Allee Willis Blog » Furniture and Housewares

21Aug 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Mom And Babies Doggie Ashtray

21Aug 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Mom And Babies Doggie Ashtray

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Though mostly a craze associated with the 1950’s and 60’s, animal families as ashtrays and sculptures will never go out of style. This one has four pups following their boxer-ish mom around the rim of an Atomic shaped ashtray with a 70’s style crazed paint job. Not only are they cute but the puppies, earless mounds of clay that the artist apparently rushed through compared to the detail he/she gave to mom, provide excellent crevices in which to rest cigarettes and other smokables, keeping them ash free until crushed out in the doggie’s playground.

13Aug 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Bowling Ball And Pin Cup

13Aug 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Bowling Ball And Pin Cup

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I’m not a bowler but I love bowling artifacts and memorabilia. I’ve had bowling balls planted in my garden so they look like moon rocks for almost 30 years. I wear bowling shoes. I use bowling bags as purses. I don’t even need to comment on the beauty of bowling league shirts. And I enjoy a nice cup of vanilla with a hit of hazelnut decaf out of this ball every morning.

07Aug 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Howdy Doody Salt & Pepper Shakers

07Aug 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Howdy Doody Salt & Pepper Shakers

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I, like so many others of my vintage, was a Howdy Doody freak. Howdy was a pop star before there was such a thing. Although I wasn’t big on Western TV motifs I was really into Buffalo Bob Smith’s fringe laden shirt and I was so laden with freckles growing up I was totally into Howdy’s speckled face too.

Howdy Doody ran on NBC from 1947 until 1960. One of the first TV shows in color, NBC, which also owned RCA who manufactured color TV sets, used the show in part to sell color sets to an enamored tot audience.

These salt and pepper shakers were one of the first pieces of memorabilia I found when I discovered thrift shops.

To this day, every time I shake one of them I get a hit of my childhood. I wanted to be Princess Summerfall Winterspring and Flub-a-dub, 8 animals in one – combo duck, cocker spaniel, seal, cat, elephant, dachshund and pig – was a true inspiration to my budding multimedia self.

Although the thought of anything food related like these S&Ps coming from a town named Doodyville isn’t the most appetizing of thoughts I like shaking Howdy’s head every time I need to spice things up.

I, like so many others of my vintage, was a Howdy Doody freak. Howdy was a pop star before there was such a thing. Although I wasn’t big on Western TV motifs I was really into Buffalo Bob Smith’s fringe laden shirt and I was so laden with freckles growing up I was totally into Howdy’s speckled face too.

Howdy Doody ran on NBC from 1947 until 1960. One of the first TV shows in color, NBC, which also owned RCA who manufactured color TV sets, used the show in part to sell color sets to an enamored tot audience.

These salt and pepper shakers were one of the first pieces of memorabilia I found when I discovered thrift shops.

To this day, every time I shake one of them I get a hit of my childhood. I wanted to be Princess Summerfall Winterspring and Flub-a-dub, 8 animals in one – combo duck, cocker spaniel, seal, cat, elephant, dachshund and pig – was a true inspiration to my budding multimedia self.

Although the thought of anything food related like these S&Ps coming from a town named Doodyville isn’t the most appetizing of

thoughts I like shaking Howdy’s head every time I need to spice things up.

31Jul 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Cowboy Hat Ashtray

31Jul 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Cowboy Hat Ashtray

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Cowboy hat ashtrays had their heyday in the 1950’s. Made of tin, the dings and dents in this one make it more actual hat-like so I accept that the manufacturer didn’t spend the extra dime on sturdier material to grind ones butts out against. I have several of these but this coppertone one is my favorite. I’ve actually turned the ashtray over and used it as an appetizer size jello mold too.

Other models, two of a trillion:

26Jul 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Mr. Bali Hai Tiki Mug For Two

26Jul 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Mr. Bali Hai Tiki Mug For Two

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Nothing better on a Sunday than to lay back sucking on Mai Tais, Fog Cutters, Shirley Temples or whatever else you want to fill this vintage Mr. Bali Hai Tiki mug with. Custom made for the Bali-Hi Restaurant in San Diego, CA. and patterned after the 6′ tall Mr. Bali Hai sculpture that greeted diners at the front door, these 6.5″ x 4.25″ mugs are the Big Kahuna of Tiki mugs, larger than most with a top of the head lid and holes for two straws for maximum Romantic imbibing.

Manufactured by Otagiri Mercantile Company, there are matching salt & pepper shakers as well as newer repro shot glasses. All eight of my Mr. Bali Hais are full size and original.

21Jul 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – ‘Sock It To Me’ Beer Bottle Ashtray

21Jul 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – ‘Sock It To Me’ Beer Bottle Ashtray

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These squished beer and soda bottles were all the rage in the late 60’s when the phrase ‘Sock It To Me’ crossed the color line to become the reigning colloquialism of the era. I have tons of ‘Sock It To Me’ memorabilia as well as squashed and stretched bottle art but none so perfect as this smokeables receptacle made by Houze Art, USA.

17Jul 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Corn Salt & Pepper Shakers

17Jul 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Corn Salt & Pepper Shakers

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Items in the shape of corn on the cob have a special place on the mantle of Americana Pop Culture. Whether plastic, ceramic, bowl, plate, S&P or cob holder, the texture of husks and kernels has fascinated mold makers since the beginning of time, elevating corn to the status of oranges and tomatoes as the foodstuffs most imitated in kitchen accessories design.

These S&P’s are devoid of any manufacturer’s mark but look to be late 70’s/ early 80’s. They have rubber stoppers, both slightly melted from being too close to corn boiling in the pot. I covet these more for their form than their function.

Items in the shape of corn on the cob have a special place on the mantle of Americana Pop Culture. Whether plastic, ceramic, bowl, plate, S&P or cob holder, the texture of husks and kernels has fascinated mold makers since the beginning of time, elevating corn to the status of oranges and tomatoes as the foodstuffs most imitated in Kitsch kitchen accessories design.

These 4″ plastic S&P’s are devoid of any manufacturer’s mark but look to be late 70’s/ early 80’s. They have rubber stoppers, both slightly melted from being too close to corn boiling on the stove. I covet these more for their form than their function as they always leave a nasty little trail of salt and pepper from what’s slipped through the meltage.

16Jul 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Toothpick Charlie

16Jul 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Toothpick Charlie

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Throughout the 1960’s and 70’s, toothpick holders were one of the state souvenir items of choice. Though Toothpick Charlie is devoid of any markings other than his name, identical trinkets were churned out and stamped with state names as frequently as shoe shaped coin purses and carved wooden jewelry boxes.

Charlie is made out of a tree limb and holds about 30 toothpicks when his mouth is full. He’s sat at my kitchen table with me for as long as I can remember.
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04Jul 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Happy 4th O’ July Hot Dog Platter & Ultimate Hot Dog Recipe

04Jul 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Happy 4th O’ July Hot Dog Platter & Ultimate Hot Dog Recipe

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Nothing like dancing and lounging weiners roasting themselves upon which to plate the ultimate junk food junket of never-ending dogs and burgers this 4th of July. As long as the dachsund featured in the middle, this hefty 20″x16″ ceramic platter has five compartments to load up weinies and associated condiments. Made in 1958 by Lane & Co. California Pottery, I’ve been lucky enough to find three of these over the years. It’s the perfect platter to serve my favorite goopy hot dogs on, recipe below.

Now, here’s the ultimate junk food big dog recipe from the 1950 classic, the Big Boy Barbecue Book. Satisdogtion gua®anteed!

29Jun 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Michael Jackson Puppet Drink Kooler

29Jun 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Michael Jackson Puppet Drink Kooler

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This awkwardly made 1988 plastic drink kooler is one of the rarest and kitschiest of all my MJ memorabilia. You put the puppet kooler in the freezer til the patented freezing gel kicks in, insert a can in MJ’s torso once it’s out and flip his Smooth Criminal hat to get at the drink which supposedly stays cool for hours. It comes with a plastic drinking glass, a total inconvenience as there’s no place to keep it once the drink is popped into Michael. The bottom of the cooler reads “Sherman Oaks, CA., Made in Mexico”, a mysterious combo indeed.

I would not suggest wearing matching white clothes while using this apparatus. The drink has a weird fit inside of the kooler and I’ve stained my own clothes along with Michael’s fabric legs when attempting to operate.