Poisonous Mushrooms? Lead in Vintage Ceramics

The collecting world has been abuzz with concerns of lead in our favorite kitchen mushrooms and other collectible vintage kitchenware. Certainly, we have known since ancient times that there is no safe level of lead to ingest or absorb through our skin, but until the 1970s, lead's usefulness outweighed the dangers.

The short answer is it is best to assume that all Sears Merry Mushrooms contain lead, especially the ceramics. If lead is a concern, the simplest solution is to not use any vintage kitchenware for food or drink. If you decide to use them, consider storing packaged snacks like granola bars and fruit snacks in them. Or, use a zip bag or other container inside the canisters. This will also keep the food items fresher, and keep in/out moisture and any bugs.

Now that the short answer is out of the way, let's take a closer look at what lead is and why it was used in so many products. Knowing this will help explain why Sears Merry Mushrooms and other vintage goods manufactured and imported in the 1970s and 1980s likely contain lead and may help you determine how to avoid it, if you choose to.

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