Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Tea... Apparently, it's For The Birds - Corning Ware Game Birds

Very little is known about this "pattern", if one can actually call it that, since it's really a set of 4 patterns.  It appears to have been very popular.  So popular, in fact, that many companies were using these "game bird" transfer patterns.  Not just similar ones, but the exact SAME ones.  This menagerie of Canada Geese, Mallard Ducks, Partridge and Ring Necked Pheasants can be found on many completely unrelated items from Hall China, Crown Staffordshire Bone Chine and, of course, Corning Ware.  (or I would not be writing this post)


Crown Staffordshire English Bone China teacups flanking a Hall Teapot (New York shape)

Schumann Arzberg Coffee Mug

I suppose it is not at all surprising that Corning Ware would follow this game bird trend as well.  What IS surprising, however, is the time span between these items that show up with these bird prints.

The TK-2 - Cookmates flat ground bottomed version of the P-57 Deluxe Teakettle...  Produced at some point between 1968 and 1973.

Featuring the Canada Geese and Partridge.

and  matching lid.

The P-23-EP and P-80-EP Electromatic Percolators also feature a very similar design of flying mallard ducks without the cattails in the background.

The P-104 Teapot. 

 An classic exercise in over-achievement, since it contains all 4 prints on 1 piece..

Though the 6 cup P-104 teapot was produced from 1960 - 1987, the mark on this teapot is extremely telling.
It's a Block Mark from the early 80s.  Seven years after the last possible production point for the TK-2.

This piece is also adorn with the later brushed steel lid. (also from the 80s)


There is also a Centura 10 oz Coffee mug (production date unknown)

This particular one in my collection features the Mallard Ducks, but all 4 patterns were available (see decorative plates below)

Then there are the Corning Ware Pyroceram Decorative plates...

And last but not least.... the original Sidekick (P-140) which was known as the PL003 in it's previous life of airline service.

(this one was made for United Airlines)

There are several other items, not in my personal collection, that I know exist.......

The B-10-B  Corning Ware Round 10 inch skillet (featured the partridge) Sorry, I do not have a photo of this one

The P-80-EP Electromatic Percolator - Ducks

The E-1210 Electromatic Percolator - Pheasants


Related Patterns

Though not from the above set of 4 game bird prints, but still in the same venue, there is the ever elusive P-32 Hibachi setup.. Yep, there was a Corning Ware Hibachi, featuring Mallard ducks.... (this piece is a P-2 1/2-B size with grill, ash screen and grill with a modified wood handled cradle - there was also a wooden tray, originally)

and the D-33 Chaffing Dish (P-2 1/2-B with an all White P-17 and a fancy metal legged alcohol burning stand that is very similar to the black plastic legged candle warmer stands)

as well as the 1st generation Electromatic Percolator (P-23-EP) which appears to be the reverse of the hibachi pattern.  Apparently on print is migrating North and the other is migrating South. 


Then there was this set that I found on Flickr.  Featuring the P-2 1/2-B, from the Hibachi set up, a P-16 skillet with running pheasants and swimming ducks on a P-19 broiling/serving platter.

There is also a strange P-2 1/2-B with a different set of flying ducks.  I believe these are Green Winged Teals, as opposed to the more commonly used Mallards...

This is by no means all of these mysterious game bird piece that are out there, cause lord knows there are bound to be more popping out of the woodwork in the future.  This is merely an attempt to record the ones that have been found so far.

Where is your Corning Ware??
~~

Saturday, June 17, 2017

Bitter Sweet Wheat - W-57 Deluxe Tea Kettle

This was another one of the "difficult to verify" pieces.   Unlike the W-23-EP percolator, however, I actually knew this one existed.  I guess that would make it more of a "difficult to get my grubby hands on" piece.   Posession of this piece has taunted me for years.  I had been SO close; and yet so far.  I had no idea how many were floating around out there.   I discovered the existence of this piece on eBay in May of 2014.  It was located in Wisconsin, but I went ahead and purchased it (shipping was a little cheaper back then)  Sadly, the trip to Oregon did not go well....

at...


all...

 (sigh)

Even though the seller issued a full refund, I was very depressed about it.  I would much rather have had the piece.

After much searching (almost 3 years of searching), another one finally appeared... This one only had to travel from Lacey, Washington and arrived completely intact.  WHEW!

This piece is more often found in Blue Cornflower but, surprisingly enough, appears to be the most common in the Cookmates version (TK-2) with the flat ground bottom.  Don't ask me why.

Where is your Corning Ware??
~~