Does anyone here remember having dishes called Melmac? They were quite the popular thing from the 1940's through the sixties. Mom had a whole set, plates, saucers, cups, salad plates, sugar bowl, creamer, the whole deal. I had a couple of those dishes that survived not so long ago. They were durable that much is certain. At one point Mom put them in a picnic basket and we took them to the beach. I remember two colors green and orange. I'm thinking there were four colors in this set though. Well, dishes aren't really something a young boy would pay attention too. I only mention them now because I do remember them as old friends. Had many a breakfast of cheerios in those bowls and many a home cooked meal on those plates. The Melmac was always in the cabinet it seemed, even after a portion made it to the picnic basket.
I was thinking about this Melmac and decided to Google it. Guess what? You can still purchase this product although it is now made in China, big surprise, and not nearly as heavy duty as the original. And yes, it is collectable. The market value isn't much, but there are sets available, along with individual pieces. As I read more about it I learned that Melmac is just a brand name. The material these dishes are made from is called Melamine. Melamine is a laminate. It is used to make Formica, another name brand, and also various other plastic based products. Interesting thing is Melamine is a toxic chemical compound! That's right, it can kill you. But, not to worry the FDA says it is safe enough to eat off of. At least it is if you follow some guidelines. Do not wash in water above 160 degrees. I'm sure that wasn't an issue as in it's heyday, most homes didn't have automatic dishwashers and so the water temperatures were lower, although I have to say my Mom could put her hands in some pretty hot water. I do recall Mom bleaching the coffee cups though, I wonder what effect that may have had? Well, we all survived so guess it wasn't that bad. You can't put Melamine in the microwave either, that's very bad. Needless to say a conventional oven is out as well. I don't think Mom received any warnings about any of that but she had sense enough to know you don't put plastic in the oven, ah, the good old days.
Do you remember ALF from the television show? You know that furry little creature with a sharp wit and a taste for cats. Do you remember what planet he came from? It was Melmac. I wonder how many caught that and snickered at the reference. I knew it right away as Mom always called those dishes Melmac. Flying saucers? Very clever. I have my Melmac memories and no desire to collect any of it. It isn't very attractive stuff, just utilitarian. Made to last a lifetime. I'll just keep the memories. Well if I ran across a sugar bowl, complete with the lid, I might pick that up. Ours was green.
I was thinking about this Melmac and decided to Google it. Guess what? You can still purchase this product although it is now made in China, big surprise, and not nearly as heavy duty as the original. And yes, it is collectable. The market value isn't much, but there are sets available, along with individual pieces. As I read more about it I learned that Melmac is just a brand name. The material these dishes are made from is called Melamine. Melamine is a laminate. It is used to make Formica, another name brand, and also various other plastic based products. Interesting thing is Melamine is a toxic chemical compound! That's right, it can kill you. But, not to worry the FDA says it is safe enough to eat off of. At least it is if you follow some guidelines. Do not wash in water above 160 degrees. I'm sure that wasn't an issue as in it's heyday, most homes didn't have automatic dishwashers and so the water temperatures were lower, although I have to say my Mom could put her hands in some pretty hot water. I do recall Mom bleaching the coffee cups though, I wonder what effect that may have had? Well, we all survived so guess it wasn't that bad. You can't put Melamine in the microwave either, that's very bad. Needless to say a conventional oven is out as well. I don't think Mom received any warnings about any of that but she had sense enough to know you don't put plastic in the oven, ah, the good old days.
Do you remember ALF from the television show? You know that furry little creature with a sharp wit and a taste for cats. Do you remember what planet he came from? It was Melmac. I wonder how many caught that and snickered at the reference. I knew it right away as Mom always called those dishes Melmac. Flying saucers? Very clever. I have my Melmac memories and no desire to collect any of it. It isn't very attractive stuff, just utilitarian. Made to last a lifetime. I'll just keep the memories. Well if I ran across a sugar bowl, complete with the lid, I might pick that up. Ours was green.
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