1980s

1984 Vintage Fisher Price Little People Yellow School Bus: 2,953 ppm Lead + 344 ppm Arsenic. Did you have this one?

December 25, 2018December 26, 2018

Vintage Fisher Price Little People Yellow School Bus Toy, c. 1984. Yellow & Red Plastic. To see more vintage Fisher Price items I have tested, click here. The XRF test results for this exact item (pictured above) are as follows: Yellow Plastic of School Bus: (tested for a minimum of 60 seconds) Lead (Pb): 2,953 +/- 59 ppm…

“Old Town Blue” Pattern Vintage Corelle Small Plate, c.1972-1982: 18,200 ppm Lead (90 ppm and up is unsafe for kids)

December 11, 2018December 28, 2023

31 Comments

For those new to this website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Since 2009, Tamara has been using XRF technology (a scientific method used…

1988 Royal Doulton English Fine Bone China Bunnykins Baby Bowl: 10,100 ppm Lead on the FOOD surface

December 7, 2018January 31, 2024

1 Comment

1988 Royal Doulton English Fine Bone China Bunnykins Baby Bowl: 10,100 ppm Lead on the FOOD surface. The 1988 backmark is for pieces made between 1988 and 1993. The amount of Lead that is considered illegal/ unsafe in a newly-manufactured item intended for use by children is anything 90 ppm Lead or higher in the…

#Leaded; 1985 Princess of Power A Most Unpleasant Present Mini Comic Book

August 17, 2018

Tested with an XRF instrument this 1985 “Princess of Power A Most Unpleasant Present” Mini Comic Book was positive for the following elements at the following levels: Cover Lead (Pb): 105 +/- 18 ppm Chromium (Cr): 158 +/- 83 ppm Zinc (Zn): 66 +/- 19 ppm Copper (Cu): 105 +/- 35 ppm Nickel (Ni): 151…

#LeadSafe: 1985 Time Life The Enchanted World Water Spirits Hardcover Book

August 17, 2018January 24, 2020

1985 Time Life The Enchanted World Water Spirits Hardcover Book, all components of the book tested with an XRF. See full XRF readings below. The amount of lead that is considered toxic in a modern item made and intended for use by children is 90 ppm or higher in the paint or coating. All of…

#Leaded: Russian Khokhloma Wooden Decorated Spoon, 1985

July 24, 2018September 23, 2023

4 Comments

For those new to this website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Since 2009, Tamara has been using XRF technology (a scientific method used…

Johnson Brothers Wedgwood Group Blue Willow Earthenware Octagonal Plate: 52,400 ppm Lead [90 is unsafe!]

July 21, 2018August 12, 2019

2 Comments

This is a (c. 1980) Johnson Bros. (“A Member Of The Wedgwood Group” – see image below of back mark) Willow Earthenware octagonal plate, made in England. As with this piece with the same back mark [link]. I have not been able to determine the exact age of the piece, based on the back mark alone. If…

Q. Are Blue Willow Dishes Lead Free? A. Mostly No!

July 21, 2018May 31, 2023

50 Comments

Introduction (for those new to this website): Tamara Rubin is a multiple-Federal-award-winning independent advocate for consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Since 2009, Tamara has been using XRF testing (a scientific method used by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety…

Vintage (c. 1972) “Butterfly Gold” Pyrex Casserole Dish: 87,000 ppm Lead. [Context: 90 ppm Lead is unsafe for kids.]

April 19, 2018June 3, 2019

2 Comments

Vintage Pyrex “Butterfly Gold” casserole dish, c. 1972. The mustard and white paint on this vintage Pyrex casserole dish tested positive for the following elements at the following levels (with a one-minute test, using an XRF instrument): Lead (Pb): 87,000 +/- 2,900 ppm Cadmium (Cd): ND / Non-Detect (Negative) Arsenic (As): ND / Non-Detect…

“Old Town Blue” Pattern Vintage Pyrex Tea Cup, c.1972 – 1982: 17,700 ppm Lead [90 ppm is unsafe for kids.]

April 19, 2018September 2, 2019

9 Comments

Vintage Pyrex mugs/ tea cups in the “Old Town Blue” pattern: The dark blue paint on these mugs tested positive for the following elements at the following levels (with a one-minute test, using an XRF instrument): Lead (Pb): 17,700 +/- 500 ppm Cadmium (Cd): 154 +/- 12 ppm Arsenic (As): ND Mercury (Hg): ND…

Paint on 1980s El Camino car: 9,000 ppm Lead when tested with an XRF instrument. This is mostly an issue with metal cars.

January 23, 2018July 10, 2021

2 Comments

1980s El Camino car, auto paint tested positive for approximately 9,000 ppm lead when tested with an XRF Instrument. The amount of lead that is considered toxic in “an item intended for children” is anything 90 ppm lead or higher. Of course automobiles are not considered “items intended for children” and are therefore not regulated…

Vintage (1972-1988) Corning Ware Spice-o-Life Casserole: 21,800 ppm Lead

January 21, 2018December 27, 2018

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1970 | 1970s | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1980s | 1981 | 1982 | 1984 | 1985 | 1988 | 21000 ppm Lead | 21800 ppm Lead | Casserole | Casseroles | Corning | Corning Ware | Corning Ware Patterns | Corningware | Corningware Casserole | XRF Testing | XRFTesting

This vintage Corningware Spice-o-Life casserole dish tested positive for lead when tested with an XRF instrument at 21,800 ppm Lead in the decoration on the outside of the dish. On the plain white inside it was negative for Lead, Mercury, Cadmium and Arsenic. Tested in 2014. Here’s a link to a post on a…

#LeadFree: HotWheels c. 1988 Toy Ambulance

December 28, 2017December 29, 2017

#LeadFree #HotWheels #Mattel Made in Malaysia c. 1988. – This toy belongs to my family. ALL of our toy cars were acquired after our house-fire in 2002… so year stamped on the bottom of the toy MAY be the “original production year” and not the “year of manufacture.” This toy was tested using an XRF…

Little Vintage (1980s?) Plastic Avon Bear Pin: 2,300 ppm Lead. 90 ppm & up is unsafe for kids.

December 24, 2017June 8, 2020

Post published: December 24, 2017 Vintage Plastic Avon Bear Pin. 2,300+ ppm Lead (Pb). The amount of lead that is considered toxic in the paint or coating of a modern item manufactured and intended for use by children is anything 90 ppm Lead or higher. I have tested quite a few…

#Leaded: “Vintage”? 1980s? Corning Mug With Floral Pattern

December 19, 2017January 28, 2018

2 Comments

While I don’t know the exact year of manufacture for this Corning mug with a floral pattern on the side, there is an “81” on the bottom and it has a color scheme that is also consistent with things like this from the early 1980s. The decorative element on this Corning mug tests positive for…

#LeadSafe; 1980 Fisher Price Airport

December 10, 2017August 5, 2018

1980 Fisher Price Airport. All components tested. The only component on this toy that was positive for lead was (ironically) the black gas valve (on the gas pump at the back of the toy)! This piece was low lead (even safe by today’s standards!) at 28 +/- 7 ppm lead (Pb.) The amount of lead…

#Leaded: 1980 Vintage Fisher Price / Quaker Oats Airport and Plane

December 10, 2017December 10, 2017

Yes it’s hard for some of us to believe that 1980 was 37 years ago! And that 1980 is considered vintage – but let’s set that aside for a moment. 🙂 Each of these items is positive for lead and/or cadmium. Some at very low levels and others at high levels. Because there are so…

Vintage 1980 Fisher Price Quaker Oats Toy Radio: 2,110 ppm Lead, 108 ppm Cadmium, 204 ppm Arsenic.

December 10, 2017April 6, 2019

5 Comments

1980 Fisher Price toy plastic radio with wind up music box. When tested with an XRF instrument this musical toy had the following readings: Yellow plastic components: 2,087 +/- 55 ppm lead 20 +/- 10 ppm cadmium 204 +/- 37 ppm arsenic White plastic components: 58 +/- 10 ppm lead 108 +/- 12 ppm cadmium…

Older Corelle Iris Design White Glass Plate: 1,895 ppm Lead (90 ppm is unsafe for kids).

November 26, 2017August 12, 2019

10 Comments

Older Corelle plate with decorative iris pattern Year of manufacture of this exact plate pictured here (the one I tested) is not known, however my readers updated me (August 2019) to tell me they have purchased this exact design (new at the store) in 1989 AND in 2019! I would be very interested in testing…

Vintage (1980s?) Fisher Price sorting toy for infants and toddlers

November 19, 2017July 13, 2023

Introduction (for those new to this website): Tamara Rubin is a federal-award-winning independent advocate for consumer goods safety and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children, her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005. Since 2009 Tamara has been using XRF testing (a scientific method used by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)…

Vintage Strawberry Shortcake Glasses contain 87,500 ppm Lead — did you have this one?

April 13, 2017July 16, 2024

2 Comments

For those new to the Lead Safe Mama website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her four sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Tamara owns and runs Lead Safe Mama,…