Merry Christmas To All

The Sunday before Christmas....time to wish everyone Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a wonderful holiday time. We are going to a local production of Scrooge this afternoon....the musical version of Dicken's A Christmas Carol. My favorite>>>We'll probably sing along with all the songs!

Merry Christmas from Time Was Antiques, Antiques At Time Was and Antiques And Teacups

Shaun The Sheep Eggcup Wallace & Gromit

If this isn't fun...I don't know what is! I picked this up in England on a recent buying trip because I couldn't resist it!

I LOVE Wallace & Gromit, and this is, of course, Shaun the sheep in his sweater ("We'll call him Shaun (shorn)") from the film A Close Shave. What better way can you think of to have your eggie and soldiers???

Anyway, just too fun. That reminds me, it's about time to dig out the films again...it's been a year or 2 since I've watched them. Amazing how many yanks have never seen them.

Shaun the sheep eggcup can be seen at Time Was Antiques for more photos and info.

For more about Wallace & Gromit, the link is for their official website. Too Cool!

Last weekend before Christmas. We figure Monday is the last day for Christmas delivery via Priority mail in the USA. It'll be a busy weekend. Have a bit more shopping to do myself! Have a great day!

Italian Red Glass Vintage Decanter Toscany Emboli

How's that for a Christmas color? I acquired this ruby red blown art glass decanter from a San Francisco estate. The woman was well traveled and bought this in Italy in the 1960s. The original foil sticker is still on the decanter which measures 12.5 inches high. The color is really super!

You can see more photos and more about the decanter at Time Was Antiques.

Well I hope you are all enjoying the season with all it's delights! There have been Christmas programs celebrating the birth of Jesus, holiday fairs and parties. Next weekend we see a local production of the musical Scrooge and also a modern version by another local theater called Ebenezer V. How cool is that???!!! Christmas isn't Christmas without A Christmas Carol by Dickens in some form or other.

Putting up the last of the outdoor lighted Christmas decorations today and enjoying the season...hopr you are too. Don't forget the Salvation Army bell ringers when you are out and about...this year they are helping more folks through the holidays than ever before.

I just have to share this jewel box or casket I unearthed from the last shipment from England. This is the neatest brass plated cast iron lidded box with the most outstanding workmanship. The box has repousse...read raised or 3 dimensional...cherubs or angels playing instruments on the lid. The, on what is a separate layer, the inside the lid has been stamped with an al over really minutely detailed floral design. The box is a typical example of the victorian idea of everything being ornate and beautiful. I just loved it when I came across it at an antique market outside of Cheddar.
You can see more photos at Time Was Antiques.

We've had record cold here in the upper Olympic peninsula of Washington. It was 14 F the night before last....even so cold we had a cable outage for almost 20 hours from something freezing. Amazing...so much for global warming. :)

Off to our church's Christmas program tonight...really looking forward to it. Have a great evening and stay warm!

King George VI Coronation Mug BY Shelley China

Considering Shelley China and British Royal commemoratives are 2 of my favorite things, you can guess why I'm thrilled to have found 2 of these mugs in England. They are tall mugs, measuring 4 inches high made by the wonderful manufacturer Shelley China. The mug was made in 1937 for the coronation of King George VI and his wife Elizabeth. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth are the parents of Queen Elizabeth II and portraits of the royal princesses, Elizabeth and Margaret are on the back of the mug. How cool is that??!!
Anyway, I love the mug and if you'd like more info or to see more photos of the mug, use this clickable link to the mug at Time Was Antiques.

Hope you Christmas and holiday preparations are doing well and you take a chance to sit with a lovely cup of tea and enjoy the season as it happens. Christmas cookies rule!! Eggnog's not bad either, not that I think of it. Have a great evening. In the 20s here tonight, snuggle up weather!

I LOVE this teacup trio by Royal Standard. Can you just see yourself sipping your Earl Grey from this cup with your shortbread on the plate in front of you? Elegance or what???

As a longtime collector and dealer in teacups at Time Was Antiques I have seen a lot and this is one of my favorites. We have sold a lot of teacups this year for holiday gifts. Have you noticed how tea is becoming a popular drink lately? We are recognizing the importance of this wonderful drink and making it a pastime as well as a refreshment again. Tea also has great antioxidant properties and you would not believe how many varieties and blends.

We have 2 opportunities for Christmas teas in our area and I'll be attending with joy!!! Check your local papers and see if there are any near you.

One of the nice tea merchants close to us because we live 10 miles from the ferry to Victoria, BC Canada is Murchies which is a great place in Victoria for a cuppa and a bun as well as a stop to buy tea to take home.
Here is their link:
Murchies

Time Was Antiques

has a 10% OFF sale going at the moment for the holidays which is reuseable and can be applied even to sale items. There's still lots of time for gift shopping. Visit us for teacups, teapots, Shelley China, Wedgwood, knife rests, open salts, mottoware, sugar tongs, antique and vintage jewelry and lots of wonderful antiques, collectibles and tea table items.

It's sunny today on the Olympic Peninsula so we are going for a walk to enjoy it. Hope your day is as glorious!

Happy Day After Thanksgiving

Happy day after Thanksgiving. I hope it was a good day for everyone. We have so much to be thankful for here in the USA.
It's so easy to forget that when we focus on the negatives to the exclusion of the positives.

And just because it's the day AFTER Thanksgiving...here is a set of Christmas wreath vintage jewelry to remind you how close the holidays are. I LOVE Christmas, and I love vintage jewelry so this is great. The set of pin and earrings is from the 1950s and has seed pearls and hand painting. Cool.

For more info, here is the link to the item on Time Was Antiques.

We are going to a Growers Market indoor event today...need some organic potatoes. Have a great weekend and remember our 15% off sale ends on the 30th.
Time Was Antiques at http://www.timewasantiques.net

Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Plaques Chrome

Time Was Antiques just added this great pair of British Royal memorabilia plaques or wall plates from our archives. The plaques or plates feature photos under glass of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in 1953 for the coronation. The thing that is cool about this (besides their being so young) is the punched chrome border with the cutouts being crowns. I am a sucker for unusual things like that. I think they are so cool!!! She was a lovely lady and he was quite handsome. Ah youth. Now in their 80s things have changed. Although the pair has been sold, I did find the Prince Philip one...

for more info about the plaque at Time Was Antiques you can go to:
click on the photo.

A fun link is the Royal Channel on youtube...who knew??? Its been going for a bout 2 years ago. I mentioned it in my newsletter about then anyway. Lots of fun info and videos.
The Royal Channel

Weather this last few days is typically pacific northwest. Rain, then some rain & then a bit of rain. We in Sequim (called the Blue Hole from the view pilots got as they flew by) is better than most of the area. But we love it anyway.

Time Was Antiques will be adding lots of fun stuff as we go through the holidays and we are featuring a 15% or FREE shipping in the USA for orders over $50.00 through the end of November. You can check it out at Time Was Antiques.

Have a great weekend...lots of good seasonal cheer and Christmas arts & crafts shows to visit. Have fun!

Antique Postcards Great Decorating Accents For Christmas

Antique postcards are a great way to add an unusual and nostalgic decorating accent or nostalgic theme to your holiday decorating this year.

Time Was Antiques has Christmas postcards from the 1890s through the 1930s that can be used to decorate your Christmas tree, table tops on stands, inter mix with your cards in a display, stuck in the corners of a mirror or added to a bulletin board. A postcard can be added to a small picture frame and be a part of a table top of shelf display as well.

Postcards were the greeting cards of their era and have some great victorian and edwardian designs. Their snow scenes, poems and greetings speak of another age. It is so fun to read the greetings to family and friends, and look at the addresses.

Postcards are also a very affordable collectible, which in this day and age is nothing to be sneezed at! So think about adding a bit of nostalgia to your decorating this year with a few antique postcards added to your design plans!

To see our current Christmas post card inventory, (which has FREE shipping) visit this clickable link to our Postcards For Christmas category at Time Was Antiques.

Fall continues here in the Northwest. It got down to the low 30s last night. Clear night with stars. Was up early with a sick cat. Sigh....Our cat, who is 14, is like a kid so we are not happy campers at the moment. She's had to be put on thyroid medicine...who knew???

Oh well. Have a great weekend. Some Christmas arts & crafts shows on in town today so that'll be fun! Start the season with some holiday cheer. Have fun!

SALE AT TIME WAS ANTIQUES!!!

SALE AT TIME WAS ANTIQUES!!! IT'S NOVEMBER...HOLIDAYS ARE COMING!!! 15% Off on orders over $50.00. Also FREE shipping on orders over $50.00. Many items reduced...see our sale category. 15% off applies to SALE items as well....Our form of a Stimulus Package!!!*********************

New items added daily from our annual buying trips to England and Canada and are excited about the wonderful new items. Wedgwood, Shelley, knife rests, teacups, an antique postcard collection, a tea caddy spoon collection, horse brasses, antique and vintage jewelry and biscuit jars to name a few items we acquired. Now, we need to make room! And boy do we love to unpack those cartons. WooHoo! Like Christmas!

Come visit us and take advantage of our sale coupons....http://www.timewasantiques.net

I have this thing about victoriana...started by my English grandmother's gift of various items from her times growing up in victorian England. Lots of stories too...like having seen Queen Victoria's Jubilee procession and ox roast from a coach at 16 years old while recovering from scarlet fever. Cool!

The victorians were famous for embellishing everything, no matter how humble it's purpose and this is an example. This is a bread fork. The idea was that bread was an important part of a meal but manners dictated fingers could not be used. So they developed a fancy fork to take the bread or roll and transfer it to the bread plate. This particular on is of silver plate with a very pretty design. The bread fork measures 5 inches long and is 2 inches wide. There were actually a specialized utensil for almost every food, and there are probably hundreds of collectors for each type!

Victorian specialty silver table items are actually quite hard to find and I was thrilled to find this example in England last buying trip. One of the fun things from our archives at Time Was Antiques.

We had our son and daughter-in-law here from Utah for the last week and had a great time. Did walks around here enjoying the fall color and had some special meals together at favorite restaurants, like Sawadee Thai in Sequim and Chestnut Cottage in Port Angeles. Had a great card game one night...I actually won! Woo Hoo!!!

Heading to church this morning to celebrate with the body of Christ. Have a great day!

I am so thrilled!!!! I got a collection of Wedgwood jasper dip biscuit jars or barrels in England and have just listed them. They are SO COOL!!!

I just love the workmanship, and the jasperware dip biscuit barrels are my favorite of all the Wedgood jasper items I have.

Japser dip items are different from other jasper or jasperware items, because of the additional steps. After an item is made of the jasperware clay, the item is then dipped in a further colored slip (liquid clay) layer. Then the item is fired, the applied white jasper figures and decorations are carefully put on by hand and then fired again. We have watched the process at the Wedgwood factory, now the Wedgwood museum in Barlastan, Stoke-on0Trent, England.

Jasper dip items are not made anymore and are very collectible. We acquired a collection of 5 jasper dip biscuit barrels in England recently and I absolutely LOVE them! Many of them are described and pictured in the book Wedgwood Jasper Ware by Michael Herman and published by Schiffer.

To see our biscuit jars, go to the Jasperware category at Time Was Antiques

We had an unusual day here on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state....the marine layer, aka fog...was actually in all day. First time in 2 years we've seen that. It was really neat....moist and quiet. A bit like being in a dream. We're clearing off for rain tomorrow. Our kids are here from Utah & we had a Thai lunch at Sawadee Thai, on e of our favorite restaurants. Oh man is their garlic chicken GOOOD!!!

We had the best PBS British Royalty program on last night here in Washington state called The Windsors...the king who saved the monarchy. It was really good. The king referred to was King George VI who, with his wife Elizabeth (the subject of the biography at left) who was affectionately known as the Queen Mum. George VI was crowned king of England in 1937 after the abdication of his older brother, Edward VIII, who refused the crown to marry twice divorced American Wallis Simpson.

The biography just added, called The Duchess Of York, was written before her husband became king and goes from her childhood at Glamis Castle in Scotland, through her wedding to the future King George VI and the birth of then the birth of their first child who is now Queen Elizabeth II. It is really a chatty biography written by a lady in waiting and included lots of details of clothes, wedding gifts, travels, royal duties, etc. A wonderful piece of royal memorabilia. I was thrilled when I found it in England last trip.

You can see more details and photos at:
Time Was Antiques

The PBS program continues next week, and I am looking forward to it.

Falling Leaves Art Deco English Biscuit Jar

Is this seasonal or what??? We are having our first big wind storm of the fall here on the Olympic peninsula in Washington state with high wind warnings. The leaves are flying and the branches are appearing more every moment. It made me think about this biscuit jar from England.

The biscuit jar or biscuit barrel was made in the 1930s and is a great art deco stylized leaf design with chrome plated fittings. It is so cool! Every home needs somewhere for their biscuits or cookies and this is a stylish way to store them. The colors go so well with todays colors, as well...nice earth tones.
You can see other photos and close ups at Time Was Antiques at this clickable link:
Time Was Antiques

I love to watch the clouds scudding across the skies. Being here within 2 1/2 miles of the coast reminds me of how the clouds fly by in England where we go each year on a buying trip. Because it's an island, weather changes there quickly as well.
Have a great day and hope we don't get blown away!

Signed Coro Fab Thistle Brooch Pin Pearls Enamel

I LOVE good vintage costume jewelry and this is a great example. This figural brooch or pin was made in the 1950s by Coro, USA and is signed. The thistle has a seed pearl head and enamel leaves and is really fab!!! I was so excited when I found it at an estate sale. Cool!!!!

The brooch or pin is 3 inches high by 2 inches wide by .5 inch deep and is in SUPER condition.
To see more and bigger photos of the pin go to our website, Time Was Antiques, at this clickable link: http://pages.timewasantiques.net/8824/PictPage/3923675776.html

It's another drop dead gorgeous day here on the Olympic Peninsula...small wisps of autumn mist, many colors of turning leaves and although only 40s this morning will be in the 60s later today. I love taking an afternoon walk and seeing the changing colors.

Tonight we are going to the Port Angeles Community Players production of Rehearsal For Murder which will be fun.

Have a gret day and get out to enjoy the autumn...it'll be gone fast!

P.S. Have been putting quite a few items for sale on the website for fall...15% or 20% off and many items on the site have free shipping in the USA.
Visit Time Was Antiques
and visit the Sale Items category.

Lorna Bailey Conical Sugar Shaker Muffineer

I am always on the out look for new artists making a name for themselves. The sugar shaker or muffineer shown is by an English ceramics artist Lorna Bailey. Lorna has a style influenced by Clarice Cliff but has added a more modern twist to her work. She is at work now and is becoming quite collectible. I believe that will grow in the future. A name to remember & look out for while she is still affordable.

Gorgeous fall weather here in the pacific northwest. Wonderful days for walks looking at the turning leaves. Tomorrow we hope to do some garden clean up. I am replacing the wreath on the door with the one I made of autumn leaves. I am also beginning to brace for the upcoming holiday season and begin tomorrow to focus on the shop...adding items I am just unpacking from the last buying trip and deciding what items to put on sale. It will be a fun week!!

Purple Cased Glass Napkin Ring Cut To Clear

Purple rules!!! The royal color. I have just unpacked this brilliant purple cased glass napkin ring that has been cut to clear and it is fab! The napkin ring was found in England at the Portobello Road antique market. I LOVED the color! It was actually a sunny day so it fairly glowed. It made the trip home sfely as well.

Cased glass is made with 2 layers and then the outer colored layer is cut to reveal the inner clear layer. A neat process and very effective! I love colored glass and this is beautiful.

Weather here has been intermittant clear and clouds and the trees are beginning to turn color. Fall is indeed approaching. I'm okay with that. I'm planning to get our a fertilize the garden for next years blooms tomorrow, so hope it's mostly clear. Have a great day.
Purple cased glass napkin ring at Time Was Antiques

King George V tea caddy spoon

Boy do I love tea caddy spoons!!! If you are looking for an affordable collection to start, these are so cool! Tea was once extremely expensive & kept in locked tea caddies (boxes) with a little scoop or spoon locked inside. They have been a popular souvenir in England for 200 years.

This little cutie was made to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary of England in 1935 and measures 3 inches long. The tea caddy spoon has an applied enamel dedication disc and crown. Cute!!

Tea caddy spoons at Time Was Antiques can be seen at this clickable link: timewasantiques.nethttps://timewasantiques.net/products/king-george-v-and-queen-mary-tea-caddy-spoon-silver-jubilee-epns-1935?_pos=1&_sid=6fa7bd305&_ss=r

We went to our farmer's market today and came home with nectarines, tomatoes, sweet onions and fresh picked spinach. Can't get better than that. Hope you have a great day and look for something new to learn about.

Is it Mold or Mould?

And I don't mean does it grow on bread or mean your food has gone bad. Pudding molds or moulds have abeen a big deal for 200-300 years. And as every dessert lover knows, that's an important part of every meal.

Like the VERY old song "I say tomato, you say tomayto" the mold vs mould isn't a case of pronounciation but of spelling from origin. In the UK and countries with a British flavor it's mould, but in America it's mold.

Pudding molds have been made of several materials and collected widely since their real popularity in victorian times. Because of the victorian penchant to beautify everything within an inch of it's life, ornamentation was applied to the dining table and to how the food looked as well. A plain pudding (also a generic term for dessert in the UK) was a no-no on the victorian dining table so the pans desseerts were cooked in were fancied up so that a design was baked (or steamed) right in. There are figural designs, animals, vegetables and minerals, flowers, trees, castles & shields. This is a late victorian era stoneware mold or mould with a very popular and relatively simple design like bubbles or golf balls with paneled sides.

Molds or moulds are a wonderful collectible and make decorative groupings on shelves or counters. Cool.

To see the molds (or moulds) at Time Was Antiques, click this link:
Time Was Antiques

Hi there...gorgeous here on the Olympic peninsula. Just went to the local grower's market and bought tomatoes, plums, sweet onions and new potatoes. Nothing better!!

If you are a starting collector and want an affordable option, Toothpick holders are a great option.

In the victorian era, toothpicks were an essential part of every dining table and as the victorians liked to make everything, no matter how utilitarian beautiful, all sorts of neat designs abound. They were part of every dinner service and often marketed and collected in souvenir designs as well.

The toothpicki holder pictured is made by Imperial Glass Company, USA in a pattern called Octagon. The pressed glass pattern mimiced the more expensive cut crystal and was produced and marketed as "poor man's cut glass". The patterns were diverse, well made and beautiful. There are several antique collecting guides and a National Toothpick Collector Club whose contact info is:

CLUB CONTACT....

N.T.H.C.S
PO Box 852
Archer City TX 76351

email: tpinfo@glass-works.com

So, if that sounds fun, there are lots out there.
You can see the toothpick holder category at Time Was Antiques at this link: Toothpick Holders

Have a great day and enjoy collecting and your local farmer's market!

This may be small, but it's really a work of art. What is it??? Can you guess? This is a lace making tool or bobbin form the victorian era. I LOVE victoriana!

The lace bobbin is decorated with antique beads and is hand made of turned wood. These little tools are very collectible and the pride of a lace maker's tool kit. They are used to make bobbin lace which is also called cushion or pillow lace because the "cartoon" or pattern is pinned to a cushion. The threads hang down with the bobbins being weights and they are maniputated to form the design. Truly a dying art because of the time it takes to make anything in this way. You can see this bobbin and others at Time Was Antiques.

Today in the Pacific Nothwest it is partly cloudy and in the 70s which is PERFECT summer weather. A few days ago was my birthday so we took the Coho ferry to Victoria, BC (it's free on your birthday!) and stayed a night at the Fairmont Empress hotel, the grande dame of the Victoria, Inner Harbour. We went to the National Geographic IMAX theater for their Whales show which was really fabulous. Also went to the Royal BC Museum exhibit of the Treasures of The British Museum which was wonderful. Fun to almost press my nose on the glass of a Renoir, Rubens, Duhrer or Picasso. Cool. The ancient jewelry was fasciniating. Amazing what delicay could be achieved with so few tools.

That's it, I guess. Back to adding new items to Time Was Antiques.

Figural Gondola Antique English toast rack

I have just added the most fabulous toast rack we brought back from our last English buying trip. It is so cool!!!

The figural toast rack is silverplate and is a gondola with the gondolier and dates 1900-1920. I can't believe the original oar is still there!!!

Can't you just see it on your tea table or breakfast table with your toast...let alone your desk holding your mail or file folders. When I saw it I just HAD to have it! The only one I've seen in 30 years in the business!!! How cool is that!
It can be viewed at Time Was Antiques

I've just added this cool antique English dog, greyhound or hunting hound knife rest. It has a riding crop for a bar and was made in England 1890-1910. I just fell in love with it when I saw it and HAD to have it!

You can see it at:
Time Was Antiques


Lots more fun things to list, so I'd better get going but wanted to post this great victorian gadget to keep the table clean.

Just Added--Fab Wedgwood vases

I just LOVE these vases!!!! Part of the first lot from my recent buying trip. I have just added a two 6.5 inch high Wedgwood, England glazed cream ware or Queens Ware vases made in the 1950s. One is marked 1952 and the other 1956. They have the applied blue grape and grapevine border are are in excellent condition.

I love ANY color, as long as it's blue, and have since I was a child. I like other colors, but I LOVE blue, and especially blue and white. These Wedgwood vases are really superb!

Unpacking is such fun. I can hardly wait to see what's next!

Weather this Memorial Day weekend is perfect. We have been doing some planting, weeding and generally enjoying being outside for breaks from working on the shop.

Now it's time for a snack and then back to work! Enjoy your weekend, and thanks to all those who have served or are serving to keep our country free. God bless you!

We have just returned from our annual spring buying trip with lots of fun items English antiques and collectibles. Some we carried home, but most will be arriving next week.

We will start adding new items to our websites today, and just keep adding as they arrive. We acquired Shelley China, Wedgwood, English real photo postcards, tea caddy spoons, teacups, linens, Crested China, Mottoware, horse brasses, costume jewelry, toast racks, knife rests and much more.

It's just like Christmas...opening the cartons & oohing & ahhing because you've forgotten you got it. It is SUCH FUN!!!!

So, as we ad we'll highlight special finds here as well.
A wonderful & successful trip but it WAS so nice to sleep in our own beds with our own pillows....and our cat either next to or on top of us.

It's a beautiful spring day here on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington state and my DH is mowing the lawn. We'll take a walk later and savor the beauty of spring. Have a great day!

Fab Sadler Art Deco Teaset Added

This is an absolutely brilliant vintage art deco design 3 piece teaset I just added at Time Was Antiques, http://www.timewasantiques.net.

The teapot, cream and sugar was made in the 1940s and features an awesome art deco bubble and checkerboard design that I just had to post. I fell in love with it when I found it in England last trip.All 3 pieces are in excellent condition which makes it even more special! The teaset has been in storage for a few months since arriving so it was like Christmas to open the box and find it.

Lots more fun things to come from that box. I acquired a collection of vintage tea caddy spoons which were in that carton as well, so will start listing some this week. But more about that later.

I'm off to church now and it's sunny today which is always a treat in the Pacific Northwest!

Fred The Flour Grader Pie Funnel

Say hello to this cute little guy...a vintage English pie funnel or pie vent by the name of Fred The Flour Grader from Homepride Bread ads in the 1960-1970s. I just LOVE him! He's not what started me on pie birds or pie funnels, but it's the sort of thing that keeps me looking on our annual buying trips to the markets in England.
The figural Homepride Fred is made of glazed ceramic and stands 4 inches high with a hole in the top of his hat to let out steam. And in excellent condition with a cheeky grin! Pie birds were developed in the 1700s to release steam from a baking pie so the filling didn't boil over. He is SOOO cute! So look for a friend to cook with...they come in all sizes, shapes & personalities. Cool.

I have just loaded a number of vanity or dresser items of antique celluloid, and early plastic. Celluloid was known as the poor man's ivory and had great popularity on both sides of the Atlantic in the late victorian era through edwardian era from 1870-1920. Celluloid was made most often to mimic striations like ivory as well as the color of ivory and was used to make relatively inexpensive items in all sorts of things....toothbrushes, manicure sets, dresser sets, bowls, trays, jewelry, photo albums, collar boxes, etc.

Celluloid was malleable enough to be made into a myriad of shapes and was colored, molded, embossed and further disguised as everything from wood grain, tortoise shell and everything between. Because of it's susceptability to staining, cracking, melting and becoming "sick", a lot didn't survive. But there are many items still available at affordable prices and whole collector societies! Fun items from a bygone era. You can see the collection we have just added on Time Was Antiques at this CELLULOID link in the vanity item category.

Well, at least it's clear today, but after a night down to 20 degress, it has a long way to go to be warm! Hope it's more comfortable where you are....it's the coldest winter here for over 40 years. Go figure....

Wedgwood in bankruptcy

One of our favorite places to visit when we go to England to buy has always been the Wedgwood potteries at Barlaston, near Stoke-on-Trent England. We have loved watching the manufacture of Wedgwood jasperware and dinnerware on the factory tour and lingered long watching the skilled craftsmen making the delicate bone china flowers by hand that decorated specialty pieces. I am heartbroken to see the end of a wonderful tradition of workmanship and art.

Wedgwood, had been acquired several years ago by Royal Doulton, had also been merged with Waterford Crystal and was doing okay...even building and opening in late 2008 a wonderful museum in Barlastan. But the economic crunch meant they couldn't continue.

At the moment, no one is sure what will happen. Will this really be the end of china making in England? The end of beautiful patterns and skills that have taken generations to perfect? We hope not. We'll post if/when we find out anything else.

I have been SUCH a bad blogger!!! I can't believe it...life just happens and another day is gone. BUT plan to do better.

I have just added a fabulous Royal Winton teapot on Time Was Antiques.
The teapot is very different than the chintz patterns people usually think of in conjunction with Royal Winton, and also was made just prior to or very early in Royal Winton's association with Grimwades, an association they are famous for, whom they merged with in 1930.

The unusual teapot (and we also have a tall jug or pitcher in the same pattern) is in a pattern called Imari which was very popular from the late victorian times until about the 1940s. The pattern and colors are taken from the Japaneses patterns of the same name and region. The Imari pattern is rarely seen because relatively few items in the pattern were made, but I LOVE it! Talk about colorfull! What a terrific decorative accent as well as an elegant way to pour out at your next tea party!

Well, today I am busy adding more items from our last English buying trip. I am bound and determined to get them all on in the next month or so, so...back to work!