Vintage Mushroom Collector News

A Closer Look: 1980s Dishcloth and Towel

8/16/2021

Opportunities present themselves as quickly as they disappear. Sometimes a second chance arrives and these towels are a great example. It was super exciting to spy not just one, but two early 1980s towels listed for sale online. As many things go, I forgot to place a bid. Apparently, so did everyone else and it was relisted. Handed a second chance, I placed a bid and watched as the seconds ticked down as someone else bid just under my max bid. As the page refreshed, I was caught in limbo. Did I win?

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A Closer Look: They Came in Packages, Boxes, and Bags

11/30/2020

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Original boxes and packaging are desirable among many serious collectors of any item. Merry Mushrooms are no different. The sturdy boxes that Merry Mushrooms were packed in are just as interesting as the pieces themselves and went through design changes over the years.

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A Closer Look: Napkin Holder Bottom Markings

11/2/2020

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Turning any item over is instinctual for collectors. Is there a maker’s mark? Import sticker? A date or artist initials? All these are clues to identifying, verifying authenticity, and dating the object.

Many Merry Mushrooms are backstamped, or marked, with some variation of “©Sears, Roebuck and Co.” and a variation of “Japan.” Some have printed or hand lettered text in black, others have a one of three stickers. Other variations are with or without a year, or a comma after "Co.". Maybe it has a makers mark. To keep things interesting, a few pieces seem to have no marks at all. This is a huge topic with many unknowns that will, hopefully, become known as this investigation deepens. You can help by sending photos of marks on your pieces.

In an effort to keep things organized, I'm planning a series of posts about marks, each one focusing on a single product that documents the different marks. And I picked a doozey to be first!

For more on this topic, see UPDATE: Merry Mushrooms Maker's Mark.

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A Closer Look: Casserole, Saucepan, or Skillet?

7/27/2020

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There are several white glass-ceramic dishes in the Merry Mushrooms line and, while they all have the same decal pattern on the side, have white bases, and clear glass lids, not all are technically the same type of dish or Corning Ware brand.

First is an oval covered Casserole, the first one of its kind sold. The brand isn't mentioned in the catalog. It might be Anchor Hocking Fire King brand cookware.

Second is the Casserole Ovenware Set, offered in mid-1970s catalogs. The lids of the round dishes and the oval dish appear to be clear and not dimpled like the other dishes below. Exisiting dishes are also found with undimpled lids which may not be replacements afterall. They might be Anchor Hocking Fire King brand cookware since the mixing bowls offered in the same catalog have been identified as such.

Third are the Covered Corning Ware Saucepans, first appearing in the sae catalog as the ones above. These pans look just like the casserole dishes but have dimpled clear PYREX glass covers, are identified as Corning Ware, and make use of the Corning Ware black plastic transferable handle. It's this handle which makes these saucepans and not casseroles.

Lastly are the Covered Corning Ware Skillets, also for sale in the mid-1970s. Like the Saucepans, these skillets resemble casserole dishes but for the transferable handle that was sold with them. Again, the skillets have the dimpled clear PYREX covers. But, since they are described as skillets, the sizes are given in diameter and not quarts like saucepans or casseroles.