Recently we visited the first home and birthplace of Ernest Hemingway in Oak Park, IL. The kitchen of the home is of interest to collectors of antique and vintage kitchen decor and paraphenalia. The Hemingway kitchen was run by live in domestic staff and was state of the art at the turn of the century. Ernest Hemingway was born in the house in 1899 and lived there for the first six years of his life until they moved to another house nearby as the family grew larger. The kitchen is restored to how it would have looked during the time Ernest lived here. Continue reading The Kitchen of Ernest Hemingway’s Childhood Home
Category Archives: Kitchen
RESTORATION PROJECT: LUCY RICARDO’S BREADBOX Part 2
This is a follow up to my previous post about restoring an old shabby Nesco Bread Box to look like the one seen in the kitchen of “I love Lucy” starring Lucille Ball.
Here is the Nesco Bread Box and a couple of the Nesco canisters after cleaning and repainting. Also in the photo you can see some paper printouts of my version of the original decal as seen on Lucy Ricardo’s breadbox on the tv show. Continue reading RESTORATION PROJECT: LUCY RICARDO’S BREADBOX Part 2
Restoration Project: Lucy Ricardo’s Breadbox
New update here: RESTORATION PROJECT: LUCY RICARDO’S BREADBOX Part 2
I found a vintage Nesco breadbox (above) in shabby rusty condition to restore. This one is the same type as you see in the Kitchen set of “I love Lucy”, except it was white and had a “garden girl” decal which is barely visible in its current condition. It will take a bit of work to restore it to anything close to original condition, and I have never done anything like this before so its a learning experience for me. Continue reading Restoration Project: Lucy Ricardo’s Breadbox
I love Lucy Ricardo’s Pottery Planters
The Planter props seen on the set of “I love Lucy” on the mantelpiece and on the ledge of the hutch between the kitchen and living room are frequently seen in the background in dialog scenes.
The pieces I have identified were sourced locally from California Pottery makers. The Stewart B McCulloch plume design planter is one that often caught my eye, an example of which is pictured below in green. Continue reading I love Lucy Ricardo’s Pottery Planters
I Love Lucy Ricardo’s Canister Set
Lucy Ricardo’s Canister Set in the “I Love Lucy” was one of the latest on the market in 1951 when the series launched. Made by Nesco, you can see them in the kitchen scenes of the “I love Lucy” set of the apartment in 623 East 68th St. in New York City, for the entire series until the Ricardo’s moved to Connecticut. In the screencaps here you will notice the kitchen props included four nesting canisters and a matching bread box plus a pair of cylindrical salt and pepper shakers. Continue reading I Love Lucy Ricardo’s Canister Set
Lucy Ricardo’s Ivy Dishes
Lucy Ricardo’s Ivy Dishes were from the Franciscan ” Ivy” range of dinner ware from from California-based Gladding, McBean, & Co, The Franciscan dinnerware range came into production in 1948 so it was only a few years on the market when “I Love Lucy” series began with the first episode on June 15, 1951. Continue reading Lucy Ricardo’s Ivy Dishes
‘I Love Lucy’ Kitchen Trivia: The Moving Bread Box
The Kitchen set of the “I Love Lucy” New York apartment featured a distinctive square breadbox with matching canister set made by Nesco.
The door of the breadbox was a pull down style with a handle at the top. By the third season, the bread box had to be turned on its side to keep the door from falling open, which happened on screen in one episode when Ricky walked into the kitchen, Continue reading ‘I Love Lucy’ Kitchen Trivia: The Moving Bread Box