I have been really busy this June and didn't get to write. Before I knew it, it was July. Still while I wasn't blogging, I was still collecting.
Item # 1 - Salt shakers
I have never seen a table set with salt shakers, so I bid on these because they had such a nice shape and the glass bottoms were in good shape. Probably not Rodney Kent since it is missing all the signs, but they were calling me none the less. Plus, bidding started at $1.00.
Then maybe I am wrong because I came across the above photo 3 years ago and I just saved the photo that the seller had posted since I wasn't sure about the piece. Lo, and behold, there are the salt shakers. The exact salt shakers. So maybe I was right. More research is needed, and if anyone has any input, I'm waiting.
I write to sellers on eBay and other sites and ask them about their finds. I meet some interesting people and learn a lot So while my foray into salt shakers with aluminum tops didn't help my detective work a lot, this next conversation did.
2. The elusive pitcher - Southern Living or Real RK?
While bidding on another piece, I wrote to the seller about how she knew there was a pitcher in the set she was selling. I have only seen a glass pitcher once in my searches, and I was stupid enough to pass it by. The seller, in turn, miraculously found this photo (see, I am not the only one that clips photos for reference) of what she said was posted as the Southern Living Set. This may have been a promotional set through the magazine Southern Living in their Home section. Now the job is to find out if it was offered at a contemporary time or it is a reproduction. The eBay seller that I have been in correspondence with says that She has had two separate eBayers tell her this is a reproduction group. The above photo was sent to her with the note that it is a copy of the magazine ad.
the butter dish that I know is RK
the sugar bowl with tray that belongs to the creamer
Another view of the sugar bowl
the case for the divided square glass holder
the sugar and the square glass sugar packet holder or maybe tea bag holder. I don't want to discriminate against tea drinkers..
So the creamer is square shaped with a pressed pattern in the glass like the triple rib shown in all the RK pieces. And it sits on a tray. As for the divided glass piece, it could have been to hold sugar packets. But I have always had issues with these pieces. I thought that the quality was just deteriorating. The butter dish is a staple in the Rodney Kent line and was used with various sets. Most butter dishes with older sets ( and I have some still in their original boxes), had good quality stamping and a picot edge on the lid. The trays of one of the stand alone dishes was stamped 470. These poorly stamped butter dishes have no stamp. The metal is thinner. The picot edge is barely there. I still would like to get my hands on the pitcher. The idea that this may have been a promo or reproduction piece from Southern Living magazine, which I understand is no longer in print, could possibly explain the piece below.
These two jars have the recognizable mini tulip lid finial of the RK line, but nothing else about them seems correct. All the little jars by Kriescher are globe-like and small jars like this, often meant for condiments had notches cut in the lid to allow for a spoon. The ribbing on the glass has always been the triple rib design, not this equal all over rib. Lastly, the hammered stamping quality never showed the circular machine head in the stamping. The idea that this is a reproduction makes a lot of sense. Pretty as they are, they probably don't merit being included in the collection list.
Now I will have to review my whole collection again and see if any other pieces show the issues of these four pieces or if these indeed are reproductions as some claim. Any input or dates would be appreciated.
