Vintage retro orange poppy design serving tray, placemats and pot stand
This artefact addition is prompted by a Facebook 1970s nostalgia posting of the same item. We can’t remember if they were 1979 wedding presents or Christmas presents (sorry, if it was you!) or an early home-making purchase from Marks and Spencer in Chester, Deal or Canterbury. Deserving of a place in the artefact sequence, they are still in a drawer and could be in use – a good example of every-day history. There was a matching Irish linen tea-towel which faded through many washes and ended-up as a decorating rag. We had a cutting board with the same design but probably had to be discarded after heavy use. One site describes the orange-on-brown design as kitsch which is a bit harsh.
A few observations and questions include:
- melamine* is a plastic-based product allowing hard-wearing surfaces with bright colours;
- the French language used on the label may indicate the M&S retail foray into France from 1975 or a recognition of customers from France in Kent;
- it is “Made in the U.K.” a once proud feature of all M&S products now gone. Indeed, is a product like this even made in Britain anymore?
- St Michael is a former brand of Marks and Spencer;
- one site describes the design as “funky” which I think is better than kitsch;
- a search will show these on sale secondhand at about £20 – at about four times the original cost.
The brown colour was also included in a set of kitchen tea, coffee and sugar caddies. Margaret reminded me that the tea-towel was on a poster-hanger on the side of a now-replaced tall double-oven so it was obviously considered a feature.
An an everyday, quotidien, set it has a significance both in terms of design and its utility. It has a social context of part of the routine of table-laying and protecting the table surface – and featured at every mealtime. As with other entries in the Artefact series, serving tray and placemats have a meaning and importance beyond their immediate ordinariness.
* Melamine. I looked up the invention date for Melamine and now wish I hadn’t read about it! If you, dare, see the Wikipedia entry.
The Artefact series
Stuff! This is the first addition for two and a half years. Available, here, is the Artefact series introduction >
