Forum Poll Discussion: What dinnerware do you use for "everyday use."

When I had just started collecting I happened on Canonsburg Temporama in a Gettysburg thrift store; I immediately liked it  - and I got some 20 or more pieces for about $10.00. I alternate with RW Iroquois and Steubenville, often setting a table with a different color for each person. On a few special occasions I've used Russel Wright highlight (blueberry and snow). Boomerbabe has a photo of the Temporama pattern on  her profile, if you don't know the style.  In some respects I like the Temporama design more than the Franciscan starburst. Someday I'd like to get a set of Ben Seibel's Autumn Leaves.

Breakfast ~ Lunch & Dinner going Clockwise:  BROCK ~ A Homer Laughlin DuraPrint  ~ Vernonware Tamo'Shanter (the favorite flannel shirt of dinnerware!)

I was tempted to bid on this yesterday but decided to give it a miss as we have more than enough Denby ware and we aren't into floral designs!

This one is called Green Wheat and was produced in the 60's/70's. The lot sold for £28 - $42

We mix and match three different sets of Dendy, one given to us by our daughter and the others from charity shops.

 

What I did miss out on is this stainless steel coffee and tea set by Oliver Hemming. Believe it or not, it was designed at the turn of THIS century. It went for £100 - $150, more than I was willing to pay!

At our log cabin getaway, we use a large set of Franciscan Madeira, most of it from the Salvation Army. The dark colors seem to go with the cabin vibe. I love pairing the dark green with rich reds. Gourmet cooking and eating are great at -32, with a fire going in the woodstove and the glow of vintage lamps all around.

Sheffield China, "Serenade" ("Regency" shape by Homer Laughlin Co; design by Sheffield)

alternated/combined with

Royal USA "Star Glow" & "Crystal" ("Futura" & "Prestige" shapes, respectively; both sets have same starburst design)

Since I originally posted on this topic I acquired a huge lot of Vernonware in the Heyday pattern-see my blog- and we are using that everyday. Still not capable of using Starburst or Oasis yet. I just like to look...

Geat topic! My everyday is Canonsburg Temporama,sprinkled with some Franciscan Starburst.

My fancy have company over dinner ware is Red Wing Driftwood.

We may use Franciscan "Starburst," "Larkspur," "Autumn," or "Floral," among other things.  I mix my Hallcraft Eva Zeisel Bouquet serving pieces with various white dishes (J & G Meakin, Wm Adams & Sons). Royal China "Nutmeg" is fun to use with vintage Heath bowls for soup and salad. For after work coffee, I like Red Wing "Random Harvest" or Stangl "Thistle" cups and saucers, but it's fun to have a different kind of cup every day--again, maybe "Autumn" or "Starburst."

So glad that this topic picked up steam again. 

We use Bauer Monterey Moderne (

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designed by Tracy Irwin (shapes) and Victor Houser (glazes) originally for

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Herb Brutsche (Brusché) and called Al Fresco).   Brutsche, who was Bauer's son-in-law, had drawn sketches influenced by Russel Wright’s American Modern dinnerware line.  Later, when the Bauer manager wanted to do something similar, Irwin and Houser made refinements for the line known as Monterey Moderne.  Occasionally, we'll use a piece of La Linda when MM doesn't have a shape we feel we need (like the equivalent of Post-1986 Fiesta's Chili Bowl).

We thought our favorite colors would be Chrome Yellow, Burgundy, and Black (inspired by Paul Preston and Tim Lukaszewski's collection, pictured in Mitch Tuchman's Bauer book).  But Chrome Yellow has proven extremely hard to find.  Instead, we mostly have Black, Olive Green, and Chartreuse as well as Burgundy--a lot of serving pieces in Chartreuse.  We tend to use the Olive, Burgundy, and Black the most.

For cutlery, we love our Jens Quistgaard Kongo.  We try to keep the pieces in better condition separate from the ones that get more rough-and-tumble every-day wear.

Kudos to bobntodd240 for using Tamac Frosty Pine.  Judging by the disasters we've experienced in shipping, we're fearful of using our Tamac Avocado regularly, much as we love looking at it.  (Thanks, Craig M for inspiring us!)

Cheers!

     Diane

 

Now that we are old we are using all our dishes. I just changed our everyday dishes from Russel Wright's STERLING CHINA (woodrose pattern) to Paul McCobb's CONTEMPRI (pinwheel pattern).  When we have guests it ranges from MANHATTAN (clear ribbed glass) to Eva Zeisel's TOWN and COUNTRY and TOMORROW'S CLASSIC in different patterns to any number of Russel Wright dishes to Western dishes.  Since plates wear out first I still look out for replacements when  plates starts to look worn.  I recently got  a new dish book titled DISH: 813 colorful, wonderful dinner plates it's a fun book.  I enjoyed reading everyone's comments on this subject.  When I was young it was harder to use certain dishes but not any more now everything gets used and yes dishes get worn and chipped (chipped dishes go in the trash) but we are finding it enjoyable to use what we collected for over 40 years. 

I have not heard of 'Franciscan Starburst' or any of the other dinnerware here.

I mentioned the flatware but the plates and dishes we use are a real mixed bag although most by the same manufacturer - Denby.

When we were first married and living in Canada we bought a dinnerware set which we often say we wished we still had. It was pure white, un-adorned, porcelain-like and Made in Japan. The tall, elegant coffee pot, sugar and milk were black. We've never seen anything like them since.

Denby is a popular brand in the UK. Heavy stoneware with simple lines and interesting colour combinations. It is quite expensive. In the sixties I bought my mother a Denby Chevron (look it up on Ebay UK) tea-cup and saucer. She later replaced all her dinnerware with that design.

We have three differend Denby designs on the go, one given to us by our daughter, the others bought at charity shops.

I started out with Mikasa Blue Point but I find that cerastone is on the fragile side so I switched to a battered set of Cathay I picked up for pennies.  I have a sevice for 20 in Star Glow plus all the serving pieces and I use that for parties-looks so cool on the table. But I am getting tired of the Cathay for every day and thought about switching over for the New Year. Everyone keps talking about using Starburst and Oasis but I just can't bring myself to use them. I'm thinking of going with Temporama since that's the one that captured my heart as a 12 year old. I also have some atomic looking Shenango restaurantware that would work,too.  I was watching an episode of I Love Lucy the other day-the ones when they bought the house in the country-and Lucy uses Franciscan Ivy for her everyday dishes. My husband gets a kick out of me oohing and ahhing over dinnerware in old movies and on old TV shows (we watch nothing made after 1965!) I would love to say that we had some hip dinnerware growing up but such was not the case. It was all mis-matched and hand-me-downs . But my mom's fancy dinnerware was a lovely pattern from Sears Harmony House 1950 that now belongs to my niece.

This may be an old forum topic but I thought I'd contribute anyway!

Our everyday flatware is a set of stailess steel by Lauffer/Towle, Holland, BEDFORD. We got it at a 'car boot' sale about ten years ago, for about £3/$4.50. I tend to pick up things like this that just catch my eye. I knew nothing about Lauffer until I looked it up this year and I was astonished at the prices they sell for! They have been discontinued but you can get replacements.

We have a solid silver set of cutlery which I inherited from my parents which is quite modern (in a traditional way), made in Holland.  We rarely use this set. It requires too much polishing!

My favourite set is the one I posted here recently, designed by David Mellor, a design called 'Chinese' - stainless steel with white plastic handles. We use these when we have guests over for dinner!

We use our Royal China Navajo for everyday. I have service for about 30 in most pieces, plus several large platters and large vegetable bowl and the creamer and sugar. I would love to find more. It just worked out that I found a huge set one day and then a few weeks later found quite a few pieces on etsy. I see a few pics of pieces here, I'll take some pics of mine and upload soon.

This weekend, for a small party, we broke out the Blue Heaven, I have services for about 24 so far with a few of the serving pieces.

On RARE occaision, we use the Contempri Eclipse, also service for about 24 with a new addition I just found, an all white "small" coffee pot. It's not the tea pot, its shaped just like the large coffee pot but smaller, and it came with 6 demitasse glasses that are just like the coffee cups but miniaturized, only standing about 2" tall and 1-1/2" diameter.

 

For a little more than a year, the two of us have been using what I call my "chip set" for every day use. It's a collection of Metlox Mobile, Contempora and Freeform that have been pulled from my "real" collections in the china cabinet due to chips or cracks. Since it has already got imperfections, I don't worry messing it up from every day use. The interesting thing is, even after using it a year, we have not broken, or chipped further, the first piece. Also, I tend to bid on, or buy, imperfect pieces for very little when I see them, just to add to my chip set!

I use the Blue Heaven everyday, since it's cheap and easy to replace.  I bust out the Oasis, Starburst, and Del Mar on weekends, holidays, when the mood strikes, or dinner night with the friends.  I just aquired a big set of Vernonware Raffia (thank you Betty Draper) and will be using those soon too.  I think they will debut for the Mad Men premier in a couple weekends. 

- Lance

 

Sadly i do not have some fantastic American dinnerware so we use 1970s Melitta Ceracron (West German) tableware which came in a variety of colors, approx 12 of them, we have around 6 different colours in use at the same time...... a colorful cupboard

All text and images & copyright Kevin Graham

I'm always swapping out dishes to use.  Right now, my partner and I use Red Wing Pepe for everyday use.  Both of my grandmothers had this set until they moved out of their homes.  I've filled in the pieces here and there.  It's still pretty easy to find (since it's not really durable and the bowls dont' stack very well).  I also have out Red Wing Smart Set and Red Wing Fantasy.  I use these once in a while. 

Favorites that come out often are Russel Wright Iroquois, Starburst (a gift from my Grandma - they were her "sewing club dishes."  Both are nice and durable.

If Jay and I ever make the transition to the 60's, I'd love to use Red Wing Pompeii or Kasmir.  Denby Blue Echo is cool and so is Bennington in Tawny.   Growing up, my mom had a set of Salem Biscayne.  I'd like to get a set of that.

I've also tried to use several sets for everyday that have failed miserably.  Glidden.  Way too heavy.  Tamac.  Doesn't stack well.  Red Wing Spruce.  Bowls with feet don't stack and the glaze chips easily.  The first time I chipped a salad plate the whole set went back in the box.

Replacing the stuff that I chip can get expensive!

I've just retired my Franciscanware Starburst (almost complete srvice for 12) and my Metlox Aztec, I 've just switched back over to Tamac Frosty Pine for the summer.  I mean let's face it, those barbeque plates are the best for summer!  Once I have a full set of Mobile then that will be my everyday stuff.  And can someone help me post pictures of some of my pieces.  I'm obviously not as tech savvy as I thought.

In the fifties, my parents sold Russel Wright  American Modern as a premium.  My sister still has the dishes my dad and mom brought home and uses them every day.  We use White Clover in all the colors for every day set, but our old dishwasher's plate slots were too narrow for the plates and platters to fit in, so when we bought a new dishwasher, I took a platter and plate with me when we went shopping and chose the best fit.  For large crowds, we use RW Knowles Seeds and Queen Anne's Lace with ware being a mix of Morgantown and Fostoria Optic with no patterns or etching.  The optics have an oil and water effect.   Also break out RW Highlight in a mix of Citron and Pepper and use RW goblets, and use Consolidated Catalonian serving bowls.   Gave the wedding silver to children, but still use original set, now sets, of Gorham Stegor Stainless flatware. 

This is something I've been thinking about recently, b/c I'm looking for a set to use on a daily basis.  And Gorbutt-Bowman's pretty much the only set I own (that has any sort of pedigree, at least).  And I'm not using that.  Anyway...I'm leaning toward Seibel's Contempora line.  Anyone have experience with this line?  Is it durable?  Prone to crazing?  I'd appreciate any insights.

Love this topic!  I had been using a large glass set I have of Anchor Hocking's Sorreno when I switched to the Stetson Nest Stone I posted some time ago.  But then I began to notice more and more crazing with the Stetson (go figure).  So recently I switched again... to Melox Pepper Tree.  Not a super modern decoration, I know, but the colors go really well with my dining room.  It's much more durable, and makes for guilt free usage.

We use Franciscan Oasis for everyday but since we have only 6 dinner plates we use the Ben Seibel Impromptu "Vision" when we run out. Both sets are in the same kitchen cabinet. We have a small set of Franciscan Del Mar and a big set of Vernonware/Metlox "Tickled Pink" in the hutch. It's about time for a switch..as soon as I get more Ben Seibel Mikasa Duplex pieces I will swap out the Del Mar.

We use Iroquois Casual China by Russel Wright. It's durable enough to stand up to every day use, and has a great selection of serving pieces. The only switching we really do is color. 

As far as everything else goes, that's where more variety usually comes into play ... For glassware we typically use Morgantown American Modern, also by Wright, but also use some random reed-wrapped drinkware from time to time. Flatware is typically Oneida's Russel Wright reissue, which riffs of his original Pinch line for Hull. We save the original Hull Pinch for special occasions. We also rotate in vintage Lundtofte Acton stainless by Acton Bjorn from time to time. I also just picked up a nice set of Dansk Fairwind by Jens Quistgaard, but I'm trying to decide if we should keep it for ourselves or sell it and use the funds to fill in missing pieces from some of our other sets. Tablecloths for special occasions are either Russel Wright plaids or Vera florals, and napkins (when we aren't using generic contemporary solids) are also Vera designs.

~Scott
sllab studios
http//www.sllab.net

That's funny. Very soon, I'm making a switch from Franciscan Autumn (which wears like nails, but alas, does chip) to the set of Jackson pink and charcoal restaurantware for a short while. There's also the Oneida Russel Wright dinnerware in the cabinet. When I finally get to storage, I'm bringing out the Franciscan Starburst.