Yes, it’s another Mid Century dessert service! Whitefriars was Britain’s longest running glass maker operating from the 1830s to the 1980s, leading fashion and technology in the manufacture of domestic decorative and table glass. These ones are not particularly rare or valuable, although there are definitely serious Whitefriars collectors out there. I just like the colour and shape, plus the overall practice of serving dessert in a separate set of dinnerware.
Speaking of dinnerware (although I wouldn’t put this particular dinner set and dessert set together), whole or near-whole vintage dinnerware sets do often become available at auction.
We do dine differently now than we did in the mid 20th Century. In vintage sets you’ll find a lot of pieces dedicated to tea – brewing it in a teapot and drinking it from a cup and saucer. No mugs and tea-bags in sight. You might also wonder where the big round pasta bowls are. Vintage soup and dessert bowls can seem quite small. But even if you later give away some of the un-needed vintage dinnerware pieces, you’re still bound to get an awful lot of style (just look at those platters!) and quality for very little expense.
Whose 1970s Adelaide home didn’t have at least one plastic Caroma stool? These are a local design icon. Don’t be surprised if you see hipsters bidding high for these – the 1970s aesthetic is hot right now. The perfect piece for your bathroom as a shower seat or pedestal on which to display your best cleansing gels and shampoos.
1. Whitefriars Glass Mid Century Dessert Service $69.90 ($60 hammer price + 16.5% buyers premium)
2. Johnson Brothers Dinner Service $29.13 ($25 hammer price + 16.5% buyers premium)
3. Four Caroma Stools and Table $93.20 ($80 hammer price + 16.5% buyers premium)
Scammells Auctions is one of the fabulous destinations we visit on some of our OLIO Tours.