The Apple dishes

I’ve been working at Mom’s clearing out possessions that she has collected since her marriage in 1940. There were five Fostoria goblets from a set of six, I think they were a wedding gift. I wish that I had asked more questions; who gave them to her? did she set the table for company with them? I remember them always in the cupboard, not on the table, which reminds me to start using my nice things on a regular basis. The young women of today don’t seem to want to be bothered with the “stuff” that was so special to me; silver, crystal and china plates…….. I must use them up before they are sent to the Goodwill.

Another find was the odd pieces of the Apple pattern dishes. Funny, my Mother-in-law also had this pattern. I will use them for Thanksgiving this year in memory of Mom. Just thinking about Mom and missing Thanksgiving brings a tear to my eye.

Back on track – The Apple dishes. I don’t know how often we would go to Gladding-McBean, the dish factory on Los Felix Ave, in Glendale. They manufactured Franciscan Pottery, and periodically had a 'seconds sale'.

I must have been about four or five years old at the time. We would stand outside the chain link fence in the cold morning, waiting with other buyers for the gates to open.

I say we, but it was my Mother, with her hand tightly clenching mine, that was the eager buyer. I can remember the anticipation as the man would walk over to the gate to open it The gates would open, and there would be a mad stampede of women all rushing to get a few dishes to add to their collections. There is no way of telling at this point, but I would bet my last dollar, Mom dragging me along, was one of the first through the gates.

Inside the gates would be stacks and stacks of Franciscan pottery dishes on tables. Not only the Apple Pattern, but the Desert Rose (yes, my Aunt had that pattern) and the colorful Coronado plates. I also remember huge pots. Oh why, oh why, didn't we get any of those? This was probably my first exposure to pottery.

I remember holding on to her skirt as she would examine each piece, afraid that I would become separated from her. It was most probably my first experience at a clearance sale, many more sales would follow……

Mom loved a bargain.