Mid-century Melamine Turquoise Poppies Dinnerware with Serving Pieces. c. 1965

Mid-century Melamine dinnerware set in classic 1960s turquoise and charcoal grey.

Set your table in classic mid-century style with a melamine set of seven dinner plates, four soup/salad/cereal bowls, and two serving pieces.  Turquoise poppies adorn the dinner plates in this mixed set from Park Avenue and Boontonware.

Dinnerware made from melamine, a thermoset plastic material, was found in many homes from the 1940s through the 1970s.  During the 1930s, the raw material "melamine" hit an all-time low price. With heightening wartime threats and impending monetary constraints, American industrialists jumped on the bandwagon to make melamine into functional products for both commercial and household use.  The most well-known manufacturer of melamine was American Cyanamid with their name-branded version, "Melmac."

With so many colors and designs, melamine was available to suit every taste in mid-century America. Perfect for indoor or outdoor uses, especially for picnics and camping, these lightweight plates from Park Avenue measure approximately 10" in diameter and the grey serving bowl by Boontonware measures approximately 14 1/2"