Mid century lucite fruit tray?

[Beachkid23]

I went a sale today and bought some Carnival glass, couple pieces of Fenton and Jewelry. Decided to walk back through everything after I paid and I don’t even know why I didn’t see this the first time.. not signed, everything is Lucite it has to be mid century. The pictures aren’t the best because I don’t have a good background. But it is 12”x14” and 15” tall. At least 6 lbs. There is a pineapple, six strawberries, three bananas and two apples. I can’t find anything like it to even come up with a price. But it was $3!

The people selling it thought it was hilarious that I was buying it. I feel like I scored but I don’t even know how to price it!

[dejapooh]

Certainly not Mid Century Modern. Probably late mod or mid 70's. Then again, put all of that in the description, it will sell.

[Beachkid23]

Shows up better with a Fenton lamp.

[Beachkid23]

Certainly not Mid Century Modern. Probably late mod or mid 70's. Then again, put all of that in the description, it will sell.

What would you price it at? It’s like stupid weird so I’m not even sure anyone would want it!

[tamrock]

It is definitely funky. There are a few sites that discuss acrylic lucite as collectibles, though I'm a little on the fence as to the age of your item, but 1970s would seem possible to me. It seem lucite has had an on and off popularity from the 1940s on into the early 1990s. The house I've lived in for over 30 years was built in 1982. When I first moved in it had this very lucite ceiling light. Maybe five or so years after I moved in I took it down and replaced it with a small retro leaded glass lamp. I think I either tossed out that old acrylic light or donated it to the thrift store. I believe that ceiling light was original to the house.

[randazzo1]

Is it just for display or does it have a use? It looks like something out of the gaudy Miami house in the movie Scarface.

[Red-Coat]

I’ve seen a number of groups like these in bowls or on platters from the 1960s/1970s but they’re usually coloured to resemble the fruits. Often they’re from Italy but those don’t have bananas or pineapples… generally citrus fruits, apples and grapes etc. I’ve seen clear ones in sets where each fruit has a hole through it for use as a napkin ring. Also from the 1960s/1970s.

There are superior lucite examples, produced as ‘art’, like this group from Will Hardy of New York and signed as such.



These kinds of thing have a collector value. That group above (grapes, apple, pear, plum, banana, and lemon, with accompanying glass fruit bowl: height 10 inches) was sold by Skinner Auctions for $119, although it had a pre-auction estimate of $300-500! Yours is not in the same league. It’s just vintage kitsch with a commensurately low value. There’s an active collector market for kitsch but it doesn’t command high prices.

[diggummup]

One thing is for sure, there aren't many (if any) out there to be found. I don't dismiss anything until I find a comparable. Second thing is for $3 you couldn't go wrong. Kitschy or not, that was a deal.