Seen on eBay this week a working Westinghouse T-4 Vacuum Cleaner called the “Handy Dandy” on the I Love Lucy episode. Click picture for details on the eBay listing.
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Inspiration: Lucy and Desi at The Stork Club
Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz liked to visit The Stork Club in Manhattan, New York City, which was a celebrity hotspot during its heyday from 1929 to 1965.
Here are some interesting original Stork Club collectibles you can use to recreate your own Stork Club themed table for a special evening.
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- The Stork Club Pitcher
This original black tilt water pitcher matches the one seen on Lucy and Desi’s table in the above photo. Marked Shenango New Castle China on the base. One sold recently for $275 on eBay. Hall China also made their version of the same pitcher for the Stork Club. Shenango tilt pitchers were sold in a variety of colors for the general market and the Hall China ball pitcher came a range of colours as well. - The Stork Club Stork Centerpiece
The Stork Club figural bud vase can be seen on Lucy and Desi’s table and this iconic piece is frequently seen on the table in old photos of celebrities at the famous club. I see two of them on eBay this week . - The Stork Club Ashtray
This Stork Club Ashtray is more easly found. The example above is made by Hall China. I see one or two offered on eBay this week. - The Stork Club cookbook and Bar book
The Stork Club Bar Book Lucius Beebe 1946 First Edition 
The STORK CLUB cookbook by Sherman Billingsley (Signed) Seen on eBay - The Stork Club Perfume
The owner of The Stork Club, Sherman Billingsley, liked to give extravagant gifts to the famous patrons. In front of Lucille Ball on her table is a box of Sortilège perfume by Le Galion, which became known as the “fragrance of the Stork Club”. The box may contain a stork figure holding a vial of the perfume as pictured below.
- The Stork Club Table Ware
Following are examples of the table setting used at The Stork Club – and a recipe for the popular Stork Club Coconut Snowball dessert:
For dessert serve The Stork Club Snowball. Pour chocolate sauce over a large ball of vanilla ice cream and sprinkle with shredded coconut. 
An example of dinnerware used in The Stork Club is seen in the ad above. The black banded plates look like Shenango New Castle China restaurant ware. One of Shenango’s main lines was Incaware restaurant china. The floral banded dinner plate is in a similar style to dinner plates made by Shenango China.
The Stork Club Table Setting 
The Stork Club Place setting with banded Reataurant ware. Shenango also produced dinnerware for presidents and serving dishes for the White House.
- The Stork Club Cocktail
- The Stork Club Pitcher
Complete your meal with a Stork Club Cocktail
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- Stork Club Suspenders
Desi Arnaz and his gift of Stork Club red suspenders Lucille Ball holds her souvenir perfume gift while admiring Desi’s Stork Club souvenir red suspenders.
Get yours at http://storkclub.com/product/stork-club-red-suspenders/
Reference:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stork_Club
- http://traveltips.usatoday.com/history-shenango-china-21506.html
Oil & Vinegar Cruet similar to Lucy’s
This is a rare Olde Thompson cruet. It is the same make and shape as the one in Lucy Ricardo’s kitchen but it is painted differently. Lucy’s had an ivy motif. This one has vegetables but is otherwise a good match for the one on the show.
Ansonia Clock Like Lucy’s
I see a similar model to Lucille Ball’s antique clock on eBay this week:
Lucy had a clock just like this one – click the picture above to go to the ebay listing.
The Ansonia “Rainbow” ceramic clock by Royal Bonn was produced in several colors. The photos showing Lucy’s clock are B/W so we can only guess at the color.
Related Post: http://www.50slucy.com/lucys-ansonia-royal-bonn-clock.html
A Caution about buying “Props” claimed to be from I Love Lucy
The focus of this blog is on items that match screen used props and set decorations on I Love lucy. Authentic original props that were screen used on I Love lucy rarely come to auction and when they do I expect to see convincing evidence and documented providence tracing the item to the show. It is disheartening to see an item claimed to be an original prop used on I Love Lucy only to discover after viewing countless screen captures that it fails to match any of the items used on the show.
From time to time such items turn up at auction. See the following link for an example of fraudulent I Love Lucy “props” that were offered for sale in the past: http://www.originalprop.com/blog/2008/04/30/i-love-lucy-global-antiques-and-auction-depot-la-metal-tea-pot/
Because several fradulent items were sold in the past it is reasonable to assume there are collectors out there who mistakenly believe they have an original prop and may offer it for sale as such. The onus is on the buyer to do their own due dilligence.
Recently I noticed a collection of figurines offered for sale described as I Love Lucy props. An experienced collector would observe in the wording of the description that the seller did not explicitly state that the items were used on screen, and note the lack of convincing providence. A novice buyer, on the other hand, may fail in their due dilligence or buy on impulse.
Caveat Emptor – the buyer is responsible for checking the quality and suitability of goods before a purchase is made.
Feud, Bette and Joan: Oriental Figural Lamp
While watching an episode of Feud: Bette and Joan an Oriental Figural lamp in Miss Crawford’s bedroom caught my eye. Where had I seen one before?
In the LA episodes of I Love Lucy we can spot a similar lamp in their LA apartment.
I can just imagine an episode where Lucy brings back this “souvenir” from the movie star’s home.
More details of the lamp in previous post : http://www.50slucy.com/la-at-last-table-lamp.html
Lucy’s Mantel Mirror
This week on eBay there is a gilt frame that reminds me of the mirror that can be seen on the mantelpiece in numerous episodes of I Love Lucy. It is a Rococo style gilt metal frame that is about the right size and the scroll detail is quite similar. Click on the picture below for details on eBay. I have seen similar frames in gilt wood but they generally seem to be very expensive. The metal frames tend to be more affordable.
Plas-tex Shakers as seen in Lucy’s kitchen
Recently seen on eBay are these Plas-tex red shakers like the pair seen in the screen shot above from the I Love Lucy kitchen. Lucy’s are salt and pepper shakers. The pair seen below are labeled Flour and Sugar but the are otherwise similar. Click picture below for further details on eBay.
I Love Lucy Screen Used LA Prop Postcard
Lucy’s Postcard to Lillian Appleby – original prop from the show offered for sale on eBay at http://www.ebay.com/itm/I-love-Lucy-Screen-Used-Prop-1954-Post-Card-Season-4-episode-18-Very-RARE-/391678032281 “Dear Lillian, Having a wonderful time. So busy every day at the studio. Will let you know when my pictures play New York, Lucy.” The right side is addressed to “Lillian Appleby, 1423 E. 67th St., New York City, New York, New York.”
Sold last November at RRAuction.com Item 7393 – I Love Lucy Screen-Used Postcard Catalog 488 (Nov 2016)
Minimum Bid: $300.00
Sold Price: $1,226.23
Original Description from RR Auctions: “Rare screen-used and handwritten postcard from the I Love Lucy show, 5.5 x 3.5, depicting two colorful images of Hollywood on the front, with the reverse filled out in an unknown hand in blue ballpoint, in full: “Dear Lillian, Having a wonderful time. So busy every day at the studio. Will let you know when my pictures play New York, Lucy.” The right side is addressed to “Lillian Appleby, 1423 E. 67th St., New York City, New York, New York.” In fine condition, with minor corner creases. Played by Doris Singleton, Caroline Appleby was Lucy’s snobbish rival, part-time friend, and fellow Fine Arts League Club member. Caroline, whose original character name was ‘Lillian,’ had her name changed by producers after her first appearance in season three, dating this prop to around 1953-54. Interestingly, this particular postcard also seems to correlate with a prolonged story arc from season four, in which the Ricardos and the Mertzes head to Hollywood for Ricky’s big break. A fantastic early screen-used prop humorously reflecting Lucy and Caroline’s competitive relationship.”
I wondered if handwriting on the card was Lucy’s – I do believe the signature looks like Lucy’s. According to one observer ” I think the overlay writing is hers .. In the lower right where it looks like someone went over the ink again. In the opening scene she’s finishing the card so I think she went over the letters for the camera.” There were a pile of cards that Desi picked up on the show and this card is likely one of them if not the card he is actually holding in the photo.
Comparison of the postcard at auction and the one Desi is holding shows some differences, such as the angle of the postage stamp but the handwriting looks mostly similar, notably the large loops of the capital L as we see in Lucy’s original autographs.
Brock Egg Cups like Lucy’s
As seen on Lucy Ricardo’s kitchen shelf and they were used for coddled eggs in an early episode.
Now on eBay : http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brock-of-California-Harvest-Yellow-trim-2-egg-cups-/132110486451