Antique tea set

This entry is a bit of a reversal. More like a “currently mine.”

Present: Unbeknownst to me, over the last eight or so years, my father and his soon-to-be wife had been perusing antique shops and fairs in search of a perfectly mismatched bone china tea set for me. With the sixth and final teacup purchased just a month or so ago—the set was complete, and ready for them to present to me for my birthday. I was completely surprised and delighted to receive my very own china tea set—not to mention, truly touched by the years of thought that went into this special project. They had fun working on it, they said, and I feel regal sipping my tea from one of these dainty little cups.

Past: Of course, I would have love to have known the stories behind these items—who owned them prior to me, where did they live, in what manner were they used, etc.—but that is to remain a mystery. So, I did the next best thing: a little Google research. Here’s what I know about a few of the pieces . . .

Teapot: Manufactured by Homer Laughlin and distributed by Household Institute, this Priscilla pattern teapot dates back to 1944.

Creamer & sugar bowl: This floral Wedgwood pattern is stamped with the date August 1922 (or 1923) on the bottom. The handles have a unique look and feel with a gently twisted green stripe pattern.

Yellow teacup: Manufactured by a company called Aynsley that makes bone china in England, this cup seems to date back to 1934. I love the buttercup-yellow scalloped exterior of this cup!

Cream scalloped teacup: This was the last piece that my dad and Nancy picked up from a place called United House Wrecking in Stamford, CT. It’s a Wedgwood teacup, Edme is the pattern, and one site tells me that it is from the 1970s, while another says it dates back to 1908. Whoa, 100 years old! Though, quite possibly, this cup and saucer were not exactly meant to go together. The stamp on the bottom of the saucer doesn’t quite match the cup—though they’re both the Edme pattern. I suspect it’s the cup that’s really old. It looks like it has history behind it.

Green-tipped teacup: This is the one piece that’s from Japan, manufactured by Noritake. Apparently, this company had a million and one different styles to its insignia that it stamped on the bottom of its pieces. Presumably, this piece is from the 1930s or 1940s.

Pale yellow border teacup: And this is the one piece that’s from the U.S. It’s a pattern called Her Majesty, and it’s made by America Chinaware Corp. No info on the date—and it feels a bit sturdier than some of the other pieces. I feel like it came from a proper yet modest household—and that they used their china on a regular basis. And why not? Nice things don’t deserve to stay in hiding . . .