best great find in a long time

i'd say i'm a collector of many things. some would call me pack rat. some would say it's an inherited family trait. it's probably all of the above. whatever the cause or reason behind my obsessive desire to acquire cool shit, i have to divulge in the here and now that i haven't done any buying of such items in a very, very, long time. since before last christmas, which puts me at about one year. with all the moving around i've been doing, usually at last minute, putting delicate things wrapped in pillow cases and stuffed in milk crates is the last thing i need to spend time on when time is always strained.

there is but one...ONE...thrift(y) kind of store in the next town over. i choke on prices every time i go in there, but i make myself swallow real hard when i remind myself that all proceeds go to the battered women's shelter. ok, so i can spend $5 on a tattered laundry basket even though i know it should be $0.99. but i discovered a beautiful thing when i was there last. though prices are excessive, regardless of good cause, it's only on those items they think are most desirable to the public. a mirror from Target, a lamp from IKEA, a pair of flip flops from Old Navy...priced almost as new. but find the things that are Truely valuable, there in lies the deals!

a long time collected item of mine is Diner Ware. it's not that hard to find, and not really all that expensive when found in antique stores. but a real treat when i find it and some one doesn't know what they've got hidden under that straw hat on the top shelf inside that glass display case.

a brief history lesson in Diner Ware:
the first to become popular was, and still is, called Buffalo China. so called because the Buffalo China Co. in Buffalo, New York manufactured it. founded in 1901, the Buffalo China didn't become popular until it made it's appearance in roadside diners along US highways during the 1940's, hence the generic name Diner Ware. the wares were sturdy, thick, plates and saucers made to withstand the tousled and busy work environment of such high volume restaurants. this style of dishes became so widespread that other china company's mimiced this design, but with different patterns. for instance, Syracuse China (also a New York state company) started it's business producing earthenware in the early 1870's and later transitioned over to fine china, which also made it's appearances in hotels, cruise ships and restaurants. interestingly enough, these china manufacturers produced designs specifically for hotel and cruise liners that would pay the price. so, if you ever find a china pattern that came from "such-n-such" hotel then it's a one of kind not to be found ANYWHERE else because it was only produced once. there are many, many other china brand names, but really the find is in the pattern. the typical design of Buffalo China that most other companies copied was the white with green stripe around the rim. it's hard not to buy it up when i see it, but if i have to hold out for a good find then it's one like the following.

two, Syracuse China tea cups at $0.45 each. the pattern is a plain burgandy red strip around the rim and little red dash along the handle.

three, Buffalo China tea cups also priced at $0.45 each. the pattern is also burgandy but a jagged kind of wave like stripe around the rim. no design on the handle, but it is a squared edge to the top of the handle, reflective of the pattern itself.