The Retro Kitchen: Are You A Pink Plastics Collector Or A Cute Red Pyrex Person?

The Retro Kitchen: What Category Do Your Fall Into As A Collector?

I thought it was about time to discuss "The Retro Kitchen".  If you are passionate about vintage kitchens you know that what is "retro" to one person is not "retro" to another. Some of my collector friends who adore the 1950s, not only use kitchen collectibles as decorative  accessories, but they actually use the  stuff in their kitchen.

Kitchen Houseware Collectors Fall Into Two Main Categories

I  divide "Retro kitchen" people into two main categories ...."Retro pink aqua yellow" and "Retro yellow red white green" collectors.  Both types are "Retro" but they decorate their kitchens very differently and they seem to approach the whole retro life style very differently as well.

PINK PLASTIC PEOPLE Versus RED YELLOW GREEN COLLECTORS

The plastic people like AQUA-PINK-YELLOW . They love aluminum, stainless steel, glassware and  PLASTICS.

Poodles, bomerangs, starbursts and abstract textiles tickle their fancy.  While I do not have any hard research, it appears to me that the PINK/AQUA boomerang-ish collectors are more likely to also have Retro style bathrooms and cool barware. In fact I would take this one step further and say that for many of these passionate pink people are very artsy, quirky, creative types living in Metropolitan areas for the most part.

RED YELLOW GREEN WHITE RETRO KITCHEN COLLECTORS


In the red-yellow-white-green group,  CUTE is the operative theme. Embroidered pot holders, vintage aprons, roosters, florals, Pyrex and  ceramic bowls are their comfort zone. This is not to say that you will not

find some collectors who buy a little bit of everything, but my expereince is that the majority of collectors  are either in the PINK PLASTICS  group or the RED CUTE group.

Red Plastics A Sub-Category Of Retro Kitchen Collectors

I should mention that some RED YELLOW GREEN WHITE collectors do indeed buy plastics, but their taste in plastics is still CUTE, generally having floral decals or being paired with cute shelving paper or vintage textiles.



Does Age Or Gender Play A Role In What You Collect In YOur Retro Kitchen? 


So I ask my readers....what group are you in? Does age play a role in what colors you collect? What about men and women? I have a lot of kitchen collectibles customers who are are men who love the pink/aqua/yellow collectibles. I'd love to hear more about what got you started in your collections and if the retro life style expands beyond your kitchen?

P.S. Mid-Century collectors are  in a different category.

As most of you already know.....Mid-Century is the hot era right now. However, the PINK PLASTIC collectors are not the same as the Mid Century collectors who are after   higher end designer ceramics and kitchenwares.

Egg cup photo courtesy of http://pinkpiccadillypastries.blogspot.com/

 Red Formica table from http://www.facebook.com/pages/Georgia-Mountain-Market/

Beverage glasses from http://kibster.wordpress.com/page/13/

Dish rack from http://www.salvagechicantiques.com/home.html

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 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 Society of Professional Journalists

Visiting A Retro Kitchenware Haven Owned By Fritz Karch, Editor Of Collecting At Martha Stewart Living Magazine

Kitchen Collectibles Galore At The Tomato Factory in Hopewell, New Jersey

I think I may have found the haven for the best collection of vintage kitchenware anywhere. Sit down, pour yourself a cup of tea.....I fell into a place called The Tomato Factory in Hopewell, New Jersey and stumbled into a booth owned by Fritz Karch the editorial director of collecting at Martha Stewart Living Magazine.

Obsessed Collector Of Kitchen Kitsch And More

Yep...he is a ridiculous collector of kitchen kitsch and then some. Picture this, Pyrex bowls which start at the floor and go up at least two to three feet high. Refrigerator dishes in colors you probably have never seen before.
Shelves and shelves of pottery vases from the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s in white,cream, aqua, blue, pink, black, green and more.

Where Are All Those Collectibles Shown In Martha Stewart Living Magazine ?

You've seen plenty of articles in Martha Stewart Living magazine with photos of how great pottery looks when grouped together by color, varying size and shape. Well where do you think all that pottery is? I'm thinking it just may be at The Tomato Factory Antiques. I kid you not. And tablecloths, Fritz had PILES of tablecloths.

In Fritz's online staff bio he says "he specializes in twentieth-century dinnerware among may things". I can tell you some of the "other things" Fritz can't stop buying: beverage glasses, Jadeite, bowls, refrigerator jugs, dish towels, Bakelite, flatware, clocks, shakers, Cookie jars, planters etc.

Largest Collection of Vintage Pottery Vases And Planters Anywhere

Fritz had one of the largest collections of pottery vases and planters I have EVER seen in one spot. And I have to tell you, his prices were very fair. Isn't all this aqua pottery dreamy? The warmer weather is coming and now is the time to buy pastel colored pottery before the rush is on. Speaking of "rushes"...don't you love it when Martha Stewart Living features an article on a particular collectible? The antique world feels the aftershocks. I am still recovering from Hammered aluminum and plastic picnic-ware. I wonder what Fritz has got planned for the next edition? If only I had an inside track. I'm working on it...stay tuned!

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 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 Society of Professional Journalists