In the small towns of America, the restaurants were not chains but were locally owned. The dishes used were apparently bought from the same retailer as cafeware was the kind mostly used in their businesses. It is sturdy, thick, and heavy all to help keep it from being broken by the dishwasher and also to help keep the food warm, if hot food was placed in or on it. The coffee cups varied but a lot of them were just plain small compared to our size standards today. I know one owner who would complain because it took so many trips to keep the cups filled with coffee. I think coffee was a nickel or a dime back then.
Some of the styles were very decorative. I know that they made special ones just for the train business. I have seen them with the company name and symbols on them. That would be great to collect but I don't live anywhere that those kind of mugs would show up for sale.
For those of my overseas friends, our culture liked hanging onto it's cowboy western interests so there were a lot of cafes that had the Western theme. So as you can see the companies made cowboy ware so to speak.
I don't know if these companies are still in business but I know this one came from a Pennsylvania company.
I have cafeware plates that came from a restaurant that my Grandmother Brooks worked in when she fist moved into town. That would have been in the early 1930s. Saullie's restaurant was talked about as the authority on how to cook food, from my Grandmother and then by my mom. I never knew where the place was in Murray, Iowa, as it was long gone by the time I was born. I can still hear my grandma say, "Well Saullies made their dressing for salads this way." I will always remember the Maffitt Cafe in town but it isn't in existence anymore.
I know it seems like I collect lots of stuff, but I pick these up as they are a part of our history that is gone. Price isn't that important, but I do want a good buy. It is something that is on my radar, when I can't find anything else to buy in an antique store, or at a yard sale. I have more of these but didn't want to dig them all out.
We had wind chills of -30 degree F. last night with our wind. The 3 degrees was the low and we warmed up to 14 degrees F. I set up a small aquarium today and bought a plant light so I have plans for survival. I worked on a painting of a Rembrandt tulip today and it is going well. Anyone out there that can tell me the difference of Parrot tulips and Rembrandt tulips I would appreciate a comment.
Thanks for reading and stay warm........
8 comments:
Interesting collection of cafeware...my grandmother worked/ran a cafe and I remember correctly the dishes were all white. Boy it was windy and cold there.... we had 18 below this morning.. but it is suppose to warm up for the weekend in good ol' Minnesota.
You warmed up to 14F? Ouch! Your collections sound quite charming. You should write about these in depth.
I tend to think I talk too much so I did not get too carried away with it this time. I really am a history buff more than a junk guy. I may run into more of these an say more down the road.
Very interesting about the cafe ware. My older brother would love the western theme. I do remember the Howard Johnson type restaurants when I was a kid and the thick, white stoneware they used and how short and squatty the cups were. I just came from viewing your pretty tulip painting. I wish I knew more about tulips because I sure think they are beautiful. You are really experiencing some bitter weather. How are your dogs handling the cold?
The poodle runs out, does his business and comes bounding back into the house. The border collie usually stays out for awhile but even he won't last five minutes and he is back inside.
I like all the history things you write about. I enjoy looking at your collections of your many things you collect. I say, better you, than me.
The weather isn't going to warm up tonight either.
I like the western theme coffee cups..very cool. I used to have a plain heavy coffee cup from a cafe, it did not hold much coffee..I think that was one way for the waitress to smile and talk to people all morning long:)
I love all those heavy thick cups...they kept the coffee hot!
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