I found these coupe soup bowls at another favorite thrift store. It's located in a really nice part of town about an hour from me -- this is the same place I found a pre-WWII rhinestone brooch for $2.50 (book value: $165), several signed costume jewelry pins (usually $1.50), a large amount of Blue Bubble dinnerware, 8 very cool mid-century tumblers, and lots more. Most of the people who shop there (including my friend Mandy at Bayou Moon Antiques) go searching for cheap designer clothes.
They had four of these bowls for $1 each. There's not a scratch, ding or mark on them! The shape is just too cool.
Another view. Love it!
On the bottom, it reads:
Impromptu
Fine China
By Iroquois
a Ben Seibel design
Made In USA
"Impromptu" is an Iroquois blank that Ben Seibel used for several patterns including this one, Pins & Beads, which came out in 1956. Seibel appears to have been an extremely hard worker--he created designs and lines for companies like Fostoria (60s & 70s), Gilley (metal serving pieces, '50s), stoneware for Haeger--this vase just takes my breath away:
Can you say TIKI???!!!
If you like 70s flower designs you will love what he did for Mikasa, and I adore the fishy "Sea Fare" collection. He also did some great stoneware for Roseville under the Raynor banner.
The problem with finding these bowls is that now I have to find MORE Ben Seibel, and I doubt that I'm going to find much at $1! This site has some information on prices, though not on the soup bowl.
I'll keep my eye out, though. That's the fun of it!!
I wanna go thrifting with you! I never find stuff like this!
ReplyDeleteGreat shape! We ate out of my 1950's diner bowls tonight. I got them at a thrift store last year for 50 cents each. I just love a bargain!
ReplyDeleteGREAT POST! I never knew anything about Ben Seibel and I have several various pieces of that HAEGER design, in different colors. THANKS for the heads up!!
ReplyDeleteWhen I read your other post - my first thought was another blog dropping out...but then I saw you were doing this instead. phew! You really do find amazing stuff!
ReplyDeletewow, you remind me of a friend of mine (now passed on) he knew his stuff--everything from costume jewelry to furniture...if he picked it up and looked at it, I held my breath, and if he bought it, I knew it was something very special.
ReplyDeletelove your new blog...but I miss the other one too.