February Ends and March Begins Pancakes And Daffodils

February is ending... and it has been a mild one here...a lot of bulbs and heathers are blooming here already...

 I love this cute illustration by Dutch artist Marjolein Bastin of a cue little Hedgehog with the tulips and grape hyacinths... a sure sign of spring approaching.

Pancake Day is on Tuesday February 25th this year... also known in the US as Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday or the beginning of Lent before Easter, but celebrated by many in the UK with pancakes...

There are even pancake races in various villages... went to one once, quite fun!

photo and recipe from GreatBritishChefs

1

Mix the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl, make a well in the middle of the flour and crack in the eggs. Mix to combine, then gradually whisk in the milk and water until you have a smooth batter

• 4 oz of plain flour
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 6 3/4 fl oz of milk
• 2 1/2 fl oz of water
•  1 3/4 oz of butter

2

Place a frying pan over a medium heat and add a knob of butter. Add a thin layer of batter to coat the base of the pan, cook until the bottom of the pancake is golden then flip over and cook the other side

3

Once the pancake is cooked, remove from the pan and drain off any excess butter. Repeat the process until all of the batter is used up

4

Serve the pancakes immediately, finished with a sprinkling of caster sugar and a good squeeze of lemon juice 

Pancakes in the UK are a bit thicker than, but similar to crepes...

and traditionally... in our family at least... served with lemon juice and powdered sugar like the photo above...

March 1st is St. Davis's... or Dayffd's Day, the patron saint of Wales...

St. David is the patron saint of Wales, which is a part of the United Kingdom. Prince Charles is the heir to the English throne and is called the Prince Of Wales...

Daffodils and Leeks are the symbols of Wales.

 I will be making Welsh Cakes, sort of a cross between a pancake and a crumprt, and delicious!

photo and recipe from GreatBritishChefs

1

Mix the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl, make a well in the middle of the flour and crack in the eggs. Mix to combine, then gradually whisk in the milk and water until you have a smooth batter

• 4 oz of plain flour
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 6 3/4 fl oz of milk
• 2 1/2 fl oz of water

2

Place a frying pan over a medium heat and add a knob of butter. Add a thin layer of batter to coat the base of the pan, cook until the bottom of the pancake is golden then flip over and cook the other side

• 1 3/4 oz of butter

3

Once the pancake is cooked, remove from the pan and drain off any excess butter. Repeat the process until all of the batter is used up

4

Serve the pancakes immediately, finished with a sprinkling of caster sugar and a good squeeze of lemon juice

I didn't have a lot with a Welsh theme for St. David's Day, but remembered I had this Shelley China, England rested China souvenir creamer...

The creamer features the coat of arms of Wales..so that is appropriate!

The creamer is in the Dainty shape, and is hand applied enamel colors on black transferware.

Crested China meant that it had some sort of of symbol, landmark or coat of arms. They were very popular Victorian and Edwardian souvenirs and were made by several potteries, although Shelley made the best quality items.

The mark identifies it a Wileman, which made Shelley starting a few years later. This creamer has the Rd#, or British Design Registry number for 1896, meaning that is when the design was registered, so we know it can't have been made any earlier than that.

The Foley China at the top means it was made at the Foley Pottery Wileman had in the district of Foley in Stoke-on-Trent...like Limoges isn't a specific pottery, but a city that potters worked in.

Have a lovely week... and drink lots of tea with friends and enjoy spring!

Torquay Devon Mottware Quirky Mottos and All

A quirky and fun English art pottery, begun really as a cottage industry from several modest potteries in the Devon area, especially the Torquay area, of Southern England from local red clays, from the 1870s until the factories closed in the 1960s. 

It is usually of red clay decorated with bright glazes, cottages and mottos or sayings that run the gamut from proverbs and sound advice to nearly outrageous. Always fun and different and very collectible!

There is a wonderful collectors society that used to publish a wonderful quarterly magazine…. The Scandy, named for the stylized foliage often seen on the pottery. Also featured is the traditional cottage. 

There are also flowers, the Kingfisher bird, a cockerel and other designs.

The mottos span folk wisdom, proverbs, advice, folklore and were often in dialect.

Very collectible.

Here are some examples from Time Was Antiques noted with motto and which pottery if known… 

The eggcup above says

Speak little but think much... 

with the traditional cottage on the back. Made by Aller Vale pottery, Torquay Devon in the 1940-1950s.

 a souvenir cup and saucer from Tiree, which a village in the Hebridees of Scotland, made by the Royal Watcombe pottery in Devon between 1958-1966

A rolling stone gathers no moss

From Longpark pottery in Torquay from 1905-1922 is this cream pitcher bearing the Scandy design...

The motto is in dialect and is:

Elp yersel tu craim

I hope you enjoyed a glimpse at a few examples of this fun pottery genre...

to see more examples at Time Was Antiques, click on the photos, or visit this link for the Cottage Ware and Motto Ware category

  

Dickens Birthday and Victoria and Alberts Wedding Anniversary

Feb. 7th was the anniversary of Charles Dickens' birth in 1812. An important day for the literary world, and of our understanding of the darker side of the Victorian era.

2012 was the 200th anniversry of his birth, and it was well celebrated in the UK, and all over the world...

The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, Charles and Camilla participated in a service at Westminster Abbey in London, England today honouring one of the most famous novelists of all time. A wreath was laid on the novelist's tomb in Poets' Corner. Prince Charles and Camilla then visited the Dicken's House Museum in London and see Dickens' notebooks.

This stained glass portrait is at the museum...

As part of the commemorative day, Dickens' novels were read in public places in nations all over the world, plays were staged and many TV reruns of plays were shown. Many leading actors from Dickens' productions were at the Abbey for the service.

From the archives at Time Was Antiques, I want to share a Rosina, England teacup that was made in the 1950s to be sold at The Old Curiosity Shop in London, famed for the novel of the same name by Dickens.
Rosina, England, one of my favorite china makers, made fine bone china souvenirs for the shop in the 1940-1950s, most with this Cecil Forbes original engraving design of the shop...

I have had all sorts of pieces in the pattern, and pick them up when I see them. I just love it. And this is not the only Dickens china there is:

This is a Lancaster and Sandland, England cheese dish from the 1920-1930s with Oliver Twist saying Oliver Twist Asks For More from Oliver Twist.

A Sam Weller character jug from The Pickwick Papers by SylvaCeramics.

A Lancaster dish from the 1930s in purple luster that says Sairey Gamp Entertains Betsy Prig from Martin Chuzzlewitt.

Another rendering of Sairey Gamp from Martin Chuzzlewitt by New Hall pottery also from the 1930s.

And Mr. Pecksniff from Martin Chuzzlewitt also by New Hall in the 1930s. All of these and more are available at Time Was Antiques. Just click on the photos.

Charles Dickens had a dramatic effect not only as a writer but as a crusader for improved conditions in England, and laterally of the world. His depictions of poverty, child labor, child crime, the workhouse and the social ills of his time were a voice for change and improvement. He lives on as a writer of incredible depth, humor and pathos...the supreme storyteller...and as a man ahead of his time in working for those who were often preyed upon in English society.

 I can remember crying so hard over the plight of Little Nell when I was a child and first read the book...

 The Old Curiosity Shop is still there, although it has been through several changes in the stock...from antiques and curios, to high fashion shoes, to carpets to an art gallery...but the outside remains unchanged...this is from one of our London visits...

So Happy Birthday sir, and thank you!

 

 

And 10 February is the anniversary of Queen Victoria's wedding to Prince Albert in 1840.

Frances Xavier Winterhalter did this lovely portrait of the bride...

On one of our annual trips to England, we saw an exhibit at Kensington Palace which included the Queen's wedding dress... she was tiny!

This photo is from the Royal Collection of the dress ahead of an exhibit at Kensington Palace in summer of 2020 which will focus on royal wedding dresses including Victoria's and the Duchess of Cambridge's...

Souvenirs of Queen Victoria are hard to find, and never stay long at Time Was Antiques. We currently have this lovely pair of Royal Crown Derby commemorative thimbles...

 1887 Golden Jubilee Maltese cross Royal Record medal....

An era named for a queen, the longest reigning until Queen Elizabeth surpassed her reign recently.

Have a lovely week.

Queen Elizabeth II Begins 68th Year As Queen On January 6th

Queen Elizabeth II begins her 68th year as queen on February 6, on the anniversary of the death of her father King George VI at Sandringham on February 6, 1952...

The actual coronation took place on June 2, 1953... below is an original programme from the coronation...

 

Just a week ago, on January 27th, Queen Elizabeth became the 5th longest serving world monarch....

And the Queen continues in her tradition of service and dedication to the nation... this photo is from 2019.

I have only respect and awe for the strength, denying of self and duty she always has shown and will continue to show.

An example to anyone in a place of responsibility and power.

 

 Time Was Antiques has many British Royal commemorative items.

Come visit us at Time Was Antiques, https://www.timewasantiques.net