Category: Design History

House of Cards Set– Designed by Charles Eames – Published by Ravensburger Spiele – Germany – 1952

For the playful person in your life a House of Cards set is a wonderful gift. Perfect for the person who needs to take a few minutes in the afternoon to just take their mind somewhere else and away from work.

Originally produced in 1952, these die-cup cards have 6 slots in each card to make construction of amazing structures possible. Each card is decorated with what Charles Eames and his wife Ray described as “good things.”

House of Cards– Designed by Charles Eames – Published by Ravensburger Spiele – Germany – 1952

Sample Cards from House of Cards Deck– Designed by Charles Eames – Published by Ravensburger Spiele – Germany – 1952

The set includes two 32 cards decks and the one shown here is an original from the 1950’s published by Ravensberger Spiele of Germany. An original set like this, in good condition and with no missing cards, will run you up to $100 but will send chills down the spine of any mid-century modern collector. There are current editions of these cards available for about $35.

Better Homes & Gardens Decorating Book – Meredith Publishing – 1956

For the person looking to incorporate vintage, mid-century style into their home nothing can be as useful as decorating books from the era.

Decorating books from the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s are a real help in researching pieces of furniture and are even more useful in determining color palettes, room layouts or just for getting the creative interior design juices flowing.

One of the best series from the period was the Better Homes & Gardens Decorating Books by Meredith Publishing. Printed first in 1956, this book was updated in subsequent releases in 1961, 1968 and 1975, the BHG series is just chock-full of illustrations and text covering all aspects of decorating your home. Color schemes, furniture, flooring, window treatments, lighting and accessories are all covered in these invaluable guides.

Living Room Detail from Better Homes & Gardens Decorating Book – Meredith Publishing – 1956

Thonet & Saarinen Chairs as shown in Better Homes & Gardens Decorating Book – Meredith Publishing – 1956

Truly a gift that keeps on giving for the person in your life who just enjoys mid-century modern and interior design. These vintage books are readily available and run from $15 up to $35 for older editions.

American Modern Pitcher, Cream & Sugar– Steubenville Pottery – Russel Wright – 1938-59

American designer Russel Wright created housewares built on a simple principle – life should be easy and informal.

This, coupled with his belief that life in the home was centered around the dining table, led to lines of dinnerware, furnishings and home accessories which forever changed the way American homes were organized, decorated and lived in.

Wright’s American Modern line by Steubenville Pottery was produced between 1938 and 1959 and sold over 250 million pieces. Bold in color and very durable, American Modern china was the most sold dinnerware in the history of the United States.

American Modern Coffee Server, Cups & Saucers – Steubenville Pottery – Russel Wright – 1938-59

American Modern Demitasse Cups & Saucers– Steubenville Pottery – Russel Wright – 1939-53

Still sought by collectors today, American Modern dinnerware is an icon mid-20th Century style and design.

Wright designed dinnerware lines for several companies throughout his career.

Sterling China of East Liverpool, Ohio produced a line of dinnerware designed by Russel Wright beginning in 1949 through the end of the 1950’s. Sterling’s line was intended for the restaurant trade and is heavier and thicker as is typical of restaurant ware in general. This dinnerware was often decorated with stenciled designs which were not by Wright but simply applied to his shapes. One of those stenciled designs, Leaf, was collected extensively by American pop artist Andy Warhol.

Leaf Stenciled Pattern Plate & Individual Coffee – Sterling China – Russel Wright – circa 1950

Iroquois China produced the Casual dinnerware line beginning in 1947 through 1966. This china pattern by Wright came in a wide variety of colors with playful names like Parsley Green, Sherbet Pink and Ripe Apricot. This dinnerware, as the ones from Steubenville and Sterling, were marked with Russel Wright’s name on each piece. Wright was the father of marketing his name with the housewares he produced paving the way for people like Martha Stewart.

Casual China Platter & Four Piece Place Setting – Iroquois China – Russel Wright – Sherbet Pink 1954-66

Casual China Covered Casseroles– Iroquois China – Russel Wright – Nutmeg 1949-64 & Charcoal 1955-64

Buying Russel Wright dinnerware as gift for the collector is a great way to help them complete a set and will be greatly appreciated. For others, a set of coffee cups and saucers, a casserole, cream and sugar set, or even a couple of complete place settings can be enjoyed and will become a fabulous addition to their modernist home.

The price for the three dinnerware lines shown here varies considerably depending on the pattern, color and type of piece but they are very affordable. In many cases vintage china is often cheaper than new premium dinnerware lines.

Wright also designed dinnerware for other companies, like Bauer and Yamato, however these lines are very scarce with prices which reflect that fact.

As with all china and dinnerware, condition is critical. Look for pieces with no chips, cracks, crazing or serious signs of wear.