It had been several years since I ventured north to the Homer Laughlin Fiestaware Tent Sale, so I went up this morning and man was it PACKED:
It took about 75 minutes to get in, which is longer than I remember. While I was in line, sister Devon called and informed me that she needed plates and bowls, of the green, blue, and turquoise variety. Also while in line, I was twice asked if I was there for my wife. The second time I responded “I didn’t know those were for sale but I’m probably just going to pick up some dishes.” Also talked about making preserves and the pros and cons of pectin.
At any rate, I finally got everything for Devon, and picked out a bunch of replacement plates for ones that have been broken, and was very excited by a bright yellow color I had not seen before which, according to the HL website, is daffodil. I also got a new butter dish to replace the one Tammy broke over the winter. It was in a pale yellow, not the aforementioned daffodil:
While I was in line to check out, a woman was very upset that I was buying that particular butter dish because it had a flaw. “You don’t want that one, it has an imperfection,” she said. I looked at it and said “I think it will hold butter just fine.” “Yes, but it has that flaw,” she insisted, at which point I just said something to the effect “you should see the rest of my life.” She even offered to go back and find me a better one, but I said I was ok.
Some people are very particular- they bring towels to wipe the plates off and inspect every square millimeter, and then there are others who just lift whole stacks in their cart because they are just going to pay for them, get back in line, haul it back home and sell them at flea markets. I just like a variety of colors and functionality, and I am ok with a little character. Not like I will be hosting the Queen- after this week I think she is pretty done with Americans for a while.
Met a nice lady named Vicky in the checkout line who had flown from Kansas City into Cleveland to go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and then drove over to pick up a few items. When we were done paying, I offered to watch her stuff while she went into the retail full price store, and she asked “How do I know you are not going to rob me?” It caught me off guard, and I just told her I guess she has no way of knowing and will just have to roll the dice. So she did, and I did not rob her. Rather sporting of her, though. She then watched my boxes while I walked the half mile to get my car, came back, picked her up and drove her and her boxes top her car.
At any rate, I got back home, and here is the haul:
Isn’t the daffodil spectacular? I am moving most of these into immediate rotation. I had mostly salmon and orange plates left (others got broken), so I am excited that I now have a selection of vibrant colors- blues, greens, yellows, red, some plum and deep purples, etc. I’ll put the others in the basement until something breaks.
So that was my day. Did an inspection of the garden and spent an hour watering all the plants, and now am finishing up Chernobyl, which is just spectacular- more on that later.
Also, bonus picture of the godson Cole and his adorable pup Tulip:
So happy he has a dog now.
schrodingers_cat
Start a YouTube channel, “This Fucking Old House” I will be your first subscriber. Move over Martha Stewart,
JGC is here.
ETA: How old are the salmon and orange plates? They could have a radioactive cadmium dye if they were made before 1950.
sukabi
You’re a very interesting guy Cole.
Hint: pictures of your subjects at their eye level make for better portraits. ?
guachi
My mom loves Homer Laughlin. I think her father sold it along with other nice glass/chinaware.
John Cole
@schrodingers_cat: ten years or so- I have none of the old stuff.
SiubhanDuinne
I don’t collect Fiestaware (I collect enough other shit, and one must draw the line somewhere), but I grew up with it, love it, and even joined a Fiestaware collectors’ group on Facebook just so I could wallow in the gorgeous photos.
May I share your pictures (crockery, not people) with that group? Let me know if you want photographic credit.
SiubhanDuinne
Tulip is ridiculously cute, as is godson Cole.
Mnemosyne
I’m not usually a big fan of yellow, but that daffodil yellow is quite nice.
I somehow managed to misplace my Kindle inside the house and I need to find it before my trip next week. Gah.
schrodingers_cat
@John Cole: Oh good. That is one of my pet demonstrations for radioactivity, those old red/orange plates make the Geiger counter go crazy.
TaMara (HFG)
Damn, Cole. I could’ve used some replacement plates, too. We have no such fun here in the wilds of Colorado. Love my Fiesta and I bought some large mugs last year and daffodil is one of the colors. Love it. And now I’m going to have to find a daffodil butter dish to replace my turquoise one that broke a couple of years ago. Perfect color for butter.
Dorothy A. Winsor
I had no idea people would line up for Fiesta Ware like that. I’m trying to think if there’s anything I’d stand in a line that long to buy. Holy cow.
sukabi
@Dorothy A. Winsor: pretty sure there’s nothing I want or need that would get me in a line like that, or even a 5 minute line.
Steeplejack
@schrodingers_cat:
Glad we got that taken care of right away.
Also, I think it should be “This Old Fucking House.”
@Cole:
I had this happen to me just recently. I scored a great deal on an All-Clad chef’s pan—$50 on a “box damage special.” Regularly $140 or something like that. I told a friend about it, after I ordered it but before it arrived, and she started peppering me with warnings and links to articles about “irregulars” and “factory seconds” and how to return it if I needed to. I kept telling her that the original e-mail offer came directly from All-Clad and specified that there was a problem only with the packaging. She would not let it go.
When the pan arrived the All-Clad box was wrapped in bubble wrap inside another box. I couldn’t see any damage to the All-Clad box except that one cardboard cutout on the inside was slightly bent. And the pan was pristine. My friend finally shut up when I asked her if she wanted me to send her a photograph.
Dorothy A. Winsor
@sukabi: That’s why god invented online shopping.
rikyrah
This entire post is so cool..
I don’t think that I would ever stand in line for dishes.
The colors are bold and beautiful ?
And, then, you save the best for last…TULIP????
You had a good day, Cole?
NotMax
Surprised the radioactivity didn’t fog the picture.
:)
rikyrah
@schrodingers_cat:
I have been saying forever that Cole has a natural reality tv show at his home.??
Leto
Love the colors! Reminds me of our Italian plates/bowls (same bright colors, especially that purple plate). I think we could use some more color with our current dishwater…
rikyrah
On a second reading of the post, I will admit that the bowls look divine. Big and deep??
TaMara (HFG)
@schrodingers_cat: In the early to mid-90s, Fiesta brought back its original colors – pastel blue, green, pink, yellow and a vibrant turquoise and orange (I have a 12 piece set – two of each color). All non-radioactive. In the last 10 years they brought back the red. Also non-radioactive.
That being said, I have seen pre-1972 (they stopped using depleted uranium after 72) at flea markets, mostly on the east coast. I stay away from the older plates – as I’m not a collector, so why risk it. LOL
The 90s and beyond versions have different markings on the bottom, including saying lead free.
Scuffletuffle
You are right about Chernobyl…an awesome series! RIP to all the brave souls who stepped up to mitigate.
NotMax
As we’ve been waxing military today, an oldie:
A drill Sergeant had just chewed out one of his cadets and as he was walking away, he turned to the cadet and said, “I guess when I die you’ll come and dance on my grave.”
The cadet replied, “Not me, Sarge. No way! I promised myself that when I got out of the Army I’d never stand in another line.”
Steeplejack
@NotMax:
Inorite. ☢
M31
Radioactive fiestaware
Alex
@TaMara (HFG): Yeah, Fiestaware is cheerful but I don’t have the energy to be checking lead, cadmium, and uranium every time I buy dishes.
TaMara (HFG)
@M31: That video’s great, and it also shows the markings on the older versions. Stay away from those. :-)
@Alex: markings are very different on old versions vs. new versions. No need to use a Geiger counter. LOL
John Cole
@rikyrah:
I bought all that for 60 dollars. It’s worth standing in line.
Omnes Omnibus
@John Cole: No matter what the price may be, I would guess that a good number of people around here would not stand in line to buy dishes. You be you, we’ll be us.
schrodingers_cat
@John Cole: That’s quite a haul. I would totally stand in line if I was in the market for some dishes.
TaMara (HFG)
@John Cole: I just noticed the vases. Those are terrific.
hotshoe
I would have stood in that line for those daffodil bowls. Here’s to many happy years of food with friends, family, and cool dishes!
sukabi
@Dorothy A. Winsor: exactly.
jl
@rikyrah: ” I don’t think that I would ever stand in line for dishes. ”
Me neither. I shoulda, and I woulda, but I couldn’t.
And being one of the few people on earth, probably, even clumsier that our blog boss, I have to take into account the breakage rate on this kind of purchase.
So, I usually wait for a fire sale at the local five and dime and pick up whatever they have. Usually kind of stuff that was a mistake to even think about, dishes and bowls with read and green checkers that vibrate, stuff like that.
NotMax
Trying to come up with the last time a dish or bowl was broken at home and am drawing a total blank.
Jackie
@NotMax: None after the kiddos moved out. 2006 ?
lahke
Hi, since we’re all up in your business that’s none of our business anyway, could we encourage Cole’s parents to avoid letting him mindlessly snack during screen time? Because that’s certainly part of how I put on the pounds.
You aren’t letting him read this here blog either, I hope.
seefleur
Mr. Cole – as a married somewhat-older-than-you woman, I have to say that if I weren’t married, I’d be definitely ‘sparking’ in your direction. You have no idea how much I appreciate that you are living south of me in West-by-god- Virginia. You, and your house, your critters, your family and that damn willow are what convince me that America is still way better than certain folks would have us think. Thank you!
Steeplejack
That lighter yellow Fiesta color is called sunflower, I think.
CatFacts
Okay, now I want more Fiestaware. I’ve got a bunch of the old stuff that was passed down from various family members and it is really pretty and well designed. The coffee cups are ridiculously tiny, but oh, those beautiful, functional plates and bowls…
Hkedi [Kang T. Q.]
@John Cole: If you have the new stuff, then you probably don’t have to worry about Uranium in the green vase.
donnah
John, allow me to offer you an invitation to a fabulous giant antique event in Springfield, Ohio. It’s called Extravaganza and it fills the Springfield county fairgrounds. They set up once a month at the fairgrounds, but there are two major events, one in May and the other in September. I am always amazed by the amount of goods available: the variety of goods is enormous. I¡ve found some of my favorite collectibles there over the years. It would be worth your drive to visit sometime.
ruemara
I like and am mystified by your life. It seems so… pleasant. I am back in LA on Monday after 3 pm for an E3 professional mixer that evening. And then I’m back on an Amtrak thruway bus at 1am to get back home. I feel really tired already.
ruemara
grrrr, why am I in moderation?
Grover Gardner
Okay, now you’re making me want to replace my Ikea crap with Fiestaware, dammit. ;-). And I like your flawed butter dish. It adds a human, hand-made touch.
Scamp Dog
My grandmother had Fiestaware, and about 10 years ago I saw it for sale and immediately bought a set, the bright yellow. Fond memories of all of grandma’s food and hanging out with grandpa, I had to have it!
narya
LOVE that bright yellow! There’s a second-hand store near me that has a ton of Fiesta in the window; I don’t dare go in for fear of what I’d leave with. That said, if there’s a particular piece or color you’d like to find, let me know and I’ll check on their stash.
laura
After all our wedding gift dishes broke I replaced them with fiesta ware. A fresh dozen in 7 colors – they had only one deep turquoise. The stack reminds me of old buttons because the colors are so cheerful. I’ve got some of my late aunt Margies bowls and two covered casseroles in pink and light green. We could use a few small size plates and I’m lusting after that butter dish. There is something deeply satisfyingly domestic about fiesta ware.
Okkam
@lahke: I’m Cole the Younger’s dad. It isn’t mindless snacking. That’s one of the 3 things on the planet he will eat and the downtime is the only way he will relax enough to actually get the calories inside of himself. Otherwise he would lose focus and not eat. Autism is a funny thing.
S. Marchio
I am so glad you saved that butter dish from the island of misfit Fiestaware!