Vintage Sour Cream & Cottage Cheese Glasses

History

Food and beverage companies began offering products in re-usable, glass packaging during the first part of the 20th century. The packages were typically made from either clear glass or solid, colored glass. At the end of WWII glass companies, along with multiple food item processing companies, were transitioning back to pre-war item production and eager for new ideas to increase profits.

Screen printing was still rather new but on an upward trend so it was natural for food companies to call upon glass houses for colored, patterned glassware for packaging.

Swankyswig Inspiration

Hazel Atlas Glass Company was the leader among glass houses in patterned glass production. Production of Swankyswigs for Kraft began in the 1920s and by the end of the 1940s, was in its’ heydey. So, the expansion to manufacturing glass packaging for other, popular dairy companies was an easy transition.

Product packaging features bold, colorful eye catching designs and patterns. The goal was to entice consumers to purchase particular products by offering re-usable packaging that was pleasing enough for every day household use.Well known dairy companies like Penn Maid and Breakstone’s followed the trend started by Kraft and started selling sour cream and cottage cheese (Seal test) in premium, re-usable glasses/tumblers.

Fire-King-Cottage Cheese Bowl-SealTest-Green Tulip

Cottage Cheese Glasses

Cottage cheese manufacturers used 16-18 ounce Hazel Atlas tumblers with red, plastic lids or tin lids <not frequently found>. According to The Hazel Atlas Glass Identification and Value Guide by Gene & Cathy Florence, cottage cheese containers are found in the following patterns:

• Mexican Scene
• Small Pagoda
• Large Pagoda
• Pennsylvania Dutch
• Antique Coal Bucket
• Kitchen Aids

Sour Cream Glasses

Sour cream was packaged in a large assortment of patterned 1/2 pint or 1 pint glass containers. Barbara E. Mauzy, author of a popular collectors guide, Sour Cream Glasses, states in her book that:

“…sour cream in usable glasses was so successful it continued until 1991 long after most food items were only available in plastics.”

Modern Day Collectibles 

Modern day collectors of vintage glassware tumblers are often drawn to sour cream glasses because of the various patterns and assortment of differing colors within each pattern set. Who doesn’t desire completing a full set of anything? Sour cream glasses are available in numerous patterns and I recommend purchasing Barbara E. Mauzy’s book Sour Cream Glasses for more information. The following patterns are available to browse or purchase at RetroReclaimations.com. Simply click on the pattern name to browse or shop. The patterns listed below are NOT an exhaustive list of what is available elsewhere. Hazel Atlas manufactured such a wide variety, over so many decades, that you will find it far easier to browse the aforementioned book.

• Stylized Rose (1950s)
• Ivy (1950s)
• Wheat (1940s)
• Love Daisies (1960s-70s)
• Pinwheels (1960s-70s)
• Daisies (1970s)
• Lace (1960s)
• Triple Diamond (1950s)
• Polka Dots w/Bands (1960s-70s)
• Regional Theme: Philadelphia (1976)
• Transportation: Stagecoach (1970s)

Hazel Atlas-Wheat Patterns blue & yellow-1/2 pint

Hazel Atlas-Sour Cream Glasses-Regional Theme-Philly Bicentennial

Prior to 2010, sour cream glasses were readily available at thrifts, fleas, etc. for $.99. In 2011, Martha Stewart published an article on sour cream glasses in her magazine which caused prices to skyrocket. The average price has since dropped. Unfortunately, average cost is still higher than $.99. Depending on color/pattern/size the price for 1/2 pint sour cream glasses runs $4- $10 with 1 pint glasses ranging $7- $15.

Vintage Sour Cream Glasses-Hazel Atlas-Daisy-Orange

Vintage Sour Cream Tumbler-Hazel Atlas-Pink Ivy

“Decorated tumblers” are just as popular as they were 50 years ago. The next time you visit the home of a person belonging to the greatest generation I challenge you to peek in their cupboards. You are certain to come across at least one sour cream or cottage cheese tumbler.

Owl Fest Antique Festival

​Visit RetroReclaimations.com September 17-18, 2016 at Owl Fest Antique Festival in Mt. Pleasant, NC. Nearly 100 antiques/vintage vendors will be on site with quality vintage goods at reasonable prices. Shopping begins at 7 o’clock AM & ends at 7 o’clock PM both Saturday & Sunday.

Owl Fest Antique Festival Information Flyer-Click Image For More Info

We anticipate a large crowd both days so set your alarm for early shopping!

RetroReclaimations.com will be posting images over the next few weeks of items we will have available during the festival. Images will be shared via multiple social media outlets. Follow us on Facebook & Instagram to view vintage glassware photos & be on the lookout for an exclusive discount for use during the event.

Vintage glassware including hand picked vintage barware, dinnerware, kitchenware, salt ‘n pepper shakers, & more will be available (click to view our current selection available via the webstore). It is our policy to offer items not available in our webstore during markets & festivals so you can always expect never before seen, quality vintage glassware when visiting RetroReclaimations.com at a market.

• Looking for a particular vintage glassware item?
• Contact us with description  
• September 5, 2016 ➡ last day to submit requests

Owl Fest Antique Festival Map-Vendor Layout

Pop Up Markets

http://www.nsjonline.com/gallery/pop-up-marketsnc

Pop-Up Raleigh Product Preview

RetroReclaimations.com is attending Pop-Up Raleigh on Saturday, August 20th at Trophy Brewing & Taproom on Maywood Ave. You can shop our vintage glassware inventory from noon til 5. Below is a SMALL sample of items we will have on site.

Vintage Libbey Barware-Aqua/Black Fish

Vintage-1970s Mushroom Salt ‘n Pepper Shakers

Vintage Salt and Pepper Shakers

Vintage Tumblers-unmarked

Top: Pyrex “Square Flowers” #475-B Bottom: Pyrex “Spring Blossom Green” #475-B

Vintage barware-unmarked measures 4 Oz. to rim

You can find loads more vintage glassware on our website http://www.RetroReclaimations.com. Visit the vintage barware collection, salt and pepper shaker collection, or vintage kitchenware collection.

If you plan to visit us and want to keep some extra cash in your wallet, sign up for our eNewsletter & mention it to us at the market. We will happily provide you a discount of $5 on all $20+ purchases! 

<@ RetroReclaimations.com vendor booth only>

• http://www.RetroReclaimations.com Homepage

 

History of Swanky Swigs

​The history of Swanky Swigs began during the first part of the 20th century when James Kraft developed processed cheese spread. Most Americans have heard the term Swanky Swigs and typically apply it to all vintage, decorated tumblers. Through experience with vintage glassware collectors and thorough research I have learned that Swanky Swigs was the title used by Kraft to describe the re-usable glass containers that held Kraft processed cheese spread during the 1930s. Search “swanky swig” in Google and thousands of results pop up but none are dictionary definitions. However, search for each term separately and the results are:

• swanky:  stylishly luxurious and expensive
• swig:  drink in large gulps

Hmmm…

History

When the stock market fell in 1929 and the Depression Era was in full swing, Kraft Foods began an all new marketing plan to sell their cheese spread in re-usable glasses. Swanky Swigs debuted in grocery stores in 1933, a time when “waste not, want not” was more meaningful than ever. Kraft realized American housewives would be drawn to a product offered in a premium/glass re-usable jar. This launched a new marketing strategy for Kraft directed at the typical housewife of the time. The goal: market non-essential, luxury items in a fashion consistent with the national pervading thought that every penny must be used wisely and to make consumers feel guilt free about their purchase. It was simple yet effective.  Empty glass cheese spread jars could be washed out and put to new use as decorated beverage tumblers.

Kraft partnered with the Hazel Atlas Glass Co. to manufacture hand painted glass containers for distribution of Kraft processed cheese spread.  Kraft offered the containers as premiums until the late 1950s when coincidentally the plastic era boomed (☆read post on plastics☆). Hazel Atlas manufactured the majority of glass jar containers on the market. 

Swanky swigs were available in the United States, Canada, and Australia and contained a large variety of Kraft processed food items. Kraft used the phrase “collect them all” in many ads to encourage continued consumer shopping and brand loyalty.

Swanky Swigs Bustlin’ Betsy

 Colors

The silk screen process used by Hazel Atlas after the initial hand painted pattern application used during the first year of production did not afford a large variation in pattern color. Standard colors for all swanky swigs were:  red, orange, yellow, green, blue, black, and brown. This is reminiscent of the color rainbow acronym taught in grade school ROYGBIV. I will take an educated guess that as such the standard colors were probably the most simple to create.

Antiques Pattern #1 America

Available  Sizes
In America, there are 3 standard sizes available:

1. 3.50″
2. 3.75″
3. 4.25″

Swanky?

Perhaps the ability to use adorable, often hand painted glass tumblers during the depression was seen as swanky/luxorious. The first pattern, Band 1933, was painted by hand and all future patterns were applied using a silkscreen process. Maybe households that could afford to purchase the products offered in the premiums were better off and had more access to money than other, less fortunate individuals that scraped by with the bare essentials like milk and bread. I can see why one might see the little glass jars that would hold just a few ounces of fluid as a swanky swig:  processed cheese spread was not and is not a necessity thereby viewed as swanky and the small volume of the glasses could be easily downed in one gulp or swig.  

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Buy Vintage Swanky Swigs-Kraft "Kiddie Kup Pattern" Baby Animal Swankyswig 1956

Important Things to Remember 

• NEVER put swanky swigs or any vintage glassware in the dishwasher ♡ color WILL fade and peel
• Know your swanky swig info!! Dealers often lump all vintage decorated tumblers under the umbrella term swanky swig ♡ TRUE swanky swigs contained Kraft Foods product
• RetroReclaimations.com Swanky Swigs Offer
• We offer a nice assortment of Swanky Swigs in the Vintage Glassware Swanky Swig Collection. All can be viewed for curiosity, pleasure, or purchase by clicking this collection.

Do you collect Swanky Swigs? If so, I would enjoy hearing about it! Share your collection story and images via email and use subject line Swanky Swig.

References:

Florence, Gene and Cathy. “The Hazel Atlas Glass Identification and Value Guide”. Collectors Books, 2005.

History.com Staff. “The Great Depression”. History.com. A+E Networks, 2009. Accessed 20 June 2016. http://www.history.com/topics/great-depression

Mink, Michael. “James Kraft Cooked Up New Cheese and A New Market”. Investors Business Daily News. 2014. Accessed 18 June 2016. http://www.investors.com/news/management/leaders-and-success/james-kraft-founded-kraft-cheese/

“swanky.” American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 2011. 22 June 2016 http://www.thefreedictionary.com/swanky

“Swig.” American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 2011. 22 June 2016 http://www.thefreedictionary.com/swig

“waste not, want not.” McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2002. 22 June 2016 http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/waste+not%2c+want+not

 

 

 

Vintage Glassware Owners Might Just Be The Luckiest: 7 Reasons To Ditch The Plastic in Your Kitchen

There is something special about serving food in vintage glassware–especially when you can reminisce with others about  nostalgic vintage pieces. Like the vintage bowl Grandma used to serve a special side dish from and NEVER allowed anyone else to touch. She personally ladled out everyone’s serving and if you attempted to help yourself-THWACK!! You can still hear the sound as she cracked your knuckles with her wood serving spoon. 

Memories like this are why so many are drawn to vintage glassware. The nostalgia and warm, often funny, memories of the past. Whatever the reason(s) one chooses vintage glassware one thing is certain: this is a far better, albeit lucky, choice than the alternative –plastic. 

Following are the top, lucky 7 reasons why vintage glassware is a must in all modern-day kitchens. Yes folks, it is time to ditch the plastic!

Vintage glassware offers:

1. Exceptional Recyclability with Less Environmental Impact  Glass can be reused and recycled over & over again while retaining its’ original qualities. Typically, all glass is made of 3 quickly renewing resources: sand, Ash, & limestone. When glass is recycled up to 80% of it is reused thereby using and depleting LESS resources to manufacture new glass. Another important fact to consider is the use of cullet in glass production. Cullet is essentially all the left over, small pieces of glass that remain behind after production. It can be mixed with glass pieces from recycling to save energy during processing. Cullet melts at a lower temperature than other glass and allows less energy consumption during glass processing & production.
   

   

   Glass Has Superior Recyclability Over Plastic

   

   Glass Can Be Recycled Over & Over

2. Enhances Taste with Non-Permeable Exterior  Glass is inert and non-porous so is ideal for food storage. Taste remains in food when glass containers are used and even more important, glass is a great barrier against odors from other sources. That lasagna you put in the fridge a couple days ago still taste like lasagna! The food is protected by the glass from absorbing odors, and changing taste, from items surrounding it in the fridge.
3. Superior Organization with Clutter Free Cupboards  Tell me one person, non Type A that is, that has all of their plastic containers & lids organized & accessible in their kitchen cupboard. Finding a matching set to store leftovers or send food to a friend is often next to impossible! Glassware, on the other hand, typically comes in sets that nest within each other and take up far less space. Additionally, vintage glassware is often patterned & colorful which affords the opportunity to display your storage containers. Imagine that! No more hiding that embarrassing mess of plastic food containers & lids! Glass storage is something to be proud of, show off even.
4. Greater Functionality with Time Saving Ability  Yes, I said time saving! Think of all the time it takes to prep, cook, serve, and store a meal. Vintage glassware has the unique ability to meet all the above needs in one dish. The only thing you cannot do with glass is prepare food on the stove top. Now imagine the time you can save finding, using, and cleaning an individual dish to meet each need. Take lasagna for example,yes I love lasagna, you can prepare, bake, serve, and store in the same casserole! That alone saves you a minimum of 30 minutes of time in the kitchen. Now multiply that over a seven day period, a month, and you are adding days worth of time that you do NOT have to spend in the kitchen! 😉 You are more than welcome!
5. Minimal Health Risks with Chemical Free Composition  Glass is inert and retains the same composition and stability over time regardless of temperature exposure. It is free of synthetic and organic chemicals that can leach into your food or liquids when heated. You can feel safe and certain that glass is not harmful to you or your loved ones. So, go ahead and give your baby a glass bottle full of warm milk or serve your little one food that has been heated in a glass container. You can rest assured that you are NOT diminishing the likelihood of having grandchildren. I cannot guarantee that you will have grandchildren or great grandchildren but I can guarantee that their existence will not be prevented from your childs exposure to estrogen acting chemicals in glassware like those found in plastic-even BPA free plastics. Rest assured that you are not exposing your child to chemicals that have been PROVEN to disrupt reproductive, neurological, or endocrine systems and using glassware is the only safe alternative to the plastics of today.
   

   

   No More Plastic Bottles For Your Baby

   

   Vintage Glassware Is A Safe Alternative To Plastic Food Storage

6. Diminished Costs with One Time Investment Think of all the money you spend on plastic storage containers and the number of new containers you buy to replace those lost or damaged. Adds up to quite a large sum of money! You are forced to discard plastic containers for numerous reasons including: lost lids, change in shape or color  (eww!), lost or accidentally tossed, never returned by friends or family. Glassware is long lasting and a one time investment. The color and shape will NEVER alter, friends realize the value and tend to return. The only negative is the nature of glass being breakable but honestly, how often do you actually break your glassware? Not too often! Why not make a one time, long term investment and spend a little more money on quality glassware? 
   

   

   Stop Wasting Money On Plastic

7. Prolonged Life with Astounding Durability  Although #6 mostly covers this aspect it must be included for us to have a lucky #7. Vintage glassware tends to be more durable and less prone to breaking than the glassware available today. Certainly, made during a time when quality mattered far more than quantity, vintage glassware has withstood the test of time and is still available. Often available in great to excellent condition might I add. It is far wiser to choose glassware that has a proven track record than to throw away money on plastic or the glassware available for purchase today. 

 There you have it! The top 7 reasons vintage glassware owners are luckier than people that use plastics in the kitchen. If I haven’t convinced you that glass is a healthier for you, safer for the environment, cost effective, and far more pleasing to the eye alternative, I hope you will research the topic further.

To view our vintage glassware, for your pleasure or purchase,visit RetroReclaimations.com today!

This list is not all inclusive and is an honest matter of opinion. 

Are there additional reasons why you think vintage glassware is better than plastic? Maybe you prefer to stand behind the virtues of plastics? Either way, I would enjoy hearing your thoughts on the topic. 

Purchase Pyrex Vintage Glassware To Store Leftovers.

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Buy Pyrex "Primary Colors" 1.5 cup Refrigerator Dish-1945

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Grandma Pratts’ Pumpkin Butterprint Pyrex

The day I have been waiting for is just shy of 2 weeks away. Easter Sunday is the day I bring a tradition of the past into my own home for the first time. My mother has bestowed upon me her mothers’ 4 quart Pyrex Pumpkin Butterprint cinderella mixing bowl. Yes, those are trumpets you hear and perhaps an angel or two singing Hallelujah as well. You see it is mine, all mine, the elusive “where did it come from” orange Butterprint.  Sit back and I will share with you exactly where such a rare, hard to find Holy Grail of Pyrex originated from.

It is my understanding that during a time when things were much simpler, electronics were still a thing of the future yet there was hope of landing on the moon, Camelot was a perfect place but assassinations were commonplace,  peace was yearned for instead there was war, a disillusioned and ironic time that perhaps not so simple after all.  The time was the 1960’s. My grandpa was an army staff sergeant off fighting for our country often leaving a wife and 8 children at home. A brave wife with a stern hand and a loving smile to hide the angst and hardship of running such a large household on a sergeants pay.  This was a time of “waste not, want not”, extras were luxuries and not so easily discarded and replaced.

My Grandma, Ethel Pratt, saved pennies and cut corners with the best of them. She shopped at her local supermarket where she collected green stamps as rewards for purchases. Stamps were given to customers according to how much money was spent. To my good fortune she traded 1.5 completed S&H Green Stamps Quick Saver Books for a set of Pyrex Pumpkin Butterprint mixing bowls that were featured in the 1965 S&H Greenstamps Ideabook of Distinguished Merchandise. I was able to purchase a copy of the book my Grandma would have looked in to find her bowls and original green stamps with Saver books. ☆see photos

Close up of “Amish” couple in Pyrex Pumpkin Butterprint

The Quick Saver Books is where collected green stamps were kept

My Grandma Pratts’ 4 quart Pumpkin Butterprint cinderella mixing bowl

S&H Ideabook 1965

The description for Pyrex Pumpkin Butterprint inside the ideabook

It is no wonder that this Pyrex pattern is so hard to come across! It was available for a limited amount of time as a choice among hundreds of other items.  My mom cannot remember the set as having 4 bowls but it is my experience that larger, less used sizes of bowls have lasted thru the years whereas the smaller, everyday use pieces were often damaged.  It is just a matter of the odds against glass that is handled regularly. I have searched long and far to find the 3 matching bowls so the set is complete again.  Not very often, I find them offered on eBay at outrageous prices but I would rather find one in the wild. Not for the price (shhh!! I did break down and purchase the 2 quart for $62 on eBay) but for the history that comes with the piece

Grandma Pratt NEVER put anything in her 4 quart mixing bowl aside from potato salad and peach cobbler. This Easter I will whip up an awesome helping of southern tater salad to serve in what I deem Pyrex gold. Hopefully, many decades from now my daughter will do the same for her family.  That is the primary reason I love all vintage glass & dinnerware:  the nostalgia.

Fingers crossed no one drops or breaks it!

Visit this blog for more in depth information about green stamps from the inception thru present day.

Will any of your Easter Sunday dinner be served in a special vintage dish?