vintage 1968 plaid fold away basket company highlander model Highlights for Children

This piece is not a complete mystery… in fact it isn’t much of a mystery at all.  At least on the surface.

Lets start with the box... which tells us this is the all purpose folding basket called "Fold-Away", a registered trademark.  I can’t find who had it registered.   It was mailed to an address in Massachusetts during the summer of 1968, according to the postage. The label tells us it was sent from the still operational magazine, Highlights for Children, out of Columbus, Ohio.

Which makes me wonder if this was a “reward” of some sort from the magazine? 

The wood handled basket lays flat in the closed position, measuring about 11 x 14 inches. Opened up the basket is about 10 x 14 and about 7 inches deep. Unfinished metal supports that simply push in place, give the basket it's structural integrity while open.

According to the metal post bracket on the inside of this basket, it was made by the Fold-Away Basket Company out of Madison, Indiana, and lists two patents: 2.042.977 & 2.228.248.

 

A very utilitarian piece with some interesting and mysterious history, perhaps someone out there can tell us more?

This item has been sold

Interested in...

Baskets

Picnics

Recycling

Plaid

Wooden Golf Club - Mystery

Well, this one isn't actually a mystery to me anymore.  When I first picked it up however I admit, I was utterly and totally lost as to it's purpose.  Then about 3 hours later, like the proverbial light bulb, I knew what it was! 

Do you? 

It's a bout 11 inches long, and quite beautiful in both form... and function.  Stay tuned and I'll shed some definitive light on this for those in the dark.





UPDATE!
For those of who who are being driven crazy with this mystery.... let's extend the agony just a bit further.  Here is a picture of another one  :

So take a moment, think about it....
...
...
Do you know yet?
...
...

Ok, fine,



Pretty cool, right?
Both of these are for sale for $12 apiece, but since their vintagicity (is that a word?)... since it is questionable, even doubtful these items are vintage they are not active on Etsy.  However if you want one, convo me at Etsy and I will put it on Reserve at Etsy for you to purchase.  Here's a link to one of these for sale elsewhere. 

More?
Wooden things
Golf Club
History of golf

More ceramic things with holes: hearts & owls - MYSTERY

Seems to be a theme....  first it was the unknown leaf cum tea bag holder, incense holder, button closure, flower frog etc.    Now these?

First Mystery
I recently sold this army of small ceramic owls.  Each one had a single hole on top of his head, and a set of holes in his back.  Each also had a rubber stopper on the bottom.  I to would seem quite clear that these were designed as  shakers of some sort.  Then comes the realization that the salt or whatever else you might wish to sprinkle out the hole on top, simply falls out the holes in the back, rendering this a pretty useless shaker! 

My guess is they are factory defects.  What about you?  Do you have any clues or guesses that might make sense?  Well as it turns out, Carohope is using them as terrarium decorations!




Second Mystery
 My suspicion is, that this one is relatively straight forward.  Apparently I’m just not that straight forward!  I have a guess or two, I’ve just yet to find any proof that my guesses are either correct or incorrect. One of these is marked "CALIF US" on the bottom.  I don't think these are a matched set.

What’s your guess?   Have you seen these before?  Do you know for sure?   First person to lead me to definitive proof of what these are designed for will find a little surprise in their mailbox-

UPDATE - MYSTERY SOLVED!
Thanks to Rachel from TheCuriousCrow  I now know that these are Coeur a la Creme molds.  Coeur means "heart," in French, and so the molds are the traditional heart shape.  The molds have holes in the bottom, for draining excess liquids, and should be used with cheesecloth, to contain the cream cheese, or cottage cheese. Be sure to place the molds on another dish, to catch the liquids.

Here's a recipe
Courtesy of Fantes Kitchen Wares

Coeur a la Creme with Sauce

Makes 6 servings.
5 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1.5" piece vanilla bean
    or 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 pint strawberries
1/4 cup sherry
3/4 cup currant jelly
Soften the cream cheese and beat with an electric beater.
Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the cheese.
Continue beating, adding the sugar gradually.
Whip the cream until stiff and fold it into the cheese.
Rinse out six pieces of cheesecloth in cold water and use them to line six small coeur a la creme molds.
(Or one large piece of cheesecloth to line the large mold.)
Spoon equal portions of the cream mixture into the molds.
Bring up the overlapping ends of the cheesecloth and fold lightly over the top of each portion of cheese.
Chill thoroughly.
Meanwhile, trim and rinse strawberries.
Drain.
Blend the wine and jelly and cook over low heat, stirring, until blended and smooth.
Combine with the strawberries.
Unmold the cheese onto chilled dessert plates and serve the strawberries and Creme Fraiche on the side.
Pass a sugar bowl for those who wish it.

Creme Fraiche

Makes about 1 cup.
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon buttermilk
Combine the cream and buttermilk in a jar with a screw top.
Secure the top and shake the mixture for a second or two.
Let the mixture stand 8 to 12 hours, or until the cream is lightly thickened.

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Owls
Hearts
Ceramics
Mysteries
Coeur a la Creme molds