Museum of Lead

Vintage (1950s?) tin Spinning top toy With Rockets & Spacemen: 19,300 ppm Lead (90 ppm is unsafe)

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)…

2018 New Orleans Souvenir Mug: 16,700 ppm Lead, 109 ppm Cadmium.

When tested with an XRF instrument this New Orleans souvenir mug (purchased in New Orleans in 2018, no mark or maker) was positive for high levels of Lead both inside and out. Continue reading below to see the full XRF test results for this mug. When testing is done with an XRF instrument, the amount…

#AskTamara: Q. Could A Vintage Leaded Brass Mouthpiece Cause Kidney Failure In A Trumpet Player? A. Maybe

#AskTamara Question: Could a vintage leaded brass mouthpiece cause (or contribute to) kidney failure in a professional trumpet player? Answer: Maybe. The vintage (c. 1980s or earlier) trumpet mouthpiece shown here tested positive for a relatively high level of lead for leaded brass (22,200 ppm lead.) It is a bare leaded brass mouthpiece that is…

Bauer Vintage Celadon Pottery, Los Angeles: 210,800 ppm Lead (21%!). Context: 90 ppm is unsafe for kids.

This is a set of Bauer Vintage Celadon Pottery, Made In Los Angeles and purchased at an antique store in Portland, Oregon in 2017. When tested with an XRF instrument each of the pieces tested positive for the elements at the levels shown below. Note: the lead levels below are VERY HIGH, and I would…

Vintage (c. 1938-1960) Ceramic Harlequin by Homer Laughlin Co. Fiesta Plate: 287,600 ppm Lead [90 ppm is unsafe].

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…

Miracle Rice Cooker c. 2009, Made in China: 5,484 ppm Lead, plus Cadmium and Antimony!

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…

Red Vintage Pyrex Food Storage Container With lid: 310,000 ppm Lead + 14,200 ppm Arsenic + 33,200 ppm Cadmium

This is an ad-free article. We have removed advertisements from this article to make it easier for you to read. If you would like to support our independent consumer goods testing by contributing (which will also help us keep our more widely-read articles ad-free!), click here. Thank you! For those new to the Lead Safe…

Franciscan Desert Rose Earthenware China — c. 1941, Made in USA: 122,200 ppm Lead! (90 ppm is unsafe in kids’ items)

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…

Franciscan Ware Potteries (c. 1948) Franciscan Ivy Pattern Serving Tray: 304,000 ppm Lead [90 ppm is unsafe]

This is a Franciscan Potteries vintage “Ivy” pattern serving tray that I got at the Good Will Bins a while back (to add to my “Museum of Lead” collection!) The interesting thing about glazes (especially on pieces that are handmade or hand-painted) is that the levels of lead can vary significantly across the surface of…

Made In Mexico Ceramic Glazed Bowl Marked “Lead Free”: Positive for more than 300,000 ppm Lead [that’s 30%!]

Mexican pottery bowl purchased new c. 2007. Marked “Lead Free.” This bowl tested positive for more than 300,000 ppm Lead in the glaze when tested with an XRF instrument. Most of the Mexican pottery that I have tested that has been labeled “Lead Free” has tested positive for at least 1,000 ppm lead. This piece was unique,…

Tom & Jerry Vintage Milk Glass Christmas Mug: 37,100 ppm Lead + 943 ppm Cadmium (90 Lead + 40 Cadmium is unsafe for kids)

Vintage Libbey High Ball Christmas Glass Tamara Rubin Lead Safe Mama

Vintage Libbey High Ball Christmas Glass: 60,600 ppm Lead + 2,940 ppm Cadmium

To see more Christmas items I have tested, Click HERE. I purchased this glass in an antique store to add to my “museum of lead” collection and to feature in my upcoming book on lead in household goods. It tested positive for Lead both with a LeadCheck swab (see video) and with an XRF instrument….

Anchor Hocking Cornflower Pattern Vintage Milk Glass Casserole: 18,600 ppm Lead + 137 ppm Cadmium.

This Anchor Hocking milk glass casserole was positive for Lead when tested with an XRF instrument. The blue flowers had the following readings: Lead (Pb): 18,600 +/- 400 ppm Cadmium (Cd): 137 +/- 13 ppm The flowers were non-detect for mercury (Hg) and arsenic (As.) The plain white of the milk glass on this piece…

Testing Vintage Glassware (Pyrex, Libbey, Anchor Hocking) With A LeadCheck Swab (Video)

Spring Blossom Green Posts Anchor Hocking Cornflower Casserole Post Chip In Link My affiliate link* for LeadCheck swabs: https://amzn.to/2HJLB4N If you purchase something on Amazon after clicking one of my affiliate links I receive a small percentage of what you spend at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my advocacy work in this…