Monday, February 23, 2015

Corning Ware Goes Platinum - Platinum Filigree Limited Edition Gift Line

I have covered every other Limited Edition Gift Line at this point, except for one.   The one that started it all in 1966.  The one that brides swooned over.  That classical beauty...  Platinum Filigree.

It really is the perfect design.  The gleaming platinum scroll work design coordinates with the modern dinnerware of today, just as well as it did in 1966.

Unfortunately for us collectors, there were only 5 pieces produced... 2 Saucepans, 2 Electromatic percolators and an Electromatic 4 quart Saucepot (P-86).  Just like it's Limited Edition Gift Line siblings to come, Platinum Filigree was packaged with "special items".  In this case, both the saucepans came with black and chrome candle warmers, transforming them into "Buffet" sets.  The 4 quart sauce pot (which I just recently learned about) was a P-84-B size with a flat ground bottom and was packaged with the P-12-ES heater base as well as the P-12-F Fence and the P-34-R rack (usually packaged with the P-34 dutch oven)

The P-420 Party Buffet set (1 3/4 quart in P-1 3/4-W candle warmer)

the P-440 Royal Buffet set (2 1/2 quart with P-2 1/2-W candle warmer)

the P-480-EP 10 cup Electromatic Percolator

and the P-406-EP 6 cup Electromatic Percolator...

While the Party Buffet, Royal Buffet and Electromatic Saucepot pieces were only available for 1 year, both the P-480-EP and P-406-EP Electromatic percolators were available until the spring/summer of 1969.

At which point they were finally retired to make room for the newest Limited Edition Gift Line that was to come out in the fall.  (1st Edition Floral Bouquet)

Where is your Corning Ware??
~~

Friday, February 20, 2015

Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie and Corning Ware - American Oil Star/Snowflake Promotional

Most people are familiar with the Shell Oil Macrame pattern that was made available, in either Blue or Avocado Green, to Shell Oil gas card customers as a special promotional item by filling out a special order form "flap" that was attached to the payment return envelope. (J C Penney, Sears, & Montgomery Ward use to offer similar "special items" to their department store card customers in this same way)   Even if people don't know ALL those details, most have at least seen the design in one color or the other.

What seems to be a lesser known item is the promotional design offered by American Oil. (I originally posted about this pattern in March of 2014 before I owned any of the pieces)














While it still remains unclear, at this point, whether is was offered IN the actual gas stations, or if, like the Shell Oil pattern, it had to be ordered via a form attached to your payment return envelope, the fact remains that American Oil offered it's own special Corningware pattern at some point during the late 60s and/or early 70s.   Unlike the Shell Oil Medallion, ALL of the American Oil items are P-Series pieces.  So while they may have been available to customers later than 1972, the pieces themselves were manufactures prior to this date.
 
This is my own personal collection of pieces to date....or should that be my "not" collection, since I technically do not collect this particular pattern (that's my story and I am sticking to it)

It includes the petites... P-41 & P-43

as well as a P-55-B Saucemaker (1 quart without the lid).  It is the "P-64" that normally comes with the lid...  Saucemakers that simply state "Saucemaker" are undetermined at this point.

A 1 quart (P-1-B)

1 3/4 quart (P-1 3/4-B)

and a 9 inch skillet (P-9-B)

Remaining pieces that I am currently aware of, but do not posses, are the 9 inch Pie Plate (P-309), the Bread dish (P-315), the P-4-B  1 1/2 quart Baker and a 10 inch skillet (P-10-B), though there may be others as well.   I think I saw a P-104 Teapot several years ago, but I cannot be sure any more. (I was totally fixated on the Wheat pattern at the time)

There seems to be some debate as to what this pattern depicts.  Some say it's stars, others say snowflakes.  Personally, since they are 5 pointed objects (not 6) and the company offering it was "American" Oil... I like to think of it as stars.  But in all honesty, Star or Snowflake, it really doesn't matter; it's the "American Oil" designation that is the most important.

Where is your Corning Ware??
~~

Updated - 08/22/2015:
Since the writing of this posts, I have succeeded in getting my hands on the P-4-B (1 1/2 quart covered baker).....

Where is your Corning Ware??
~~

Friday, February 6, 2015

Separation Anxiety - The FACTS about the Corning Ware Percolator Recalls

I have not wanted to tackle this subject because of the controversy it might ignite, but in light of eBay's recent Gestapo-esque actions, I think it's time to clear up a few things, once and for all.  So before you, as a buyer, decide to "report" a seller's Corning Ware Percolator listing to the ePTB (eBay Powers That Be) you better be darned sure that you have identified the percolator correctly.

Before I begin, let me first states that....   Regardless of the recalls (and I use the plural because there were two) these percolators are still a Collectable Item.  I, myself, who cannot stand percolated coffee, own 19 percolators of various models and patterns... (How's THAT for irony).  I hardly ever use any of them, though I occasionally use my P-280-EP as a water boiler.  (which was a recalled model BTW).  The point is, that they are of paramount importance to collectors, intact

The 1st recall....    1976

It was brought to Corning's attention in 1974, that there was an issue with the E-1210 Electromatic 10 cup Percolator.  The metal collar, which was attached with Epoxy, had a tendency to separate from the pyroceram pot after repeated heating & cooling cycles.  Corning stopped production in September of 1974, redesigned the pot at the attachment point, improved their epoxy curing procedures, then returned the model to production.  But, by 1976 it had become apparent that the issue with these pots was a little more wide spread than originally predicted.

So, Corning issued a recall for the E-1210.

ONLY for the pots made before the redesign.

How do you tell if you have an E-1210 that is safe for use?  There is a number etched on the metal band to the right of the handle....  The numbers vary slightly, but ANY number means it is NOT a recalled pot.

I will repeat, NOT a recalled pot, NEVER was and NEVER would be, as you will see.

Production of Percolators dwindled off in 1978... Simply because the auto-drip coffee maker had taken over...  After all, America was gearing up for the 80s and it was all about instant satisfaction... Programming your coffee brewing to begin 15 minutes before your alarm went off so you could "tumble from the bed, stumble to the kitchen" and immediately "pour yourself a cup of ambition" was much preferable to setting up, and waiting for, the percolator while staring blearily at your newspaper.


The 2nd recall.....   1979

By 1979, as more reports of separation came in, it had become apparent that the epoxy problem extended to more than just the E-1210 pot.  Thus, in September of 1979, a larger recall was issued, encompassing 1961-1976 models (almost every model manufactured prior to the redesign of the E-1210 in 1976)  This recall encompassed not only the Electromatic Percolators, but the Stove Top models as well.

This is the Recall that gets a bit tricky.... Here is the list of the dangerous percolators.


Let me give you more of a visual, since most percolators don't have model numbers on them.

These are the Recalled models........ (NOTE: Every single one of them has a Stainless Steel rim)

The P-119, P-129, P-139, W-11, P-219 (9 cup Stove Top - Cornflower, Trefoil, Wheat, White) and the P-116, P-126, P-136, W-116. P-216 (6 cup Stove Top - Cornflower, Black Starburst, Trefoil, Wheat, White) all of which look like this.  This also includes several other patterns that did not receive special model numbers such as 1st edition Floral Bouquet from the 1969 Limited Edition gift line as well as the Avocado Medallion released to accompany the Avocado Round.

P-146 (6 cup Stove Top - Various Patterns)


P-149 (9/10 cup Stove Top - Various Patterns)

P-6-EP, P-206-EP, P-406-EP, W-6-EP (6 cup Electromatic - Cornflower, all/just White,  Platinum Filigree and Wheat)

W-23-EP, P-23-EP, P-223-EP & P-13-EP (Original 10 cup Electromatic - Wheat, Cornflower, White, and Trefoil)

P-80-EP, P-280-EP, P-480-EP, W-80-EP (Cornflower, White, Platinum Filigree, Wheat) there were several other patterns that fell under the generic P-80-EP model number as well..  Such as the 4 special percolators French Spring, Tropical Summer, American Autumn, Nordic Winder, Mallard Ducks, Early American Black Eagle, Avocado Medallion, 2nd & 3rd Edition Floral Bouquet etc.

E-1210, E-1210-4, E-1210-8  (All patterns of the E-1210 without a serial #)

Centura percolator C-609

I have not been able to find any reference, aside from the documentation above, to a P-176 or P-179 Percolator.   Thus I have no photos.

Here is the list of those NOT recalled.  There are only 4 Corning Ware Stove Top models and 1 Centura Stove Top models on this list along with the redesigned E-1210 and the 4 weird looking Electromatic Percolators.

The P-106 (Cornflower, Black & Platinum Starburst)

The P-108 (Cornflower, Black & Platinum Starburst)

The P-124 (Cornflower & White?)

The P-166 (Cornflower, Spice O' Life, White & Wildflower?)

The Centura C-604 (Centura 4 cup percolator "right"- Seen here with the Beverage Server "left")

E-1210 (with the serial # ONLY)


and the odd Percolators that don't really look like the normal Corning Ware Percolators...

The E-1108

The E-1112,

The E-1208

and the E-1212 (which was also available in Spice O' Life pattern)

Hopefully this finally clears up all the confusion.

Oh, one more thing.   Corning Ware Consumer Products Division no longer exists.  The Corning Ware name is owned by World Kitchen, LLC.   They have nothing to do with either of these recalls.  Please do not attempt to call their customer service and ask about refunds or returning these pots.

Where is your Corning Ware (Percolator)??
~~