Kitchens Changed in the 1940s Into Family Gathering Places

If you visit my shop “Kitsch N Stuff” you will see that I am very fond of red kitchen collectibles. I love color combinations of red and white, red and yellow, red and green, red and black… colors associated with the postwar kitchen of the 1940s and early 1950s. Following the war, the kitchen was becoming a more central space where families gathered instead of formal dining rooms. Photo courtesy of http://www.cottagerags.com/

Coordinated Sets
Manufacturers were featuring tin/metal kitchen products that came in coordinated sets that might include, canisters, cake savers, serving trays, flour sifters, match safes, garbage pails, dust pans etc. Photo below courtesy of http://www.cottagerags.com/
These collectibles are generally with designs of either flowers, fruit or Southern Belles and were found in Dime Stores or mail order catalogs for pocket change. Now these hot kitchen collectibles are sought after and are popular sellers when they are in great condition.

I spend a great deal of time hunting for tin kitchen collectibles like the ones shown in these photos which remind me so much of the wonderful time I spent in my Grandma Sophie’s kitchen in Brooklyn, New York.

While I was born in the early 1950’s,
Grandma’s kitchen was decorated a decade earlier in the 1940’s with white cabinets, red counters and yellow accessories and furnishings. Like many collectors, I am comforted by the objects that bring me warm memories. I can still remember the walk- in pantry my grandma had loaded with “S&W” canned goods , yahrzeit candles and boxes of matzoh meal.

Today you will find many of these tin kitchen collectibles in my shop Kitsch N Stuff.

But I will share a secret with you..these red and white charming collectibles do not spend too much time hanging around…they are scooped up quickly.

Photo round tray courtesy of Retro Revival

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.

If you would like to contact Dianne, email her at Dianne@CDianneZweig.com or visit her website at http://www.cdiannezweig.com/

Dianne is a member of:
The American Society of Journalists and Authors
The Authors Guild, Inc.