Can I get a re-make for this beloved vintage mug?

September 25, 2017 12:17 AM

I have a mug that I am very attached to. It is possibly old enough to be considered vintage? Unfortunately is very faded after years of being run through the dishwasher. I would love to find another one in better condition, and also for the day that clumsy ol' me drops my current one. Are there sites I don't know of that could aid me in my search? Or is there a company, individual artist, etc. who can re-create it?

More details in "off the top of my head" order:

It is a standard size white mug. Running along the outside is a row of brown horses facing forwards and a single blue unicorn facing forwards. On the upper inside of the mug is the words "You are unique."

The mug was my mom's before it became mine and she states that she "thinks" she received it prior to or around m my birth. I'm 30-years-old. But, honestly, she doesn't recall exactly when or from where or if had been a gift or not so it is quite possible it isn't as old as she thinks.

I've searched the internet for another one in good shape in hopes to replace it. No luck. The company brand on the bottom is faded to almost beyond recognition; all can make out is that it was a crown. Sites I've utilized are: Google, Ebay, & Etsy.

posted by Thirty7Degrees to Shopping (8 answers total)

Best answer: If finding another one proves difficult, you can easily order replacements online (search for places that make corporate swag, or branded items. Even places like vistaprint. It can be done via process called sublimation or via custom ceramics transfers that are fired into a mug. Though of course you will need to supply the graphics, so I think you should focus your search on finding the image, or tasking a graphic designer to re-create it for you.
Good luck!
posted by PardonMyFrench at 12:33 AM on September 25, 2017 [3 favorites]

Here's one that is similar style. Perhaps some info there that might help you find yours.
posted by sulaine at 3:25 AM on September 25, 2017

It might be worth taking shots of it from a few different angles and running them through tineye or google image search. If you do wind up having to have the graphic recreated, I can say I was pretty happy with the reproduction quality on the Vistaprint mug I had made a few years ago. With a coupon it was about $10 plus shipping. The printing isn't slightly raised like silkscreening, but the lines were crisp.
posted by Funeral march of an old jawbone at 4:30 AM on September 25, 2017 [1 favorite]

Can you take a pic?
posted by the webmistress at 7:13 AM on September 25, 2017 [1 favorite]

I know someone with an Etsy shop that might be willing to recreate the mug for you given that it's vintage and it's impossible to find. Someone might take a commission!
posted by Medieval Maven at 7:17 AM on September 25, 2017 [2 favorites]

You can do a running search on ebay so that you're notified if a replacement comes up, which is quite possible (I replaced a beloved skirt this way, but it took over a year - still working on my square bee plate). Probably "mug unicorn horses" or "mug 'you are unique'" would be unique enough that you wouldn't get flooded with hits every day. Under your search results, it will say there are zero hits, and next to that will be a link called "save this search." Click on that.
posted by FencingGal at 7:25 AM on September 25, 2017 [2 favorites]

If it's a crown it's almost certainly Hallmark, no?
posted by fiercecupcake at 8:28 AM on September 25, 2017

Response by poster: Thank you all for the suggestions in terms of search techniques and avenues to explore if I have to recreate this.

I took a handful of pictures of the mug: One, Two, and Three.

Also, to fiercecupcake, it isn't the Hallmark crown (which was involved in my first search attempt, thinking it may have been an older design). You actually prompted me to take another close look at the bottom logo. I'm not sure if it's because I'm looking at it in daylight instead of artificial lighting, but I was able to sort of make out the words "Gift Master" in the middle of the crown. So, a search of "gift master mugs" led me the actual logo! Thank you for that.

The current Gift Master site indicates that it is a company that creates promotional items for other companies. I don't know if it is the same company to have created mine, but it is plausible based on the year the company was founded.

For the time being, I'm going to do some searching this morning and then set up a running search as suggested. If I'm unable to find a duplicate, I'll recreate it. And I'll definitely take a recommendation on a Etsy shop!
posted by Thirty7Degrees at 9:46 AM on September 25, 2017 [1 favorite]