1. Welcome! Mama's Kitchen is a free newsletter about kitchen collectibles. This newsletter is designed to be entertaining and educational, but also a dialogue among those who have a fondness for kitchen items of all kinds. I hope you'll join us for a few memories, giggles, laughs and some useful information about kitchen collectibles. I am not an expert in any field, but I have been buying and selling kitchen items for over 9 years and loving them for a lifetime. Remember collecting anything should be fun. This is especially true when you can use your collection on a daily basis. Please let me know if there is a particular item you would like featured in upcoming issues.

Ask people about Federal Glass and many will reply, "Who?" or "It was mostly a bottle and jar factory wasn't it?" Federal Glass was established in Columbus Ohio in 1900 by George and Robert J. Beatty, from the successful Beatty glass manufacturing family. In 1901 they advertised only tumblers, and in 1906 they were listed as manufacturers of bottles and jars (see Bottle Makers and their marks, by Toulouse). The Beatty Family had been in the glass business since 1845.

The Federal, as it was commonly referred to by people in Columbus, showed its wares as early as the January 1905 Glass and Pottery Exhibition in Pittsburgh. By 1914 the Federal Glass catalog included a full range of pressed glass in imitation cut glass patterns and other fashionable designs of that period (see Tom Klopp's article in The Glass Collector for pictures from this catalog) They appear to have made only clear flint glass at this time, no colored glass. By comparing the Federal Glass catalog with U.S. Glass catalogs and other publications, Klopp concludes that some 75% of the patterns Federal produced during this period were made from molds they had acquired from other manufacturers, especially US Glass. These included "Peacock Feather", "Caledonia", and some from the "Kansas" pattern. There were other glass manufacturers making some of the same patterns as Federal, both before and after 1914, including Kokomo Glass (which became Jenkins Glass) and the Co-operative Flint Glass Company of Beaver Falls.

In addition to pressed glass tableware, Federal Glass produced a range of glass specifically intended to be used as packaging for grocery items. One of their largest customers was the A & P Grocery. A catalog of Federal Glass packaging items from around 1913 includes salt, pepper and spice shakers, goblets, measuring jugs, and jars shaped like tumblers. Even at this early date, the company had its own mold-making department; and they were still making hand-blown and decorated tumblers.

By the 1920s Federal Glass were making full sets of tableware and their patterns from the 20s and 30s are typical Depression glass sets, collected enthusiastically by many people today. They include "Colonial Fluted" or "Rope" (1929-33); "Raindrops" or "Optic Design" (1929-33); "Parrot" (1931-32); "Georgian" or "Lovebirds" (1931-36); "Patrician" or "Spoke" (1933-37); "Normandie" or "Bouquet and Lattice" (1933-40); "Mayfair" 1934; and "Diana" (1937-41). Many of these Depression glass pieces carry the Federal Glass trademark of an F in a shield. This trademark was claimed in 1932 although it had been used for several years previously. Federal Glass produced its Park Avenue line from 1940-1971. The Heritage pattern was produced in crystal, green, pink, and blue from 1950-1955.

Although Federal was known for its glasses and mugs, it also produced a popular line of tableware and ovenware. One of the most collectible mugs is the Martin Luther King Mug which has a book value of around $250.00. They only produced 250 of them. Their colored dot, kitchen themed and flower bowls have become very popular among collectors of kitchenware. No kitchen collection would be complete without some colorful Federal glasses.

The Federal glass company was no small company and there have been many theories as to why it closed its doors in 1979. Some say it had just gotten too big and expanded too much for the market it was supplying. At the time of it's closing, the company occupied 57 acres on the south side of Columbus, Ohio. Many say that the advent of plastics led to the decline of their market. Over time they had labor pains with unions and the unions said it was just bad management. One of the main reasons may have been what plagued them from the start which was a constant search for a stable fuel supply. Most agree that this giant of a company had many contributing factors that led to the closing rather than it being just one main theme. The company no longer exists but was transformed into the Federal Industrial Park. Some of the buildings were razed and some of the molds sold to Indiana Glass. If you would like to know more about this great company, there is an article in the Winter, 2006 edition entitled "Bottles and Extras" by Marg Iwen called, "Shield F - The Mark of Quality."  

The Betty Furness Westinghouse Cookbook by Julia Keane, 1954.  

If you have a favorite recipe to share, please send it to mamas@tias.com and we'll pass it along.

4. What is it?

Okay, so it's really a Wearever Aluminum Sieve. This has been called a sieve, ricer, colander, strainer, and my personal favorite, applesauce maker. I have been told by many that it's a must for any kitchen where canning is in process or you want to make applesauce. It must be true because every fall they fly out of my shop. Two companies that mass produced it were Wearever and Viko. I'm sure there were more. You used to be able to pick these up for $5.00 or less but recently the popularity of aluminum products has been increasing. The market value today ranges anywhere from $15-$30.00.

I had some ideas sent to me about the dough cutter featured last month.

Linda wrote:

I think this was used to cut lady fingers.

Mary Jane wrote:

It is a bit difficult to determine the dimensions of the pieces of dough to be cut. Perhaps it is for cutting the dough for potpie, the kind referred to as "slippery potpie", which is cooked in broth.

Reader Query
I am trying to find some replacement pieces for some cutlery that my mother purchased in California in the 1950's. It was called Acock Knives or Acock Cutlery. I think it was made in San Jose, California. There were large mixing and serving spoons, steak knives, paring knives, butcher knives, etc. They looked like all one piece. Metal handles, not wood. There is the imprint of a Rooster on some of the handles and the word "Red" under the rooster. Have you ever heard of this ??? I have a few pieces and would like to add more.
Thank you,
Mary-Margaret O'Connell

The cutlery I believe she may be looking for is Aycock Knives from Salem, OR. My family has been buying these knives at our Western Washington state fair (the Puyallup Fair as it is commonly known http://thefair.com ) for 50 years or more. Here is their website: http://aycockknives.com/

Strainers -- the Great Separator

Where would we be without strainers? It was probably on of the most useful gadgets invented. The first one pictured is an old blue and white enamel strainer that I believe was used over a pan or bowl. The fact that it's enamel dates it to the pre aluminum period in kitchen history. The value of this one is mostly as a collectible and it looks great hanging on a wall. The price ranges from $15-$28.00. The second is also blue and white enamel and is more commonly referred to as a colander rather than a strainer. This one could be used or admired and the value range is $18-$28.00.

The third is a small strainer that was introduced to the market in the 1940s when companies started selling utensil sets. These small strainers were part of the set and there value has a large range depending on brand and type of handle. The one pictured is from the Androck Company and has a red bullet bakelite handle. Its value is about $15-$20. The last one arrived on the scene from the Foley Company and was called a pan strainer. It is by far one of the most popular and you'll see variations on it still being produced today by other companies. Brian Alexander's book, "Spiffy Kitchen Collectibles," puts the value at $10-$12.00. However, if the handle is aqua or pink, I usually find them selling for around $15.00. Of course these numbers are market value estimates and may differ due to condition, geography and popularity. In other words, "What someone will pay for it."

7. Tip of the Month 

Metal Window Blind Cleaner
16 ounces tap water
1 tablespoon clear ammonia (non-sudsing)
1 drop lavender, peppermint, lemon or other essential oil

Fill a spray bottle and label. Use old cotton socks to wipe away that grime, but if the blinds are really dusty vacuum first, using the furniture (brush type) attachment. Spray the sock (not the blind) with the cleaner and wipe horizontally first, then vertically.

Maureen e-mailed in this tip:

Stinky Shoes
Lay a piece of plastic wrap into shoes and put a drop of clove oil on a cotton ball and place it on plastic wrap to remove the odor. Don't forget to take this out of the shoes before you put them on. You also can use empty film canisters as shoe odor-busters. Poke holes into the lids and put the essential oil perfumed cotton balls inside.

Have you got a great kitchen tip or question, please send it along to mamas@tias.com

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