Category Archives: I love Lucy Props

Books on I Love Lucy, I love Lucy Props, Mid-century, Ricardo's Bookshelf

The Ricardo’s Bookshelf: TRY AND STOP ME by Bennett Cerf

November 9, 2014 Patricia

Lucy's Bedside Reading — Lucy’s Bedside Reading

A copy of this book can be seen on the bed headboard bookshelf on the Ricardo’s bedroom set, its easy to spot behind Lucy in the I Love Lucy episode where she has pregnancy cravings and eats pistachio ice cream with hot fudge and sardines – which in reality was substituted mash potatoes and gravy instead of the ice cream and fudge to make it easier for Lucille Ball.
Click Here to find it on eBay
Click here to Find it on Amazon
From Wikipedia:
Try and Stop Me (1944) was a best-selling book written by American publisher and writer Bennett Cerf and illustrated by artist Carl Rose. The first of a series of joke books compiled by Cerf, the founder of Random House publishers, Try and Stop Me sold over one million copies in the first two years of publication.

The book is mainly a compilation of anecdotes, urban legends, jokes, ghost stories, what Cerf calls “shaggy dog stories”, and profiles of news makers. Celebrities profiled by Cerf include Alexander Woollcott, Gertrude Stein, Robert Emmet Sherwood, Albert Einstein, Herbert Bayard Swope, Dorothy Thompson, Monty Woolley, George Gershwin, and Lucius Beebe.
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Ref:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Try_and_Stop_Me_(book)

Cruet, I love lucy, I love Lucy Props, Kitchen, Olde Thompson

Lucy’s Kitchen Cruet Set

November 8, 2014 Patricia

cruetset
Another consistent element of the I Love Lucy kitchen decor is a wall mounted cruet set in a wooden stand. Many sets of this type were imported from Japan in the post WW2 years, examples of which can frequently be seen on eBay.

The complete cruet set seen at an early date in the I love Lucy kitchen

The Cruet set on the show consists of a hand painted ceramic double neck oil and vinegar bottle with a matching ceramic handled wooden salad serving fork and spoon plus a funnel to decant the oil and vinegar into the separate compartments of the decorative bottle, all of which fit on a wall mounted wooden stand.

Thompson Pottery Ivy Cruet in the same design as seen on I Love Lucy with label ‘OLDE THOMPSON South Pasadena California’

The set on I love Lucy has a hand painted Ivy design. An identical cruet was sold by George S. Thompson of Pasadena with a label with label ‘OLDE THOMPSON South Pasadena California’. Their hand painted ivy range named “Imperial Ivy” used on salt and pepper sets , salad sets and dining accessories, was marketed to co-ordinate with popular ivy patterned dinnerware from other manufacturers such as the Metlox California Ivy range.

cruetsetonwall — In a later episode you can see that the original funnel is missing and the ceramic handled wooden serving fork and spoon have been replaced with metal ones.

As time went on we see the cruet set on the I Love Lucy has signs that pieces of the salad set went missing, the funnel was lost and the wood serving fork and spoon were replaced by metal ones.

Seen above is a similar salad cruet set that was listed on ebay recently although with a difference painted design.

Here is another set – missing the funnel- currently listed on eBay as I write this.

George C. Thompson Co Imperial Ivy Design — Other items from George S. Thompson Co in the Imperial Ivy Design

"Olde Thompson" Imperial Ivy Pepper Mill and Salt Shaker set promotional photo with Mexlox Califormia Ivy dishes. — “Olde Thompson” Imperial Ivy Pepper Mill and Salt Shaker set – 1949 promotional photo with Mexlox Califormia Ivy dishes.

I love lucy, I love Lucy Props, Kitchen, Mid Century Lamps, Vintage Electrical Appliances

Lucy’s Nautical Wheel Wall Lamp

November 8, 2014 Patricia

Ships Pilot Wheel Wooden Wall Lamp on I Love Lucy Kitchen Set

After the Ricardo’s move to the bigger apartment we can see a wooden nautical style ships pilot wheel lamp in the kitchen next to the door. I saw a very similar one on eBay and discovered that the arm of the lamp rotates so it can also stand independently as a table lamp with the wheel at it’s base.

The lamp pictured below is marked “Leviton”on the metal section

Ships Pilot Wheel Wooden Wall Lamp on I Love Lucy — Similar Ships Pilot Wheel Wooden Wall Lamp – swivels to convert to a desk lamp

To see more pictures on the listing on eBay click here

Example of the lamp adjusted to stand as a table lamp – seen on eBay recently

More details here on the eBay listing

CLICK HERE to Find more like this on eBay

I have not seen examples of the lamp shade paired with it on the show. If you have information to share regarding the lampshade please comment below.

Charleton Mantel Lusters, I love lucy, I love Lucy Props, Piano

We Love Lucy’s Charleton Mantel Lusters

November 6, 2014 Patricia 2 Comments

I love Lucy props: Charleton Mantel Lustres on the Piano

Peter writes :

The pair of mantle lusters or lustres are found on top of the piano. As you know they are seen practically from the beginning and up until the Ricardos move to the country. I actually was able to purchase a set identical to the ones used on the show, so I’m selling the other set I have. The only difference is the color. Here’s the listing: http://www.ebay.com/itm/161471370240

lucys mantel lusters The ones on the show were a green color with silver painted ovals on the crown and base. Attached is a photo of what the real ones looked like. Also, one of them has a sticker on the inside that says Charleton.

Lusters

What little research I’ve done on these is that they were often found in homes of high society. Almost like a status symbol, which is interesting because they made it appear as though the Ricardo’s were just average Joes. Of course some lusters are way more extravagant, whereas these are fairly plain. They are often referred to as “mantle lusters” because they can usually be found on top of the fireplace mantle to reflect the light from the hanging crystals.”

Thanks again to Peter for sharing a great find with us.

The Charleton line of decorated ceramics was produced by Abels, Wasserberg & Co. (AWCO) from the 1940’s. They
purchased undecorated items (blanks), from various glass and ceramic manufacturers and employed a team of decorators who hand decorated the pieces with designs of flowers, fruit,
landscapes, and other patterns and also decorated china and glass items for Fenton and other lines. To identify the Charleton range, an embossed label when present indicates “Charleton Hand Decorated” plus a hand written serial/stock number, and in print the letters AWCO as seen in the example pictured above.

A photo from an exhibit you can see to the right a glimpse of a mantel luster prop like the one on “I Love Lucy” but with shorter crystals.

Update: The luster in the picture from Flickr is an actual original prop from “I Love Lucy” per comment below.

Click Here for Mantel Lusters currently available on eBay

Reference:

http://www.glasshousenc.com/ Charleton line from Abels, Wasserberg & Co. (AWCO)
Peter’s eBay listing: http://www.ebay.com/itm/161471370240

Brock of California, California Pottery, I love Lucy Props, Kitchen, Recipes

Lucy and Ricky’s Brock Coddled Egg Cups

November 5, 2014 Patricia

In an early I Love Lucy episode entitled ‘Be a Pal’ Lucy and Ricky are having coddled eggs for breakfast. The egg cup is double sided and large enough to make coddled eggs on the top side and to hold a standard boiled egg on the smaller side. The maker is Brock of California and the design seen on the show is called Harvest with a yellow top edge. They are also seen on the kitchen shelves in several episodes.

Brock of California Egg Cup Coddlers seen on eBay

Brock of California was founded in 1947 by Bert J Brock and closed down in 1980. The company designed a limited number of dinnerware patterns in the 40’s and 50’s that are popular with collectors today. Brock of California were known for their charming country style designs and the Harvest design can be still be found on eBay and Etsy with either brown or yellow edges. Search for “Brock California” for a current selection.

Recipe: Coddled Eggs

Coddled eggs are made by Continue reading Lucy and Ricky’s Brock Coddled Egg Cups →

I love Lucy Props, Kitchen, Mid-century

Ricardo’s Mid Century Aluminum Tumblers

November 2, 2014 Patricia

Aluminum tumblers were popular in the 1950’s. They were available in plain or anodized aluminum in a range of colors and were an alternative to glass for home entertaining , and stylish and practical for use on the patio.

We see what seems to be a plain set in use in an early episode of I Love Lucy when Lucy thinks Ricky is trying to poison her.

Kromex set of colored anodized aluminum tumblers

Aluminum tumblers stay cool to the touch even on hot days and are still a popular choice today. In the 1950’s they were made by several manufacturers. Above you can see two versions of the Kromex set of aluminum tumblers with caddy. A chrome caddy like the Kromex one was seen in the I Love Lucy kitchen, holding a set of patterned glass tumblers , in the Season 2 show Lucy Hires a Maid. This may have been the Kromex caddy from the set we saw above. Continue reading Ricardo’s Mid Century Aluminum Tumblers →

50s Retro, I love Lucy Props, Kitchen, Salt & Pepper Shakers

Lucy’s Accent Shaker Set

October 31, 2014 Patricia

Product placement on I love Lucy is evident as the series soared in the ratings. The Accent seasoning shaker set is usually seen on the kitchen stove top – the screen capture above is from the Season 2 episode Million Dollar Idea where Lucy and Ethel go into the business of selling salad dressing.

This was an Accent flavor enhancer promotional set from Owens of Illinois, that included salt and pepper shakers and a third shaker of Accent MSG seasoning.

Seen on eBay this week is the set pictured above ( details here). A vintage 4-Piece Set of Glass Bottle Salt & Pepper & Accent Shakers with Red Plastic screw top Lids. They come with their original plastic stand just like the one on the I Love Lucy show..

Recently sold on eBay was a set in original packaging seen pictured below.
Continue reading Lucy’s Accent Shaker Set →

50s Retro, I love Lucy Props, Kitchen

I love Lucy’s Vintage Dish Towels

October 30, 2014 Patricia

Peter has contributed the following information about a dish towel seen prominently in the kitchen of the I Love Lucy set:

Vintage Strawberry Tea Towels or Dish Cloths were made by a company called Cannon. These are often found on eBay and Etsy. Below are photos from ebay listings

“I have them in my home and they’re actually really nice. Made of linen and cotton.” Says Peter “It’s so awesome to be able to watch the show and see the same thing in the Ricardo’s home that’s in mine. ”

cannon dish cloth
BEAUTIFUL Vtg Kitchen Dish Cloth CANNON 32X15 Strawberries

A lady also sells them on eBay as I Love Lucy Prop-A-Likes:

RARE Vintage Dish Towel seen on I Love Lucy Lucille Ball Collectible Prop Alike

50s Retro, Calaprint, I love lucy, I love Lucy Props, Kitchen

I love Lucy’s Vintage Print Tablecloths

October 30, 2014 Patricia 2 Comments

Lucy's Calaptint Tablecloth — Lucy’s Calaprint Tablecloth

Above is a screen grab of Lucy and little Ricky seated at the kitchen table, set with a leaf print Calaprint tablecloth and Franciscan Ivy breakfast set. One of the easiest ways to add a touch of instant vintage to your table setting is to throw on a genuine vintage print tablecloth. Luckily there are lots to be found on eBay and Etsy and other vintage re-sellers online and possibly at your local garage sales.

Wilendur tablecloth on Love Lucy episode “Sentimental Anniversary”

In the Love Lucy episode “Sentimental Anniversary” the Wilendur Dogwood print tablecloth takes center stage when the Mertzes decide to throw a surprise party for Lucy and Ricky’s wedding anniversary. Wilendur is a popular vintage brand of tablecloth that is easily found on eBay.

The Calaprint ( a D.B. Fuller & Co. brand) design has been seen in different color schemes apart from the green and pink above. The Wilendur dogwood print designed by John Stanley Madsen for Weil & Durrse is also seen in seen in various colors.

Wilendur Doogwood print vintage tablecloth and napkins

I see a Wilendur 6 Napkins Tablecloth Pink Dogwood Floral Cotton set on ebay pictured above similar to the one that Ethel brought over to the Ricardo’s apartment to set up the dinner table on the “Sentimental Anniversary” episode of I Love Lucy.

See more like this on eBay

Tip: Use Oxyclean to clean vintage cotton tablecloths. Oxiclean Versatile Stain Remover, 5 Pounds

Reference:

September 27, 1956 Tri-City Herald from Pasco, Washington · Page 7
3-Tablecloths, reg. 3.98 ‘ Calaprint, mercerized cotton, large pattern, 54×72

California Pottery, Figurines, I love lucy, I love Lucy Props, Stewart B McCulloch

Another look at Lucy’s Asian Statue

October 19, 2014 Patricia 11 Comments

Comparison of recently sold prop to I love lucy screenshot of same item.

Here we have an interesting side by side comparison of a photo of the Asian statue prop that was sold at auction last year for $24,000, next to a screen capture from an I Love Lucy episode showing the Asian statue prop in use in that episode.

The auction picture is from the Premier Props auction and shows the recent condition of the figurine with obvious staining and markings.

At first glance the painting of face and the cursive black details on the borders of the kimono appear to be a match although the b/w screen capture is blurred, this is significant because each statue was hand painted and therefore slightly different. Continue reading Another look at Lucy’s Asian Statue →

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