EBAY SCORE: VINTAGE MAR-CREST CITATION FUTURISTIC FLATWARE NOS
Lately, I’ve been having some good luck finding and acquiring some retro items that have been on my “want” list for quite some time. First I got the magazine rack I’ve been looking for for about a year, then I found my retro red fireplace on craigslist and now — vintage flatware!
Why am I on the hunt for vintage flatware? Two reasons — one being that the Fiesta flatware I’ve been using for the last five or so years is starting to break. Fiesta dishes are great (made right here in the USA too!) but their flatware has not impressed me (Fiesta flatware is not made in the USA — it is stamped made in China). The handles are plastic and over time they’ve cracked and started breaking — yes I put them in the dishwasher which probably caused the deterioration, but the package says they are dishwasher safe. What gives?
The second reason I’m looking for vintage flatware is the scale. My adorable husband Jim and I did try buying some new Oneida flatware but we were shocked at the size of the forks and spoons — which were nearly double the size of our Fiesta flatware. Not wanting to eat my cereal with a canoe paddle, we returned the flatware and kept looking. That’s when I decided to start looking for vintage flatware.
There are several different brands and kinds of vintage starburst flatware patterns — after careful consideration I decided that the Citation Futuristic line from Mar-crest was the design I liked best. Then the search began. Luckily, I found a lot of 4 NOS place settings in short order and was able to buy them for a very reasonable price on Ebay. (I also scored another lot with two more NOS place settings and some NOS serving utensils that are on their way to me). I can’t believe that I got new, unused flatware that is still in the original box!
The boxes don’t have a year on them, but I’m guessing they are from the late 50s or early 60s — and they are made in the USA! I like to buy made in the USA stuff whenever possible — even if it was made many years ago.
The graphic designer in me loves the original packages — look at that great typography! I photographed them well so I would remember every detail since I won’t be keeping the package (they smell very musty and I started sneezing immediately upon opening the shipping box).
The back of the boxes shows all the sets that were available. As soon as the rest of my Ebay spoils arrive, I’ll have six of set one and two of set six — a great start to my vintage silverware collection. I do wish I could find more forks and some soup spoons — I’ll just keep looking!
For anyone that is wondering — yes these will be my every day flatware. I’m not sure if it is ok to put them in the dishwasher or not. I’ve read that as long as you don’t use a lemon dishwashing detergent — it is fine to put them in the dishwasher. Anyone have any experience with this?
Seeing the original packaging was great, but the best part of this flatware is the cool starburst design.
Simple, elegant, sensibly scaled and chock full of mid century appeal — I’ll take it!
Managing Editor and Graphic Designer for the popular blog RetroRenovation.com by day and part time home improver, interior designer, retro enthusiast, vintage bargain hunter, gardener, cook, artist, picture taker and the brains behind this blog on evenings and weekends.
Cute! You were lucky to find that many so quickly.
Thanks Dana! I still can’t believe I found NOS!
Nice. I pick up Mar-crest whenever I find it at the thrifts but, WOW!…new in box? Crazy! I love seeing the diagram of the various pieces on the back.
I know! Who would have guessed you could still find stuff like this new in box???
I love it! I didn’t even know something like this was “out there”!! It looks to be quite nice! Great find!! Hope you can come up with a few more sets.
Thanks RetroSandie! Me too!
Oh, you should keep the boxes! Put them in some plastic sleeves or something, but don’t pitch them! You’ll history lover in you will regret it!
I know Mike S, it is hard to not keep them but I did take extensive photographs of them in the original package before I took them out. Maybe I’ll keep one box…I’ll think about it…
My husband and I have the same scale problem with our current flatware. The set came with two different size forks and spoons. The small size is perfect, but the large size is pretty much a serving spoon. Maybe we’ll be looking into vintage options now.
That’s what my problem was with the new set we got. The large spoons and forks were HUGE and the “small” ones were the same size as the large ones from our current set. Why do they make them so big?
Beautiful! NOS is the best!
It is!
‘ Not wanting to eat my cereal with a canoe paddle’! LOL. And the tines on new forks are huge too! Vintage is the best.
They are Saundra A! Vintage is best for sure.
I think that is the same pattern my parents STILL use and put in the dishwasher with regular old dishwashing liquid. To me, they still look fantastic and they have been using that flatware for over forty years. Who knows who used it before then?
That’s great to hear Stephenie — I ran them through the dishwasher once and they look fine. I’m sure they will be ok. Glad to hear your parent’s set has held up so well over the years!
Now I have a new something to put on my “Want List”. When my husband rolls his eyes and asks why, I’ll send him here, lol. I’m sure he’ll think they are awesome too, so don’t worry
Uh oh! Sorry Kristin’s husband!
(I think this is the first time I’m posting a comment on your blog- although I feel like I know you through Retro Renovation already! I’ve been lurking and enjoying your posts for a little while.)
Congrats on the silverware score! I just had to comment on this because it took me back to my childhood. We had a mish-mash of different silverware when I was little, and there was one starburst teaspoon like this. It was my job to set the table, so I made sure I always got that one. Maybe that was a precursor to my current love of all things starburst!
Hi Wendy M! Thanks for stopping by!
What a cute story about setting the table! I’m pretty sure I did things like that when I was little — every time we had company, I would help mom set the table. When we had guests in the summer, we used brightly colored plates and cups and I always made sure that certain people got certain colors (Nana loved yellow, my grandfather got blue, my brother got green, I got pink, etc.) I’m sure if we had one starburst spoon like you that I would have given it to myself too!
LOVE them!! I’m on the lookout for “Heavenly Star” flatware; they too have the starburst pattern! http://www.replacements.com/webquote/UNFHES.htm
Those are very cool Sandi! Good luck in your search!
Oh wow! What a blast from the past. I am probably showing my age, but my parents had the same flatware when I was a kid. Probably came from S&H Greenstamps or Woolworths (boy I am showing my age). Enjoy them. I don’t know what’s with the supersizing of dishes and flatware – I guess they belong in those supersized kitchens in those humongous houses.
I think everything is being supersized today Jay — just give me my mid century modest home filled with vintage stuff and I’ll be happy!
Outstanding! I love that pattern. I think older sets of silverware hold up much better then new. I have been through a few sets that seem to be corroded easily by our evil dishwasher. I am going to get a new dishwasher then new silverware and try one more time. Maybe I will go vintage for my last ditch effort.
I’ve only put the vintage stuff in the dishwasher a few times so far, but they come out looking much nicer (shinier) than the newer stuff we have. I say go vintage!
I was searching awhile back for this kind of flatware and didn’t see anyone sets on ebay & then I got distracted…lucky you. The packaging rocks…if they are very musty you could always re-purpose them into something then seal it or decoupage – that’s what I do.
Good idea TammyCA! I hope you can find some too someday!
Cool -we’re rocking the Oneida Twin Star at my house circa ’59 or so
My mom is still using her Lasting Rose Oneida from her wedding in ’69 and my sister now collects Via Roma cause we’ve all come to the conclusion there is no substitute for vintage flatware!
Amen Erin! Vintage flatware rocks! Glad you (and your mom) are loving yours.
My mom had Oneida Twin-Star, too – it really does look a lot like this pattern. Not for all the flatware, but the big spoons and slotted spoons (not really slots but a cool star and moon cut-out pattern), the kid-sized flatware (this was not for babies or toddlers, but I’m guessing for “youth” – kids too big for toddler-size utensils, but “not quite big enough” for adult), and for some odd reason, a few table knives. She still has and uses the big spoons and I have the rest. I’m wondering if maybe she was getting them piece-meal from the Betty Crocker catalog as she saved up the little coupons. I don’t think she was getting them with S & H Green stamps, although we had tons of those and also yellow Top Valu stamps. I wonder what she bought with those!
I do wonder if some of the flatware was mail order…hmmm… sounds like your mom has quite the collection!
I have vintage Corelle and luckily my current era silverware looks fine with it. But I’ve been thinking about replacing it. This is good info to think about. In fact I have my husbands grandmothers china set and it needs flatware. Hmmm……
There are quite a few awesome starburst flatware patterns that can be found. Look at them all and decide which one is your favorite, then find a lot on ebay with a few pieces that is cheap and you can “test it out” to see if you like it before you spend tons of time and money hunting down a whole set.