Perfect Café

June 1, 2008 / Symbols of a different, though not too distant, place and time.

Myles bought us a housewarming present yesterday:

[red-orange coffee pot and cups]

My neighbour David says they were probably made some time in the late 1950s to mid-1960s, when manufacturers started making modern, everyday dinnerware that emphasised utility. I guess that would make this an example of mid-century modern design. I’m curious to know more if any readers can confirm or elaborate.

Update (Jun. 23, 2013): see also.

4 responses

  1. Kris

    My heart stopped when I saw these – gorgeous. I’m not sure about the dating, but could they be late 60s or even early 70s? The colour is not so very 50s, at any rate, and the base and handles of those cups seems familiar from my own childhood.

    You are very lucky.

    June 2nd, 2008 at 12:19 am #

  2. Ads

    I did wonder if I have a strong reaction to these because they may have been familiar from my childhood as well, and it was the colour really got me—my initial thought was that they were from the 70s. I am betting my folks had something similar.

    June 2nd, 2008 at 7:21 pm #

  3. Karen Cooke

    you’re right boyo, we did, and I still have the ‘burnt orange’ coffee pot dad gave me for my 21st. It came with coffee cups and saucers. Several times dad’s gone to throw it out but nostalgia grips me and I wrest it back off him. He was only 18 at the time and I belonged to another :)

    April 19th, 2010 at 6:20 pm #

  4. Adrian Cooke

    Don’t let him throw it out! Too many reasons to keep that one.

    April 26th, 2010 at 7:56 pm #


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