Vintage Wednesday: Collecting China

I would have to say my love for collecting china is really not my fault. Really, it's not. You see, I come from a long line of women who love china.

I guess my first realization of this fact came when visiting my great aunt Beulah as a teenager. Aunt Beulah collected six china patterns before she died - one for each of her children. The last I remember her collecting was Royal Albert's Old Country Roses. And when I say collect, I mean she had at least eight place settings (Mama says at least 24 place settings because her dining table served 24) and assorted serving pieces for each set. She was prepared for all those children and grandchildren to gather around her table.

My mother carried on the china loving tradition. I believe she too has at least six different patterns in various colors and sizes, though there could be some tucked back that even I don't know about. We found a complete set of Franconia's Millefleurs (above with the silver) in one of our antique shop expeditions. In another adventure, we were treated like queens while picking out her Spode Christmas Rose (above with the green border) at Replacements, Ltd. in North Carolina - a mecca for finding old china patterns if you happen to be looking. But I think the most recent purchase has her the most excited - it's an old, hand painted Haviland Limoges pattern made somewhere between 1888 and 1896 that includes things like a covered gravy boat, various platters and even butter pats (see below, so hard to find!). She's even bought a china cabinet just to showcase this particular collection!

She's spent hours researching the name of this china and has only come up with the name of the blank - Marseille - and some clues about the "family" and possible date (1880s?). But in her research she's also found that Haviland hired Impressionist artists away from Paris to create the designs for their china. It's rumored that even the great Monet visited the Haviland factory studio. David Haviland set up an artists' studio in his china factory for artists he hired from Paris to create designs - some of which were hand painted. Her china is one of the patterns from this era. How wonderful!

My china collection began on my 16th birthday. That was my first gift of china, but not my last and I've got several patterns to show for it. I have one that's my go-to pattern for most meals. It's a cream on cream pattern. I got the bulk of it at Replacements in my mid-20s. It's Rosenthal's Sanssouci White and it does well in any season for any occasion. I like it so much, I've collected service for 24 just so I can have it to entertain larger crowds - and I have!

A couple years ago, however, I was perusing Rosenthal patterns on ebay and stumbled across Rosenthal's Vienna. I immediately sent it to Mama exclaiming over it's beauty. And, of course, that was Mama's Christmas present to me that year - eight gorgesous place settings with assorted fancy bits (like cream soup and berry bowls!) to go along.

The gold and the flowers evoke the "Age of Innocence" - even though it was probably produced in the late 1940s or early 1950s. The roses pop on a scarlet table cloth, and the blues, purples, pinks and greens make it easy to create an accompanying floral arrangement for a formal table.

I'm currently banned from brining more china in the house (though I've managed to sneak in some new after a recent trip to WV - from Mama of course). I'm sure, though, as soon as we have a little more room in our home, the bug will re-assert itself and I'll find another pattern I can cherish and grow... along with another china cabinet to fill. And if history serves as an example, Mama will be a contributing factor to my downfall. Because we can't help ourselves. We love the stuff!