One year ago, April 2022, we began our transition into Suite 14 at Boone Square. With a lot of help and support, this move was an incredible accomplishment for our vintage rental business.
It sure wasn’t easy. We worked long hours unpacking and shelving for days and months, had a trumpet fall on my head, tripped over a rug and hit my head, made so many trips to get free crates from a grocery store and boxes from the ABC store, and then pleaded for folks to take the crates, and recycled all the liquor boxes. A few more things happened in there, too, but it all seems like it was so long ago!
To our dismay, we didn’t figure out how to create a super amazing slide show with some awesome befores and afters. Dang. We will persist and it will happen. Maybe next week or maybe next year, but we’ll figure it out. In the meantime, here are just a few side by sides from April 2022 to April 2023.
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We love how our studio works for us and our clients! It’s an awesome space and we look forward to meeting even more clients who appreciate vintage as much as we do!
These two vintage patterns, Old Curiosity Shop and Currier and Ives, may be the most recognizable patterns in America. They were produced by Royal China, based out of Sebring, Ohio. Once a powerhouse in the china business, this American company produced over 1700 patterns from 1934-1980s.
From our own collection, we have these two patterns, but we also have patterns that feature florals, gold rims, and ornate designs. On the other end of the spectrum, we have bold, funky patterns that the company produced in the 1950s-1980s. Like many successful companies, Royal China adapted their look based on the times.
While researching this company, we also uncovered that in 1934 Beatrice Miller applied for the bank loan to start this company with her two male partners. She was turned away because sponsoring a woman-owned business was preposterous. Soon after, one of her partners visited the same bank and their loan was approved.
Beatrice was a pioneer in the pottery business and for all women entrepreneurs. Under her leadership and her two male partners, Royal China thrived for the next 50 years. One other side note, their mission was to make affordable china for the general public that were sold in grocery markets, five-and-dime stores, and other small businesses. They were also promotional giveaways for many companies.
Fast forward from the depression era to the 1950s. Royal China launched a new look for their customers. As a sign of the times, the patterns became more whimsical, bold, and colorful. With names like Blue Heaven, Tell Me Yes, Flower Dance, and Leaf Spirit, these patterns spoke to the hip public who wanted more than pretty flowers with gold inlays. Don’t you love the ad with the title, “Meet the Swingers from Royal?”
Although we have patterns from many companies that followed this trend, Royal China leads the pack for us. We are presenting these by their color family – yellows, browns, oranges, blues, blue-greens, and greens. All of these, as you will note, kept to a simple color palette with their bold pattern. Now, let us introduce you to some of our favorite retro patterns!
Imagine setting your tables with these super cool, groovy patterns. Along with more retro patterns from other potters in our collection, they will be a natural conversation starter for any event!
We all arrived with our favorite dishes to share and, as we have for over five decades, enjoyed a delicious Thanksgiving meal together. Sisters, brothers, cousins, children, aunts, uncles, grandparents, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and friends – every flavor of family looks forward to our Bass-Heath-Roberson-Friends gathering.
Southern Vintage Table (aka Shelly 🙂 ), along with Rowena, Allie, Tommy, Sandy, and Melissa, arrived Wednesday at the Rolesville Masonic Lodge to set the tables. This year’s colorful theme included printed tablecloths with colored placemats and mid-century plates in greens, yellows, and blues. Also added to each place setting were mixed and matched vintage napkins, clear goblets, and stainless flatware.
Rowena and Melissa arranged centerpieces from greenery, flowers, and berries gathered from our yards and gardens. These were placed in colored bottles and vases down the tables with vintage candle holders and votives The result? Three long tables dressed in happy hues of blues, greens, and gold!
(Thank you, Wiley and Sandy, for posting these on Facebook!)
Although some family members are no longer with us and others couldn’t make it this year, we all dearly love this annual celebration. We’ll be back next year to do it again!
The tradition continues, Susie, Wiley, Christine, Aline, Weldon, and Toot – and your families dearly thank you!
