Discoveries: Lookalike Lidded Container Set plus Thrifting Tour

I came across this set of three round metal (aluminum?) enameled containers at the tiny The Shepherd's Attic thrift store in the equally small farming community of Chilton, Wisconsin. 

​This set absolutely caught my eye and made my heart jump. How did I not know about this?! The covered bowls nest cozily inside each other, which is how I found it. Taking off the largest lid, I found another container with a lid, and then the smallest, also with a lid.

Closer inspection revealed that it is not official Sears Merry Mushrooms. The mushroom decal, while nearly identical in layout and style, has green-orange-red mushrooms, and not orange-brown-red. The addition of tiny red-orange flowers with white centers also sets these apart. Both changes are likely an effort to get around copyright issues. (See? Our design is totally different!)

Unfortunately, neither the containers nor soft plastic lids are marked. Searching online, there are many similar sets, but most don't have lids and are more bowl-shaped. Below are the ones that most resemble the mushrooms. The middle set with fruit is marked "Tabletops Unlimited," and the set on the right with bright pink roses is marked "GMI."

If you're interested, our thrifting tour follows HWY 57/32 north from where they split from I-43 in Saukville, Wisconsin. It was first traced by my parents over 20 years ago when we would visit my sister at Lawrence University in Appleton.

​The shops along the way are:

• Neat Repeats - Plymouth, WI
• St. Vinnie's - Plymouth, WI
• St. Vinnie's - Kiel, WI
• Evan's Variety Store - Kiel, WI (not a thrift store, but a crowded dime store with some vintage stock)
• New Holstein Christian Center Thrift Store - New Holstein, WI
• The Shepherd's Attic - Chilton, WI
• St. Vinnie's - Hilbert, WI

On the way home, we zip southwest to St. Nazianz Christian Thrift Store before hitting I-43 and getting home late in the day. If you want to check it out, start early and remember that most of the stores are closed on Sundays.