Category Archives: Mid-century

I love Lucy Props, Kitchen, Mid-century

Ricardo’s Mid Century Aluminum Tumblers

aluminum tumblers
aluminum tumblers1Aluminum 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 ad
Kromex ad seen on eBay
Kromex set of colored anodized aluminum tumblers

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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, I love Lucy Props, Kitchen, Mid-century, Salt & Pepper Shakers

Lucy’s Plastic Salt and Pepper Shakers

Plas-Tex Salt and Pepper Shakers
Plas-Tex Salt and Pepper Shakers

The I Love Lucy kitchen had several sets of salt and pepper shakers. You many have already noticed the ivy shaped shakers that belong to the Francisan Ivy dinnerware set. Today we are looking are a plastic set by The Plas-Tex Corporation, Los Angeles,. Calif., that were patented by the same company -see patent figure below. Following are examples Continue reading Lucy’s Plastic Salt and Pepper Shakers →

I love lucy, I love Lucy Props, Kitchen, Mid-century

Lucy’s Nut Bowl

Lucy cracks nuts to annoy Ricky
Lucy cracks nuts with a mallet to annoy Ricky

In the Season three episode “Ricky Loses His Temper” Lucy tries to provoke Ricky by turning on the radio at 4:00 am when he is trying to sleep and follows up by cracking nuts with a mallet in a wooden bowl to make even more noise.

lucynuts
The wooden bowl pictured below looks just like the one Lucy has and is vintage from the same era. The bowl came with the matching mallet and has a label underneath marked Standard Specialty Company, San Francisco, Products of The California Redwood Forests

 

Nut dish and mallet as seen on I Love Lucy
Nut dish and mallet as seen on I Love Lucy

Continue reading Lucy’s Nut Bowl →

Art, E. Melvin Bolstad, Framed Prints, I love lucy, I love Lucy Props, Mid-century

I love Lucy’s Folk Art prints

Lucy's primitive folk art prints over the fireplace
Lucy’s primitive folk art prints over the fireplace

After the Ricardo’s moved to the bigger apartment we see a pair of primitive folk art prints over the fireplace by the American artist E Melvin Bolstad.  In the early 50’s sets of similar prints were cheap and readily available and could be found in many homes. “The Three Alarmer ” is the title of one of the prints depicting a scene in a town when a fire breaks out. Continue reading I love Lucy’s Folk Art prints →

California Pottery, Ethel Mertz, Figurines, Florence Ceramics, I love Lucy Props, Mid-century

The Mertzes in Newport: Florence Ceramics Charmaine

Florence Ceramics Figurine Charmaine in the Merts apartment at Ricardos Newport home
Florence Ceramics Figurine Charmaine in the Merts apartment at Ricardos Newport home

When the fictional Fred and Ethel Mertz moved to Newport they lived in an apartment on the Ricardo’s property. On the mantelpiece behind Desi Arnaz on the set of the Mertzs’ apartment we can see a Florence Ceramics (Pasadena, Ca) figurine “Charmaine”.
I have seen versions of the Charmaine figurine in green and pink. Continue reading The Mertzes in Newport: Florence Ceramics Charmaine →

50s Retro, I love lucy, I love Lucy Props, Mid-century

Ricky Ricardo’s Cocktail Shaker

vintage Cocktail Shaker
As seen in I love Lucy: This Vintage Chrome Cocktail Shaker is just like Ricky Ricardos

In the 4th episode of season 1 “Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Trying to Murder Her” Lucy (Lucille Ball) sees Ricky (Desi Arnaz) mixing something into her drink and thinks he is trying to do away with her.

Ricky is seen using a cocktail shaker set that would look good in a mid-century style home bar,  and was a popular item for 1950’s home entertaining. The picture above came from an ebay auction for a similar cocktail shaker,  it is not an original Desilu prop but it is vintage and in fine condition, and exactly like the one on the shelf  in the screen capture below from “I love Lucy” Season One, Episode 4.

Desi's cocktail shaker in episode 4 of season one
Ricky’s cocktail shaker in episode 4 of season one
50s Retro, Ethel Mertz, Figurines, I love lucy, I love Lucy Props, Mid-century, Royal Copely, Royal Copley

Lucy & Ethel’s Royal Copely Rooster & Hen

Royal Copely Rooster & Ren
Royal Copely rooster & hen

The “I Love Lucy” set props included a pair of  Royal Copely rooster & hen figurines. We first see them in the living room of the Ricardo’s apartment on top of the bureau. Continue reading Lucy & Ethel’s Royal Copely Rooster & Hen →

50s Retro, Canisters, I love lucy, Kitchen, Mid-century, Nesco, Restoration Project, Toleware

Restoration Project: Lucy Ricardo’s Breadbox

New update here: RESTORATION PROJECT: LUCY RICARDO’S BREADBOX Part 2

Before: Shabby Nesco Breadbox/Pie Safe
Before: Shabby Nesco Breadbox/Pie Safe

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 →

50s Retro, California Pottery, I love lucy, I love Lucy Props, Mid-century

The Ricardo’s Sierra-Columbia Planter

lucyplanter The Ricardo’s set also had a Sierra-Columbia planter. The one indicated in the screen capture above from an “I Love Lucy” episode is a typical design from Sierra-Columbia of Pasadena California. The design seen above is a ceramic planter inside a brass effect metal holder. An interesting thing about the metal holder is that it  was recycled leftover metal from their scissors manufacturing. Continue reading The Ricardo’s Sierra-Columbia Planter →

50s Retro, California Pottery, I love lucy, I love Lucy Props, Kitchen, Mid-century

I love Lucy Ricardo’s Pottery Planters

Planter on I love lucy 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 →