Thrifted Treasures | Memory Lane Autumn Dish Set From 1965

I was not on the hunt for new dishware, although I honestly never am when I stumble upon a dish or a new teacup that I go head over heels for. I was at my local Goodwill looking for crystal champagne flutes, ones that were ornate and tall like the glasses at our friend’s wedding in Italy this summer. I did not find the glass flutes, but I did find the most precious vintage autumn dish set stacked on those Goodwill houseware shelves.

They are a cream color dish set with reddish brown prints of local New England country scenery with an acorn and leaf motif wrapped around every edge. There were a set of four plates, soup bowls, berry bowls, small plates, a creamer and sugar bowl, and several teacups and saucers. Only one tea cup was missing and there were a couple minor chips on the small plates. I had always dreamed of an autumnal dish set for the fall season. Cozy family dinners hosted with a cute set. Maybe even a turkey plate around thanksgiving. The whole set was together for $25, which is a big price for a Goodwill find, but very reasonable for an entire vintage set of dishes with only one missing cup.

In my head I knew Matthew, my husband, would certainly not approve of more dishes being added to our tiny kitchen cubbard. His voice was in my head saying I didn’t need them, but when you’re an artists, the beauty in every day items that can be used at home in simple moments, brought out over seasonal traditions (much like my Johnson Brothers T’was the Night Before Christmas set), and even captured in pretty photographs at home; that voice gets drowned out for the art. Sorry, honey.

I brought the dishes home.

After washing each dish with tender care and admiring the unique designs on each dish I looked them up online. The dish set was called Memory Lane and I learned that it was from 1965. It is a transferware set made by the Royal Ironstone Company. These dishes, mass produced in the 1960s, were common in American households at the time. An entire four person set of these dishes will cost around $300, or $15-45 per piece depending on the dish. The rarest pieces can go for more. I could even thrift the one missing tea cup online. You can also find new replacement pieces at Replacements.com.

This is a four person set, perfect for Matthew and myself with two guests. We don’t host large groups often, especially during the fall. However, I can already imagine collecting more pieces in the future when we have a house of our own with more people to visit us. This set is so easy to find online that I’m confident I can grow it to include table settings for more in the future.

I shared this thrifted find on my Instagram when I discovered it and was touched when a cousin responded that her paternal grandmother had this same set. It brought back some happy memories for her to see it. That is what I love so much about dish sets. Like family recipes that makes us feel good and nostalgic, the sight of an old family dish set can invoke those same happy memories. I recall admiring my own grandmother’s holiday dishes.

It is this idea of home that I find so lovely about thrifted dishes and kitchen goods. When I’m thrifting vintage pieces and giving them new life, I’m creating traditions of my own that will be remembered. Who knows, perhaps one day my future children and grandchildren will fondly remember these plates, One of them may even use them in their own home. Or perhaps they will find themselves in another thrift shop one day, waiting to be treasured by the next family. Full circle and all that.

I have found a few on Etsy if you are interested in finding some of these pieces:

Memory Lane Soup Bowls:

Memory lane tea Cups:

Bread/ Salad Plates:

Memory Lane Dinner Plates:

Memory lane Serving Plate:

I love the idea of bringing this set out for daily use each autumn, admiring the transferware designs and the acorn motif over breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I can see it on our modest table this Thanksgiving season or taken out for special occasions when we have guests over for a visit. It is this idea of tradition that motivated me to make the purchase and although I felt it was not something I needed at the time, I’m glad I thrifted this set with autumn almost here. I’m already planning a couple small dinner parties to use them.

I have always imagined that one day my home would have holiday sets of dishes that would be used and admired while making memories over holiday meals year after year. I was not looking for dishes that day at Goodwill, but I am certainly glad I did.