This little yellow plate was purchased at an antique store in Oregon in 2018. While there is not a maker’s mark on the back of the dish, the store owner had researched the plate and came up with this description: Vintage Yellow Ceramic Harlequin by Homer Laughlin Co. Fiesta Plate, c. 1938-1960 When tested with an […]
Testing with an XRF instrument revealed this decorative Khokhloma wooden spoon from Russia to have the following ingredients (in the painted markings): Lead (Pb): 1,994 +/- 67 ppm Mercury (Hg): 7,624 +/- 148 ppm Arsenic (As): 70 +/- 36 ppm Barium (Ba): 607 +/- 107 ppm Chromium (Cr): 489 +/- 73 ppm Bromine (Br): 327 […]
Most vintage books have at least some amount of lead. The amount of lead that is considered toxic in a modern item manufactured and intended to be used by children is 90 ppm or higher in the coating (or paint) and 100 ppm (or higher) in the substrate. This 1963 printing of “The Roosevelt Era” […]
#AskTamara: Q. Does my lipstick have lead? Does all lipstick have lead? A. It is very likely that your lipstick has at least some amount of lead. Online resources show that at least 99% of lipsticks contain some amount of lead. Click here to see a more comprehensive post about this and read below for […]
This goes in the category of “Things in my home that I never thought to test until now!” This is a lunch box/ food storage container made of stainless steel. My husband pointed out that the little moving parts that make up the top of the clasp system are actually yellow brass. I hadn’t noticed […]
Newer (2017) Stumptown Coffee Roasters Enameled Metal Mug. Tested with an XRF instrument. Positive for lead at 5,192 ppm. The amount of lead that is considered toxic in a modern/newly manufactured item intended for children is anything 90 ppm lead or higher. Mugs are not considered items intended for use by children and, as such, […]
Small (brand new, 2018) hand-held brass bell. Tested with an XRF instrument. Positive for lead at 35,200 ppm +/- 1,000 ppm. The concern I have for these small brass items is that they are often given to children to play with and, especially in the case of high-lead brass, the lead from leaded brass items […]
Vintage China, “Hand Painted” – Nippon. Positive for lead at 3,115 +/- 121ppm. This dish was “Non-Detect” (negative) for mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic (As). Read more about the concern for lead in dishware here. Want to see a pretty lead-free dish set on Amazon? Click this link! * [*It’s an Amazon affiliate link & […]
Crown Royal Bone China – B 76 2, Made in England. Tested with an XRF instrument. Positive for lead at 70,900 +/- 1,900 ppm. For context: the amount of lead that is considered toxic in an item intended for children is anything 90 ppm or higher. Vintage dishware is not regulated for total lead content […]
Victoria’s Garden Toy China Tea Set: 20,600 ppm lead. [Lemon included to show size!] 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. Tested with an XRF instrument. You can see more antique/vintage […]
