Tuesday, December 13, 2005

collectable plates

From the mid-sixties through the early 80's, my mom sold Avon.  I intend to do an entry on her Avon career in my memory journal, but right now I'll talk about the Avon Christmas plates.  EDIT:  Mother's Avon entry is now ready:  Click HERE.

When Avon started making a yearly Christmas plate to sell, Mother considered them an investment and bought each one as it came out.  She never did anything with them, just left them in the boxes they came in and stored them.  I really had no interest in them, or any of the other Avon stuff she hoarded.

When she moved out here, she asked my sister if she wanted them, and Maxine paid her a small amount for all of them.  Her husband, Russell, built shelves up high all around her little kitchen, and that's where the plates were displayed, bringing a little Christmas cheer to the place all year around.

Displayed thus, I took a liking to the plates.  I'd study them each time I visited Maxine, wishing I'd taken them.  And I started, right then, buying each new plate as it came out.

I picked up some of the older ones from a friend who was going out of the business of selling Avon.  I found three for a great price at a garage sale, and a couple at a tractor show flea market.  Before you know it, I had practically the whole collection. 

Now, at the beginning it was easy to display them.  There was a space over my cabinets where eight or ten of them could hang, and as I added to the collection, I put the others in different places on the wall.  Unlike my sister, I only displayed mine from around Thanksgiving until after Christmas.

It had already begun to be difficult to find a spot for every plate, and then we had some remodeling done on the kitchen.  The ceiling was lowered somewhat, and the spot above the cabinets was no longer big enough for the plates.

So last year I left the plates in their boxes, except for the newest one; they now come with a plastic stand, so you can set them on a table for display, and I set it on the library table. 

Yesterday when I got the ornaments out, the three plates from recent years were with them, and I set them under the tree on the library table.

This morning I realized that if I took my Indian plates down, I could replace them with some of my Christmas plates.  Just because I don't have room for them all, that doesn't mean I can't enjoy a few of them.

After the New year arrives, I'll put my Indians back.

  Oh, and about the investment value of the plates?  You can pick up any of them on Ebay, even the oldest ones, for less than what they cost new.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

What beautiful plates....all of them....never was much for buying from Avon or their products so this was new to me...Hugs...Ora

Anonymous said...

All the plates are very pretty. I don't think I have ever seen any of them. I can't stand strong smell on account of my sinus so I only used Avon a couple of times a long time ago. You have them displayed very prettly. Helen

Anonymous said...

I love both your displays of plates... what a nice thing to have and a  good memory also... something to share with your sister too which is always nice. I love sharing ideas with my sisters too. Sandra

Anonymous said...

Oh, I love your collection of Christmas plates. I have two from the 70's and one is a good memory of my Father. It's the one you have too, bring home the tree!  Anne

Anonymous said...

I LIKE THE WAY YOU SET UP YOUR PLATES, BACK WHEN I WAS MARRIED AND HAD SOME MONEY......I STARTED COLLECTING PLATES.  SOME ARE AVON BUT MOST ARE FROM THOSE OTHER PLACES.  UNFORTUNATELY I WAS UNABLE TO FINISH SOME OF THE COLLECTIONS AND SOME WERE BROKE BY MY FAITHFUL FELINE COMPANIONS.  ANYWAY I HAVE JUST TACKED THEM WHERE EVER I COULD FIND WALL SPACE, NO PARTICULAR PATTERN, THANKS FOR THE IDEA YOUR PIC'S HAVE GIVEN ME............................STORMIE

Anonymous said...

I like plates. I have several collections of plates, however, none of mine are valuable. I will email you a picture. One rack of plates I change seasonally the rest stay up all the time.  Yours are really nice, Ilike how you have them displayed!

Anonymous said...

My Avon knowledge is limited, though there is an Avon store underneath my office. The only thing I ever buy from them is Skin So Soft, because it's a great mosquito repellant. Sad...I'm such a boy.

Anonymous said...

my mother never bought the plates but you name any perfume that avon sold during those years and i'll bet my mother bought it! lol..

Anonymous said...

I use to collect a lot of Avon stuff. When I moved out here I sold it all very cheap except the avon girls. I especially liked them. I also have an Avon pricing book. Paula