...wildness is a necessity. John Muir

{HISTORY}

Let your imagination float and flutter like the falling leaves of Autumn when it comes to all the mealtime possibilities you can create with these vintage salad plates.  

Made by Salem China Company in 1965, just a couple of years before they closed their doors forever, this pretty pattern called Maple Leaf was a hot ticket item in the grocery and hardware stores of midcentury America.  

Back then, you'd see Maple Leaf pieces advertised in the sales circulars, giving shoppers the option of completing entire sets piece by piece, week by week at discounted prices. Typically with every $5.00 you spent on groceries, one piece of dishware would be available for a deeply discounted price (usually between $0.10-$0.20 per dish). Generally, the promotion would run over the course of three months, and each week a new dish from the pattern would be the featured discount item of the week. This type of promotion gave shoppers ample time to build up their collections at affordable prices. 

It's easy to see how Maple Leaf would have been an ideal pattern for such a promotion. With its year-round appeal and soft, neutral color palette, it had widespread adaptability that could change with the seasons with just a few minor decor adjustments. 

Here in the Vintage Kitchen, we love this pattern for its wispy, willowy, delicate design and color arrangement. The leaves look almost handpainted and there is gorgeous contrast between the light green and dark brown shades. Salad plates are a wonderful size for creating ll sorts of different homemade delights far beyond something green and leafy. Imagine serving a piece of apple pie, or an afternoon tea sandwich, or a warm salad of pear and watercress crumbled with cranberries and goat cheese. From little nibbles to cozy desserts, everything looks pretty on these plates!

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

- Matching set of four

- Colors include sage, mint, nutmeg, walnut, butter, and lemon

{CONDITION}

In lovely vintage condition. There are no chips or cracks. 

{SIZE}

Each plate measures 7.25" inches in diameter and weighs 7.4 oz