Royal visit glasses

Royal visit glasses
made in Australia, 1954

Not difficult to gauge the age of these glasses: they are printed on them. Her Majesty visited the colonies in 1954 – a year after her coronation in 1953.

Australia is still a part of the Commonwealth, with her Maj as our Queen. We had a referendum to become a republic in 1999 – it was defeated – and the debate still rages.

So- all this is to say- there are a lot – A LOT- of monarchists in our midst. Monarchists who collect ER memorabilia. Here we have two shot glasses, and a pair of drinking glasses. The drinking glasses have had more wear [more toasts!] and some of the gilt is worn. The shot glasses, meanwhile, look pristine.

Just saying; monarchists prefer to toast her Maj with beer, rather than vodka. It’s empirical!

The Royal Visit glasses are for sale: $AU55

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70s Nordic design

Pukeberg Glass ‘Solifleur’ vase made in Sweden c1970s
Kosta Boda ‘Igloo’ candle holders made in Sweden c1970s

More of my Nordic glass collection –from the 70s. The single stem vase is known as ‘Solifleur’ [although a French term] and the candle holders are called ‘Igloo’. Both are made of chunky glass, so reminiscent of the 70s.

The vase was designed by Uno Westerberg for Pukeberg Glass, and the candle holders were designed by Bengt Edenfalk for Kosta Boda. Pukeberg Glass is well known for their monumental glass pieces – and this vase is kind of the pinnacle of their chunky 70s look. Meanwhile, Kosta Boda was going all icy in the 70s, with many bowls, figurines and candle holders having a frozen-water-captured-in-glass theme.

And as is my wont – the candles are by Ikea. All the pieces are in excellent as-new condition.

This fabulous set is for sale: $AUD125

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70s funky glassware

Anchor Hocking pedestal cake stand, made in U.S.A, 1972
Luminarc ‘Cavalier’ wine glasses, made in France, c.1970s

Here we have two lovely glass sets- made in different parts of the world, but hailing from the same vintage. And while the cake stand is quite ornately moulded and the glasses a plainer, funkier shape I think the colours and forms work well together.

The glasses are ‘Cavalier’ shaped, in Van Dkye brown ~while the cake stand is of the ‘Fairfield’ pattern – in Avocado green. It seems that pattern names and 70s colours were always ascribed to glass products of the 70s! And who doesn’t remember Van Dkye brown [it was everywhere in the 70s!]

I particularly like the way the ‘barrel’ shaped glass cup contrasts with the rounded clear glass stems on the glasses. So much of the glassware in the 60s had this form – but it took for the 70s to exaggerate it as far as it would/could go.

And just imagine a Pineapple Upside-down Cake on that pedestal stand! Retro heaven!

The set of six glasses are in excellent condition, and look fabulous- whether on displayed on open shelves, or on the dinner table.  For sale: $AUD75

The Avocado green pedestal cake stand is also in excellent condition; for sale : $AUD85

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Styling Retro

Pyrex glass & plastic kitchen ‘stack & see’ canisters
Made in the USA, c. 1968
1 quart canister [=0.95 litres]

I use these canisters- with their funky 60s colours – to store my button collection. Any sort of see-through canister is great for use in the kitchen- so is stackability – but I have repurposed these canisters in my design studio.