Decorated jars, an International China "Heartland" mug & a Jeannette "Cherry Blossom" depression glass pitcher.
The decorated jars are a mystery to me. I keep thinking they are the 1980's version of Swanky Swigs - that they would have originally come filled with peanut butter, jam, or some other consumable, and when empty you'd have a cheerfully decorated whatnot jar. I have another jar same shape & maker that has a blue lid with blue & yellow flowers. Someday when I least expect it, one of these will pop up with an original label and I'll find out more about it.
Heartland dishes are another accidental collection. They keep presenting themselves at prices too cheap to pass up. I've only got two pieces that were not thrift or yard sale finds. Who doesn't need a china pattern with chickens, pigs, ducks, cats, horses, sheep, farm people, and gigantic fruit sticking out from the sides of houses? :-)
I was happy to find the Shamrock Fiesta salad plate. I already had one, but for .59 cents, I couldn't refuse another. There was a very scratchy cobalt dinner plate I passed on. In fact, I don't have any P86 cobalt plates anymore because mine were so scratched I just didn't like looking at them. So I donated the two that I had. But hoarder that I am, it was still hard not to throw that dinner plate in the cart.....
Finally, a depression glass pitcher, Cherry Blossom pattern by Jeannette Glass. This piece has been repro'd, so I can't say with certainty that this is the real deal. But I read up enough about it to think it is.
I had to take pictures of it with my American Sweetheart. The pinks are definitely not the same shade, but the difference is more subtle in person than how it photographs. I think it's neat how both patterns, despite being made by two different companies, have such a similar style.
This pitcher set me back $9.99. They had it behind the counter in the collectibles section with a pink depression glass butter dish, I think the same price. When I asked to see them, something struck me about the butter dish, a vague idea floating around that it was a repro - specifically of a piece that was never originally made.
Turned out my hunch was right. It was a knock off of the Madrid pattern by Federal Glass. A pink butter dish that was never made in that color originally.
Of course that makes me suspicious that this pitcher is also a repro - and it definitely HAS been repro'd - but it's pretty much okay with me if it is. I now have a pitcher to go along with my slowly growing American Sweetheart collection. A real pitcher in that pattern would be practically impossible to come up with, and as valuable as they are, I couldn't bring myself to use it if I had it, unless it had some significant damage to it.
No doubt about it, I'm in over my head with depression glass in general. But I think I'm fine if I think the piece is attractive and affordable. I would never pay big bucks for something I didn't know for sure was the real thing. And honestly, paying the 'big bucks' for it would take all the fun out of it anyway.
Hope you're finding thrifty treats & treasures!