The golden era version of paper plates?

[retrogirl1941]

I was reading a 30's romance novel the other day and found a reference to what might be an earlier version of paper plates. She called them "wood fiber plates", and talked about being able to eat on the them and then burn them in the stove. I have never heard of this before. Does anyone have any references to this and maybe pictures as to what they looked like? Any help would be appreciated!

Samantha

 

[LizzieMaine]

I think what they're referring to here are "pressed pulp" plates -- it's the same rough grey material that egg cartons are made from. They're quite sturdy as long as they don't get too wet.

 

[retrogirl1941]

Do you have pictures of what they might look like? would it be anything close to a chinet(the real ones not a knockoffs)?

Samantha

 

[LizzieMaine]

I don't have any pics at hand, but there's a hot dog stand down the street from me that still uses something made from the same material -- they're rectangular, with a sort of coarse waffle pattern molded into the surface, and a little bit thicker than a modern Chinet plate. I imagine the plates would have been the same sort of thing, only round.

 

[retrogirl1941]

Thanks for your help Lizzie Maine! I thought it was an interesting topic and something to be explored.

Samantha

 

[dhermann1]

I think McDonald's is using it for their packaging in lieu of some of the plastic products they used to use. If you've ever lived near, or even been near, a paper mill, you'll understand why some experts say that some times plastic is over all less polluting than paper. But that's a topic for another forum.

 

[Bill Taylor]

Wooden plates were often used for casual affairs such as picnics prior to paper plates probably at least up until the 40s sometime. I believe the idea was you used them a couple of times, or maybe once, and then tossed them. I have a large number of picnic wooden plates and bowls given to me by my Great Grandmother. I believe they date back to the teens or maybe the early 20s. I have about 30 wooden plates and a good number of wooden bowls. They are very attractive; the plate edge is painted with bright colors such as red, yellow, bright green, blue, etc. I am sure the paint is lead based, however, I am sure in my 76 years I have ingested in one way or another lots of lead and it doesn't seem to have affected me (or my wife either). My Great Grandmother would have been way too frugal to toss anything out, even if that was what you were supposed to do. (She was born in 1849, 11 years BEFORE the beginning of the Civil War and passed away in 1952 when I was about 20). She just soaked them in water, washed them and they were good for one more time. The paint is faded on some of the plates. They look to be hand turned and the shape is somewhat that of Wedgewood plates with the sort of flat wide rim. Needless to say they are now used as decorative display objects on the patio for when we eat outside (which is often during warm weather). Even faded, they still look very attractive arranged on some shelves we have on the patio. Unlike most people, we don't have a deck - we have a stone patio and porches - lots of porches - 200 feet of porches on two floors.

Bill Taylor