Recently, my (Bethany's) favorite thing to hunt for in antique stores is vintage Fire-King Jadeite. It is just such an adorable color, and it's very durable. Mainly produced in the 30's through the 60's, it was sold in department stores, given away at gas stations, and in boxes of oatmeal. That would be a fun find, wouldn't it? Today, it's a little more expensive. Ever since Martha Stewart announced she had a jadeite collection, the prices have really went up. What did she have to do that for? :)
My collection is small, but growing. I received most of the pieces as gifts, and they are not all vintage. In the picture below, the mixing bowl set, the scalloped cream and sugar set w/ tray, and the measuring cups are all reproductions. But that's fine, because I'm planning on using them all in my future kitchen some day, and with a genuine 1930's measuring cup set costing almost $200, I'm content with my $30 set. I think I would be too freaked out to use valuable antiques for everyday baking anyway.
