Jane Austen Pride And Prejudice Anniversary 1813-2020

Hello to my friends. January 28th is the anniversary of the publishing of Jane Austen's Pride And Prejudice in 1813...

 

 

My favourite is the 1995 version with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle...

The book was originally published with the author listed as A Lady, as it was considered scandalous for a gently bred woman to publish a book.

Eventually, her favourite brother Henry Austen let the cat out of the bag... and subsequently the Prince Regent hinted strongly she should dedicate her next work to him, as he had been an early and devoted fan of her books.

She dedicated Emma to him in 1816.

 It was thought she was not that fond of the idea, but felt it correct to do so...

This pair of Regency or Georgian hallmarked silver sugar tongs were made in 1828, and I like to think Jane Austen must have used a similar pair...

Where indeed would be without her wonderful books!

So glad to remember this anniversary! 

Mr Darcy, you must allow me to present this young lady to you as a desireable partner...

 

Prince Charles & Princess Diana Royal Wedding Gifts Part 3, Sugar Tongs

I am continuing with part 3 of the wedding gifts received by Prince Charles and Princess Diana at their Royal Wedding in 1981 from the gift catalog of the gift exhibition held at St. James Palace after the wedding.

205.  Wedgwood glass decanter and 24 tumblers       Staffordshire CntyCouncil
206.  Herend porcelain salmon dish                                  Gen'l Trading Co, London
207.  large handbell used at Gordonstoun school        Scotland
208.  Georgia silver salver arms of George IV                 Florence, Italy
209.  Herend porcelain ducks                                                 Scotland

213. a book "Collecting Miniatures" by Daphne Foskett       Cheshire
214. a milk jug and covered butter dish                                        London
215. a Herend porcelain rooster                                                       London

     220. walking stick w/ badger's head, 8 Newmarket leg
               bandages for horses                                                                       Leicestershire

221. Royal Worcester game casserole                                            Kent
223. Herend porcelain owl                                                                  Berkshire

                                                  
226. handworked Irish linen traycloths                                       Norfolk
228. Staffordshire china cheese knife                                            Cheshire
230.  set of 8 gold and enamel coffee spoons                                Surrey
232. set of table mats                                                                             Berkshire
234. 2 pairs of wood salt & pepper grinders                                London
246. a decorated egg                                                                               Northumberland
247. box of decorated soaps                                                                Blackpool
248. a wooden egg timer                                                                       Hereford

250. a lace garter made by the donor                                            USA

251. green velvet lavender pin cushion                                           Australia
252. a decorated egg                                                                                Kent
254. 2 "Wedding Day" cups and saucers                                       London

256. a Welsh carved wooden love spoon                                             Wales
257. book "Happiness and How To Find It                                         Wales
258. a silver bunny ring minder                                                              W Sussex

259. a box of Highland Toffee                                                             Scotland
265. a small lucky mascot                                                                    London
268. a grain of rice in a silver container with a Good Luck
    message on it & mini spy glass to read it                                   Sussex
269. book "Language Of The Flowers"                                            USA
270. a Bible and small silver sugar tongs                                      Wiltshire

                                   
As the last gift I covered today was a pair of sugar tongs, I have added the above photo of n English hallmarked pair of spoon ended sugar tongs at Time Was Antiques as an example. I don't know if theirs were spoon ends or claw ends, but there is a claw end pair from our stock at Time Was Antiques:

To see more info on either one, just click on the photo.


It's raining again here, but we had 2 lovely, sunny days. We could clearly see the coast of Vancouver Island, and the areas surrounding Victoria, B.C. Canada across the Strait of Juan De Fuca. Gorgeous! We have had 3 Orca playing in the harbor of Port Angeles, inside the breakwater for the last 2 days as well. How fun! They were easily seen from the docks and Coho Ferry. This is a fairly unusual thing, so a great excitement to us locals.


Have a great day, and have a cup of tea with a friend.

Apostles on spoons? Devotion at the tea table? Wedgwood pink jasperware box

Well, I am devoted to a cup of tea and one of the fun things I found growing up with a part English family and then all over England is the prevalence of spoons and sugar tongs with figural ends shaped like robed apostles.  I have seen them from all the famous silver makers in in everything from solid gold to aluminum...EPNS and nickel silver, silver plated and hallmarked sterling silver.

This is a sterling silver pair of sugar tongs made in Chester, England in 1921.  Apostle spoons have been popular for centuries. They evolved with a religious or devotional use, the honoring of a saint, and often coming in sets of 12 with a Christ spoon to commemorate the Last Supper. The British Museum has a spoon dating to 1536. 


Apostle spoons were a popular baptismal gift or for weddings and confirmations but have become just a traditionally accepted classic design for spoons and sugar tongs. I was told once in England that you can even tell which of the apostles is represented by the way they are depicted and with what included elements, but I've never researched it. I just think they are a great English tea time tradition. For more about the sugar tongs above at Time Was Antiques, click on the photo.

Since it is Valentine's Day soon, here is a Wedgwood pink and white jasperware heart shaped box with the classical design of The Procession.  Wedgwood jasperware, which is a type of stoneware, is difficult and painstaking to make. We loved watching it being made in England at the Wedgwood pottery in Stoke. The museum in Barlaston, England is still doing some working exhibits of it's manufacture and is well worth the trip if you are by Staffordshire. The museum is absolutely incredible!!


To see more photos and info about the Wedgwood jasperware heart box at Time Was Antiques, click on the photo.


Wedgwood Museum website

Remember our current special at Time Was Antiques

LOVE Valentine 10% Discount - enter LOVE coupon code 025 for 10% off orders over $50.00. Through February, may be reused. A sweet day for love! Use coupon code 025 when ordering for 10% off when your order is over $50.00.