Some Oddities of Rodney Kent

My summer has been busy with little time to write so here are photos of some of the rare pieces in my collection.

 

#447  the Breakfast Utility Set

Notice the plastic spoons, which are the correct spoons for many of the condiment jars.

 

 

 

 

This lovely was used to hold citronella candles.

 

This is the 5 pc table buffet set with Frying pan and lid, serving container (note the lack of handles) and snuffer for the

 

 

The only teardrop shaped glassware for Rodney Kent

 

 

The Rodney Kent Ashtray.

 

 

 

Sometimes, the box is the only way to find out what the number is.

 

 

 

Square candy dish ... also sold with two rectangles

 

 

 

And when there seemed that there were no more things they could do with tulips, they moved on to  Sunflowers. Below is #503

 

 

And the same bowl shape as 405 is used for 506

 

 

 

 

 

 and the most recent find, #407 with the 4 tulip display instead of the ribbon display. Since the stamp on this is the triangle Rodney Kent Silver Co stamp this is an early offering.

Rodney Kent #420 - The Bridal Basket

The Bridal Basket, as it has been called is probably the one piece that shows the evolution of the Rodney Kent line from it's first debut as a piece that Krischer GiftWear probably had a gift show, to it's evolution into other designs. When I first got the idea for a blog, well really for a book,  this is how I planned to begin. It is the only design that has the three oldest stamps. While keeping the silhouette, many changes went on with the details.

The tray is a rectangular shape with folded edges. The picot edge is just hinted at with irregular crimping of the curved part. The ribbon handle has a high shine and no patina. The stamp is smaller and centrally located and the Hammered effect is not close to the bas relief stamp. The detail of the tulip bouquet is beautiful. Very dimensional. Some of the hammering encroached on the design and hammered out edges of the leaves.

  

The central part of the ribbon handle is polished. The weight of the handle and the tray feel substantial.

 

 

 

Stamped with the" Krischer GiftWear" logo, the bottom of the tray was completely hammered. It is my estimation that this was produced  in 1930, give or take a couple years.

 

The next time the bridal basket is marketed, it has a new look. The bouquet is larger, but still a beautifully detailed bas relief. The center of the ribbon handle now has small hammered texture.

 

And it comes with a new logo, The Rodney Kent Silver Co. Production time 1933 to about 1938, in my estimation.

 

 

Version 3 is late 30's with the addition of a black patina to enhance the detail of if the Gros Grain ribbon handle and the large tulip stamp.

 

  

The stamp is now the most recognizable, shield saying "Hand Wrought Creations by Rodney Kent"

 

 

The fourth version has the patina, but the stamp has been reduced in size to the original Krischer GiftWear size. This basket has it's original tag. Since the use of the postal code in the address was not required until 1943, we can confidently say this is early 40's.

 

 Now the tray shape is recognizably #420, but the Gros Grain ribbon handle has been replaced with the flower and ribbon design where the ribbon becomes the feet of the tray.

 

Notice how the detail of the bouquet fades into the hammered background texture? The quality of production is failing. This may be due to the fact that the aluminum plate is getting thinner.

 

Finally, the same design is again produced, but this time under a new number, #449.

 

 

Notice how  thin the tray has become. A new handle pattern is introduced.

 

This model is the only one that I have with all the stamp changes. There are a few serving trays with different tulip stamp sizes  and the same number. I feel confident in saying that the Triangle logo was the earliest and it is that stamp that has the most design motif changes. Those models with tulip finial on their lids  evolved as well. They will be covered in other blogs.

 

As with all stories, where there is a beginning, there is an end. Next blog will be on the end of the line in the late 50's early 60's. For those interested collectors, there is a really good bargain on eBay this week. I'd buy it, but  I already have it; A double compartment Pyrex bowl in a chafing dish with the candle and the advertising. All that's missing is the box and the verification number. It could be 475, but it's not stamped and the box is missing so we may never know. Happy hunting.

 

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.