How could you not love Swiss Alpine Chalet china? Yes, I'm talking about the china of everyone's grandma, with it's circular pattern of trees and leaves in dark blue, moss green and light turquoise blue.
Known as dime store dinnerware of the 1960's, this china—Mar-crest Swiss Chalet Alpine dinnerware—was often used as an incentive to get shoppers to shop at local grocery stores. Stores would offer pieces of this dinnerware set for pennies to shoppers who showed brand loyalty by shopping those stores and collecting points or spending a certain amount of money in those stores.
I've seen this china on websites categorized as Mid-Century Modern dinnerware, and it is of course from that era/time period, but I personally don't think of it as that "style" at all. Why? First, the style of the leaves and trees are not as geometric and abstract as typical Mid-Century Modern (MCM) smooth-line styles. I think that since this china was produced and popular during that time period - that folks just automatically categorized it as Mid-Century Modern.
But to me, the design—and by design I mean the china pattern motif itself— tells a much different story. Yes it's a repeating pattern, but so is nearly every other china pattern. But like I noted earlier, it's hardly abstract or geometric, such as the Cannonsburg Temporama pattern shown below.
Cannonsburg Temporama - an example of a Mid-century Modern Atomic design
The Swiss Chalet Alpine design completely consists of images from nature. There are blue and green leaves and trees, and smaller light turquoise daisy-like flowers. There are no space-age, atomic, or futuristic designs in the pattern. I suppose it's the shape of the dinnerware pieces themselves, and the time period in which they were produced that categorize it as MCM.
Either way, it's a keeper! I see this pattern tied into my own style by combining it with lots of shades of earthy browns and warm copper.
I imagine the colors in the pattern as the bright pops that jump out to you from an earthy, neutral table that verges on Rustic or Arts and Crafts style.
I think the nature pattern itself leans much more towards hippie, bohemian styles of the 60's! And I love it!
What do you think?
Do you like this pattern?
Does it bring back any memories for you?
Have a great week!
Laura
My broken china jewelry is always available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/shop/dishfunctionldesigns
