic spoon that sits in the notch in the lid.
Notice the difference between the condiment holder on the left and the drink coaster on the right. There is a depression in the center meant to hold the glass. Krischer was very exact in the indentations that held glassware. Nothing in the line is loose and sliding around. If the glassware that you have with your item does not fit perfectly, then you have a marriage and not the original glassware.
The Mustard and Ketchup set . Note the cute color coded spoons.
So, lo and behold, it was good and what was created was the Breakfast Utility Set #447, butter, preserves and a place for the napkins.
And then an incredible selection of combinations......
The Twin Preserve Set -notice that the tray is scalloped on the end similar to the two most popular pieces in the line #404 and #406 - bread trays with and without handles.
also notice the lids on this set. the hammered texture is quite small compared to the lids on the jars above, which has the same texture as the tray it sits on.
#474
#472
Lazy Susan Breakfast Utility
and its design brother. Do go back as see the jam jar lids in the catalog page. My sample may be a marriage. You can never be sure with Rodney Kent.
Cruets
and cruets and preserves
And no breakfast would be complete without a cream and sugar set.
#479
Finally we have to serve drinks.
I wanted to show you the two pitchers in the collection together. #481 is the smaller pitcher, possibly for breakfast. #453 is more if the ice tea size. It seems every company made glasses. The ones in the photo are unmarked and I really don't know if they belong to Rodney Kent.
Note the ice blockers. #453 has a very fine bar with tulips stamped on it, while #481 uses the wider gros grain ribbon motif of the handle.
My final comment on this blog is on the regularly asked question... so how much is this worth? The answer is... it depends on where you live. On the east coast, where this product was produced many markets are flooded and the price is low. In the midwest, it is sometimes a bit higher. If you want to figure out how much your piece is worth, look on eBay. A rare piece, or one that was stored in a garage or basement for 60 years may sell for as high as $60 or $70, especially if the original box with the number is with it. I have several pieces in my collection with the original box and its the only way that I know the identification number. For a common piece that has been used all its life, it might be as little as $6. Many people do not know what they have. I have found things in Butter dish searches or hammered aluminum that never appear in Rodney Kent searches. Whatever you want to sell, show lots of pictures and the Rodney Kent mark. Put the number, if known, in the listing heading. Then hope you catch the eye of the collector, like me, who will pay a premium for a piece they don't have.
