What do you think of these cool nifty fifty squiggle pots discovered on Etsy.com in a shop called "Instant Living"? I nearly had a flashback when I spotted them. Isn't it something that some objects will just pull you right back to your childhood days.Squiggle Designs
I can still see my mom (and dad) cooking in the kitchen with atomic age pots which came in combinations of turquoise, black and pink. The abstract squiggle pattern was very common in the 1950s and could be found on cookware, counter tops, table top
s, shelving paper, wall coverings etc. The squiggle design was part of the popularity of abstract motif working it's way into kitchens and homes postwar influenced by space age and scientific achievements.Turquoise, Pink, Black: Enamelware Colors of the 1950's
Squiggle cookware came turquoise and black, black and white or pink and black. Housewives
of the 50's could choose from deep skillets, casseroles, coffee pots and other cookware often with interchangeable lids.I see much more of the turquoise color than the pink or the black colors.
I have seen values of these pots vary according to condition. In excellent conditon without chips, scratches and stains, you might expect to pay $25.00-45.00 (with a lid).
Photos Courtesy of Instantliving.etsy.com
C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.comVisit my website, CDianneZweig.comDianne is a member of:The American Society of Journalists and AuthorsThe Authors Guild, Inc.
I don't think I've ever seen those! Very cool.
ReplyDeleteDefinitley looks like something I'd find to sell (after holding onto it for awhile though, these are cool!)
ReplyDeleteI have had several of these pieces in the past. I always liked them and they made a great display with pink and black graniteware. I have found them very hard to sell, for some reason, I started them at $15.95 each and finding sold after marking them down several times finally to $5.95 each.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know who MADE these pieces? I have a few that I picked up at a Goodwill near me within the last couple of months. I have three B+W squiggle pot lids and one small B+W squiggle squared skillet that is a match to a couple of the lids I have, and something I scored just the other day...a piece that looks like a wok, with a dome top and side handles, that nestles on a matching round base. Black with white squiggles. On the bottom, there is a logo: An S inside either a "U" or, if you look at it upside down, an S inside a shield shape. Any clues?? Thanks---
ReplyDeleteYellow? Cool. So far I have seen black, pink, aqua...and now you report yellow. But so far no one has a clue as to who made these...
ReplyDeleteJudy, yellow? Wow. I have seen black squiggle, pink squiggle, and aqua squiggle, but so far I haven't seen yellow...so you have officially expanded the range! I keep hunting around, but no one seems to have a clue as to who made them. I wonder if they were sold at supermarkets---a lot of supermarkets had displays back in the 50s and 60s selling cookware, dish sets, etc., to lure the housewife. So perhaps this is why they don't have regular markings---they weren't required to be branded to sell, but were bought in bulk from some established maker for anonymous distribution through some A&P or other supermarket chain of the time. Just a thought, as they don't seem to be that rare, so there must have been a lot of them made available...and they are neither high-end or cheap, but right in the middle, quality-wise...eye-catching, to lure the housewife to purchase colorful accessories for the kitchen.
ReplyDeletethe yellow is a larger pot that holds about 3 quarts of liquid, there's a much larger aqua stew pot that holds about 6 quarts. i have the ones pictured above as well as the yellow and larger aqua pot. i just purchased a wok in the same pattern just a few hours ago!! it comes with 4 pieces and i'm not sure how to use it! the base is shaped like a large skillet, it has what appears to be a broiler pan that sits on top of it which is removable. it comes with a metal ring for the wok pan to sit on which also doubles as a kind of lid.
ReplyDeletei have the pictured pots as well as the yellow (it holds about 3 qts. of water) and the much larger aqua pot (hold about 5-6 qts.). a few days ago i was at an estate sale and purchased what they were calling a 4 piece wok. it has the U/S logo on the bottom so it's a different "brand" than what's pictured (my pots don't have a makers mark). the wok come with a ring that sits on the stove burner and the other 2 pieces appear to be a large frying pan without a handle and a removable broiler pan. for $15 i couldn't pass up the pieces and i don't think they've ever been used!
ReplyDelete