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Monday, April 25, 2011

So I Did It. I Pulled The Trigger. The Set Was STILL There In The Window Looking At Me With Those Puppy Dish Eyes. Status: A Nice Start...A Very Nice Start!

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So after realizing I had a couple of Metlox Contempora berry bowls stashed away in a box...a twinkle took it's place in my eye.

I got the itch to start collecting a set. I had seen this pattern before in passing but hadn't done

any real research on it save to find out it was pretty pricey. Collecting Metlox Contempora is

tantamount to collecting Franciscan Starburst. It ain't cheap. Or Easy.

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So A while back I featured a great lil' shop in South St. Louis on Cherokee Street called Retro

101
. If you'll click through the link and look carefully at the pictures you can see this set of

dishes in their window! I checked them out that day but I don't think I even priced them. I just

assumed they'd be pretty expensive.

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Then I found the two Metlox Mobile tumblers while in New Orleans this spring and seeing the

difference in the patterns got me to finally doing my due diligence and research. My great

readership helped with a bunch of web addresses for research and a nudge to get me back

down to Retro 101
to see what they wanted for the set that was apparently still available!

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So Saturday while we were out I decided to stop by and see if they were really still available.

We showed up just as they were locking up for the day. The dishes were still in the window so I

knocked on the door and was lucky enough to be let in. I asked about the Contempora set and

what the shop was asking for them. I was really expecting that they would be priced close to

$175 or more. I was close. Retro 101 had the set priced at $150. The proprietor was sorta

ready to be rid of the dishes though! I was offered the set at $75. I couldn't get the money out

of my pocket fast enough. Not too shabby for quite a nice starter set!

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7 comments:

  1. I LOVE IT! Very atomic pattern and fits you perfectly! I found a great set of dishes the other day and loved the pattern so much, I got a tattoo on my shoulder! Check it out....there isn't much information about it at all, but it is called Nobility Permaware in the "Mist" pattern...made in 1955!

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  2. Just a chaffing dish with sterno holder away from a swinging patio party, Daddio! Love them. Good find.

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  3. Good for you! I'm glad you decided to go for it. I know you won't be sorry. My next purchase is going to be over $100 worth of Michael Pratt books about mid-century dinnerware. Even on half.com, that's the best price I can find.

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  4. Well done! That sounds like it was a well timed bargain for you and the seller.

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  5. So glad that they were still there! At such a great price too! WOW!

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