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It’s not often I get excited by a dish or bowl that’s solid white. It seems like such a missed opportunity for self-expression via a compelling color palette. But this brilliant sweep of 18 inches of ceramic, a stone cold product of the Space Age Atomic 1950’s, screams to be pristine hospital white, especially when its cargo is this complimentary of a match:

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I’m not sure what the hole on the bottom is for as there are no breaks in the surface at the top but who am I to argue when the dish is so beautiful?

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I’ve taken about 40 photos trying to get the manufacturers mark to show up better but it’s a series of blurry failed attempts. It almost makes you seasick to stare at it through human eyes let alone a camera lens. If I had created such beautiful work I’d be sure my name was a little more readable, throw some aqua glaze into the etching or something. To remedy this, I grabbed my one digital camera I’ve never been able to let go of, my Canon PowerShot SD 500, a cheap little thing that takes better macro shots than any camera I’ve owned. Between my cheap but reliable macro and cranking the levels and contrast up I can now tell you that this bowl was made by:

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Imperfect signature execution or not, this is one of my favorite serving dishes I own. Thank God the sculptor was better at dragging their clay tool across smooth concave surfaces than signing their name. Not many Good & Plentys could have fit in those tiny crevices anyway.

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8 Responses to “Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – 1950’s Atomic White Bowl”

    • Allee

      And Valley Of the Dolls! They’re actually just Good & Plenty’s though…

      Reply
  1. Chris Hudec

    I think the hole is either:
    Where your thumb goes when you carry it in your palm, or
    Something having to do with the manufacture.

    Reply
  2. Denise

    The little Facebook pic looked like a slab of steak! Obviously I need to wear my glasses more.

    Reply
  3. Carrie

    It looks like one of the boomerangs on the table top pattern sprung out into 3D!

    I would also guess that the hole in the bottom has to do with the manufacturing process.

    Reply
  4. Mooshe

    Much to my embarrassment I somehow “blocked all images from this site” for the past month or so! I thought I was behind on Flash plugins or something, but it was something much more frustrating but I am so relieved to be able to view your blog again.

    I’m so glad this is the first thing I see. To me it looks like a toilet seat– straight up and no exceptions.

    Reply
  5. Allee WIllis

    Thank God!! Looking at my blog with no visuals is like driving a car with no tires. Welcome back, Mooshe!

    Reply