Vintage Gay Fad Salt And Pepper Shakers

Gay Fad Shakers Look Great With A Colorful Vintage Tablecloth

Look how fabulous these Gay Fad style salt and pepper shakers look on a colorful vintage tablecloth with similar primary colors.The shop, Retro Revival is one of my favorites on Etsy.com but has taken a long hiatus. Never the less,  I thought I would share with you this great retro combo that the sho owner put together.

Fran Taylor, an artist and designer founded Gay Fad Studios and built it into an extroidinary glass decorating company. Taylor worked  from home from 1938-1945 hand decorating tin items, waste paper baskets and glassware. In 1945 she opened Gay Fad Studios in Lancaster ohio.

Fran and her staff bought blanks form major glass companies and beegan had decorating them. Few of her pieces were marked, according to an online artice at http://www.santafetradingpost.com/gay_fad.html.  Retro Revival usually does wonderful research on her items for sale. She describes the set shown as being 1945 Gay Fad, Hazel Atlas Fruit pattern.

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 I Antique Online 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   C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists

Zweig click on this link:

Hazel Atlas Antique Car Beverage Glasses

"Gay" Glasses: Product Line Of Hazel Atlas, A Division Of Continental Can Company

I was excited to find this set of Hazel Atlas Antique Car beverage glasses still in their box in mint condition. As you can see the box is marked "Gay Glasses" and shipped in a box labeled " Continental Can Company, Inc.

You will find lots of these glasses around, generally considered a flea market or thrift store item ($1-3.00 each). But finding them in their original box add a little special element to the find. Found at JP Finishing Touches in Unionville, CT, these set of four glasses was priced at $15.00 for the set. (He had several sets).

Hazel Atlas Join CCC in Late 1950s

Hazel-Atlas became a subsidiary of Continental Can Company in the later half of the 1950's. The Continental Can Company began in in 1903 and produced metal containers and packaging. During World War II this company helped with the war effort by producing metal aircraft parts.

"In 1940 the company built plants in Canada as well. Continental continued to expand during the following decade through acquisitions, and the company entered the fields of paper and fiber containers, bottle caps, and synthetic resins". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Can_Company

In 1956 CCC acquired Hazel Atlas (the third largest glass container company) .

"Gay" Kitchenwares

As with other kitchen-wares of the times, the term "Gay" was often used. The phrase "Gay" was often used in advertisements. For example Hazel Atlas also produced "Gay Rainbow Milk and Cream Pitchers. which were featured in many magazine ads.

My belief is that after the war, the country was more relaxed and focused on the home. Times were happier and manufacturers used the phrase "gay living" and "gay home" to reflect a more
hopeful and pleasant Postwar mood. I welcome further info from readers.

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.

Hazel-Atlas Glass Identification Value Guide Second Edition by Gene Florence, Cathy Florence: Book Review

Hazel-Atlas Glass Identification and Value Guide Second Edition by Gene Florence, Cathy Florence
Another wonderful book by Gene and Cathy Florence.. Kitchen collectibles enthusiasts... you will love this book! Wait to you find out how many kitchenwares, dishes, glassware you adore were made by Hazel Atlas. This 256 page hard cover book is exciting, colorful, packed and extremely well organized . A real treat......loved it.

Description: http://www.collectorbooks.com/
The Hazel-Atlas Company was established in Washington, Pennsylvania, in 1902 as a result of the merger of the Hazel Glass Company and the neighboring Atlas Glass and Metal Company. Though its corporate offices were located in Wheeling, West Virginia, Hazel-Atlas factories produced machine-made pressed glass throughout the U.S., including Oakland, California; Buffalo, New York; and Ada, Oklahoma. Cathy and Gene Florence, America s leading glassware authorities, have produced a second edition of their popular title devoted to Hazel-Atlas glass. Loaded with hundreds of new pieces and color photographs, the book still retains its organization by categories (children's dishes, tumblers, food containers, patterns, mugs, bowls, plates, syrups), making it easy for readers to locate items. A handy index is a nice new addition to the book.
Book Details:

10-digit ISBN #: 1-57432-605-8
13-digit ISBN #: 978-1-57432-605-5
Number of Pages: 256
Number of Illustrations: 1107

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.com

Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com



Dianne is a member of:
The American Society of Journalists and Authors
The Authors Guild, Inc.