Allee Willis Blog » Accessories

17Jan 2010

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – 1970’s Sanka Ashtray

17Jan 2010

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – 1970’s Sanka Ashtray

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Along with Postum, Sanka is the brew that revolutionized the coffee world and kicked off the decaf trend. It was also the proud sponsor of quintessential 50’s TV shows like “I Love Lucy” and “The Andy Griffith Show”. In those days, cigarettes were almost de rigueur with anything smelling like coffee, hence the promotional ashtray to top off the perfect cup.

Because the color orange was so synonymous with Sanka, coffee pots in restaurants with orange handles, universally signifying they contain the unleaded version of the brew, also have Sanka to thank for their instant recognition factor.

15Jan 2010

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Long Beach City Employees Ceramic Money Pouch Bank

15Jan 2010

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Long Beach City Employees Ceramic Money Pouch Bank

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Very nice of the Federal Credit Union of Signal Hill, CA to give these promotional money sack banks to Long Beach city employees but the gift would have been ever more meaningful if it came with a little cash jingling inside, something I’m sure the employees needed more than this lump of clay.

I’m not sure what year this is from but it’s definitely after November, 1991 when the 310 area code went into effect in that part of the financial world. bank-Long-Beach-city-employees_2173

13Jan 2010

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Toilet Seat Clock

13Jan 2010

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Toilet Seat Clock

Though as a rule I abhor reproductions, this modern day toilet clock rides the elevator to the penthouse of Kitsch never to came down with it’s raised gold coated Roman numerals, once live butterflies, dried fauna, glitter and swirling string encased in pearlized white resin. The lid lifts to reveal the clock mechanism that runs on one AA battery. It ticks like a champ and is the most popular toilet in my studio.

These gained popularity in the 1950s when most of them came with the signature ”Johnny-On-The-Spot” emblazoned across the lids.

12Jan 2010

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – The Harris Motor Inn Ashtray

12Jan 2010

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – The Harris Motor Inn Ashtray

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I’m very attached to my home state of Michigan and collect anything from the 1940s to 1970s that honors it. I particularly love when architecture is involved as in those decades Michigan exemplified the Atomic Age with its number one industry, automobiles, and much of the architecture in the state was inspired by the cash cow’s huge tail fins and modern color palettes.

The Harris Motor Inn in Kalamazoo couldn’t quite decide if it was traditional (lots of brick) or modern, though the excellent slate, floor to ceiling glass windows and suspended light fixtures suggest the latter influence was greater.

I love when anything proclaims itself “the best”. In the case of the Harris it’s “Michigan’s Best for Food and Rest”. If this place is still standing I just might make it there one day to sample the food by Zeman, who was heavy enough to get his/their initial in a larger font size than the Harris itself. Ashtray-harris-motor-inn__2322

08Jan 2010

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – ‘B’ Vase

08Jan 2010

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – ‘B’ Vase

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A simple but elegant gold ‘B‘ adorns this simple shortie white ceramic vase. Because of their classic vintage aura, I don’t discriminate against initial adorned artifacts despite the fact that the ‘B‘ has nothing to do with Allee or Willis. I keep it in the Bathroom where it looks Beautiful and holds hairBands, toothBrushes and other health and Beauty Bounty.

07Jan 2010

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Shriners Salt & Pepper Shaker

07Jan 2010

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Shriners Salt & Pepper Shaker

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I’ve been collecting Shriners artifacts since I found a group portrait of hundreds of Zurah Temple members in their Fezes in the mid-1970s looking like little lined up Pez dispensers. I never knew the difference between Shriners and Masons or what either of them really did. I just like any organization that has hats, pins and a super-costumed regulated look. My alter ego, Bubbles the artist, has even honored them in her popular “The Funsters Of Zurah Temple” line of collage art, ceramics and paintings.

This transparent red plastic salt and pepper shaker is a two in one deal, salt on one side, pepper on the other.

I imagine it was shaked over many a Salisbury Steak and meatloaf since its birth in 1950 when it was given away as a souvenir at the 76th Shrine Convention in Fresno, California, courtesy of Tehran Temple of Fresno,California, the “Baby Temple Of Shrinedon”. I think that The Allee Willis Museum Of Kitsch is in its own way a “baby temple of shrinedom”, more deserving of its own salt & pepper souvenir shaker for glorifying kitsch in all of its glory, not the least of which is this fantastic Shriner S&P shaker.

01Jan 2010

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Happy New Year! 01/Fri./ Jan. Vintage Flip Calendar

01Jan 2010

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Happy New Year! 01/Fri./ Jan. Vintage Flip Calendar

Missing the 2010 but with little plastic tabs to flip over each day to select date, day and month, this type of vintage plastic futuristic flip calendar was all the rage in modern homes when it started popping up on department store shelves in the early 1970s. Ultra-futuristic for its day, it stands 6 inches high and was made by Shield industries, Los Angeles, USA. Brief and sweet for an excellent start to 2010!

29Dec 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Poodle “Knit-Wit” Bottle Cover

29Dec 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Poodle “Knit-Wit” Bottle Cover

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These were all the rage among crafters in the 1950s and continue to bring joy to Kitsch lovers who don’t like staring at plain wine or liquor bottles. Most popular canine colors were white, gray and black. They usually came with accent color noses and button or rhinestone eyes, in this case both. If the crafter was very industrious Fifi also had knit or felt red lips and a jeweled collar.

28Dec 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Vintage ‘Here They Are Looking At You’ Eyeglass Holder

28Dec 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Vintage ‘Here They Are Looking At You’ Eyeglass Holder

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These eyeglass holders became all the rage in the 1950’s when fanciful designs transformed a lot of otherwise mundane looking products like eyeglasses and the receptacles they sat in into little gardens of kitsch. I always enjoy wearing glasses more when I pull them out of something like this.

14Dec 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Happy Chanukah! ‘Let Me People Go’ Toilet Seat Cover

14Dec 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Happy Chanukah! ‘Let Me People Go’ Toilet Seat Cover

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This matzoh patterned ‘Let Me People Go’ toilet seat cover is one of the biggest hits in my house when I drag it out every holiday season to greet my Chanukah guests who find reason to let it go after a massive bagels and lox/ 8-gift exchange brunch. Made by Davida, guests seem to enjoy this expression of Judaism even more than the ever popular gefilte fish car plaque.