Getting things ready to take to Louise’s house for our bridal shower!
It was Friday and I started to panic. Usually by now I had decided on my weekly post topic, taken all the photographs, edited and uploaded them and written the first draft. Well, with all the preparations for our Yaya bridal shower, I kept pushing blog stuff to the back burner. I know next week’s post will be about our lovely shower, but what about this Sunday? Then it came to me – I should set the stage for next week’s post by sharing a little about my friends and our shower planning. Won’t be as many photos but next week there should be a plethora of images, thanks to Katherine Jones Miles, who is coming to take photos!
My friendship with this wonderful group of women goes way back to when we were young teachers. Most of us worked at one school together for years and when the new school opened, we all followed our incredible principal, Charley. That was 1994 – 20 years ago – and as our working relationship strengthened, we also became very close friends. Somewhere in there we officially became the Yayas.
We love spending time together – whether we are lounging at Louise’s beach condo, eating dinner at Margaret’s Cantina or Dick & Jane’s Martini & Tapas Bar, savoring our Christmas feast at Mary’s home or planning one of new adventures, we love sharing our lives with each other. Now two of us have retired, two more will retire this year and in the next few years, the younger two will join the rest of us. We all look forward to spending more time together!
When Mary told us her daughter was engaged the rest of us were so excited for her and for us, too, because we knew we would be planning a bridal shower together! Cis got on her computer and our first email was entitled “Initial Delegation of Duties for Melanie’s Shower.” Classic Cis – getting us organized and ready! Knowing Mary, the quintessential Southern lady, we easily came up with the menu – country ham biscuits, pimento cheese and cucumber sandwiches, chicken salad, cheese straws, vegetable tray, fruit salad and deviled eggs. Our drink list included iced tea and a mimosa bar. Desserts featured Jami’s key lime tarts and Pat’s top-secret-recipe chocolate cake. Yummy!
Our duties were divvied out – Pat, Cis, Jami and Louise had the food covered, I would handle the tableware and decor, and Jami would design our flower arrangements. Louise offered hers and Pete’s beautiful country home as our venue and she and I would take care of the invitations. It may not take a village to host a bridal shower but it’s definitely more fun when you have good friends!
With help from Pete, Van, Carrie and Bill, we were ready for Saturday’s “Linens, Lace & Lingerie” bridal shower. Check in next week to see how our Country Farmhouse decor theme works out. As Louise would say, we are sooooooo excited! Right on, Louise!
Yes, they are utilitarian but they can also be delicate, bold, pretty, artistic and fun! I’m talking about pitchers and teapots, of course. Ceramic, glass and even metal – they span a variety colors and styles and are available at Southern Vintage Table.
Let’s start with our classic vintage amber and avocado green glass pitchers. Like vintage goblets and tumblers, the textures and shapes make them all so interesting!
The clear glass pitchers in our inventory are also varied and beautiful!
Glass Pitchers-15+ (Gallery)
Teapots were first designed in China during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) when leaf infusion became a popular way to drink tea. Typically made from porcelain, they can have many shapes, colors and designs. Here are some in our collection!
Lemon Teapot
Pair of Dark Blue Teapots
Serve up your iced and hot drinks with our vintage pitchers and teapots from Southern Vintage Table! Be sure to check out more of our lovely inventory on our new Pinterest Board!
Vintage Romance pattern by Duchess features yellow and pink flowers.
If there is one color that embodies happiness it has to be yellow! It’s the color of daffodils, sunflowers and sunshine. Now that spring is officially here, it’s the perfect time to showcase our inventory of yellow at Southern Vintage Table!
Let’s start with vintage china patterns that feature yellow flowers. We’ve got Golden Button by Taylor Smith & Taylor, Starlight by Salem China, Summertime by Staffordshire and Forsythia by Knowles. Aren’t they all lovely?
I adore yellow roses and this vintage pattern is beautiful! I can’t find the pattern name but the mark on the back says American Ironstone.
Yellow also shows up in many bold, geometric vintage patterns. This collection comes from Royal China and Taylor Smith & Taylor.
Watch your guests smile when they see your table set with vintage yellow china patterns. Southern Vintage Table also has an amazing collection of vintage amber goblets and tumblers that are the beautiful compliment!
According to German legend, a delicate little blossom was almost forgotten when God was naming all the flowers. “Forget me not, O Lord,” cried the little flower. God decreed, “That shall be your name.” How charming!
Wikipedia describes another tale that explains the pretty shade of blue. As the Creator was assigning colors to the flowers, he heard a soft whisper, “Forget me not.” The only color left was a little bit of blue which was given to the small flower. As the story goes, the flower was delighted and so are we as we admire this lovely midcentury pattern created in its honor by Myott & Sons of England.
I first saw this pattern at Elma’s Copper Awning in Mebane. In a previous post, I mentioned that she and Scott bought this set of china for me at an auction as part of our bartering arrangement. I immediately fell in love with the creamy color, the swirl around the rim and the color of the delicate flowers. With these features, it’s perfect for mixing and matching with some of the other vintage patterns at Southern Vintage Table.
Let’s start with the dinner plate. Here are several different looks this charming pattern can create with other lovely vintage patterns!
Whether on the outside as the dinner plate, or inside as the salad, the “Forget-me-not” pattern is sweet!
Southern Vintage Table is also fortunate to have serving pieces in this lovely pattern. With such a beautiful color and pattern, Forget-Me-Not on your table will help make your gala affair unforgettable!
Have you ever had a “a-ha” moment about a word you have used all of your life but didn’t really think about where it came from? Recently I did with the words “iron” and “ironing”.
Last week a set of vintage iron trivets was shared with Southern Vintage Table and as I was imagining how they could be used as vintage decor, I wanted first to learn about them. According to Collectors’ Weekly Sad and Flat Irons, it turns out vintage irons and iron trivets are a part of a long history of people wanting their clothes and linens to be smooth and unwrinkled, dating as far back as first century BC.
The word “iron” wasn’t used until the “de-wrinkling” instrument was made from the metal, iron. Before then, people used a variety of other things like stones, wood, glass and even bone. After the English traveled to China and saw that heat helped to de-wrinkle, they started using heated utensils. Along came “sad” irons, solid handled pieces of iron that when heated over a hot fire, could smooth fabrics. Moving this hot piece of iron over the cloth became known as “ironing.” A companion piece to the sad iron was an iron trivet, a metal stand to set the iron on when hot. By the way, “sad” doesn’t mean you were unhappy when ironing although it was a hard, hot and even dangerous task back then; it is the old English word for solid.
In our vintage decor collection at Southern Vintage Table we have this sad iron with “Jakes” on the handle and an early electric model with an indistinguishable label. Both are very heavy! Also below is a stack of vintage iron trivets.
A breakthrough in ironing was made when Mary Florence Potts invented the sad iron that was pointed on both ends. Then she introduced a model, which she patented, with a detachable handle. Sets of 3 irons with one handle hit the post-Civil War market. With two irons on the stove or fire, the person could quickly exchange the cooled iron for a hot one. In 1882 an “electric sadiron” was invented by Henry W. Seeley but since many rural homes did not have electricity for many decades following his invention and the many improvements thereafter, sad irons were commonly used in rural America up to the 1950s. My husband’s mother remembers her mother, Esther, using one which would be sometime in the 1940s to 50s.
After my research, I started playing around with the trivets, exploring different ways they could be used on the vintage table. With their flat sides, they are perfect for setting something on – like a plant, a bowl of fruit or a vignette of old bottles and flowers. Of course, it also can be used as a trivet for a hot dish. Notice how the trivet interestingly defines the space on the table.
Then I noticed they sat upright, too! Pointing up, the trivet can be a stand for a vintage card, a table number sign or even food signs on the buffet table. I love this look!
Once considered an essential skill for a young woman to have, ironing is now an occasional and simple task. Pay tribute to the many women, and even men, who labored with these irons and trivets by decorating with them on your vintage table. From vintage iron trivets to elegant china, Southern Vintage Table is ready to help make your event charming, memorable and even a bit historical!
No doubt, I love vintage china, glassware and linens – the patterns, colors, and beauty all inspire me. But there’s another category of tableware from the vintage table to rediscover and admire – silver-plated dishes, flatware and accessories. Whether elegant, casual or shabby chic, the gleam of silver adds sophistication and richness to the table.
One cool feature of silver is the gradient from really tarnished to really shiny. I love shiny silver but I also appreciate the rich patina of the darker, tarnished pieces. This metallic range of colors translates into versatility and style!
The first silver I started collecting for Southern Vintage Table was flatware. I remember finding several in a bin at the thrift store and making that decision to bring silver flatware into the inventory. I knew it would take some time to build up a collection for a large gathering. Fork by fork and spoon by spoon, we now have beautiful, gleaming collection of vintage silver flatware patterns. How delightful that each guest may personally enjoy the beauty of silver with every bite!
Along the way, we also have collected beautiful serving trays, pitchers, bowls and platters. I did not have time this week to research the history and makers of these lovely pieces but plan to feature them in an upcoming article.
Want just a few accent pieces? We have a little bit of a lot – bud vases, small trays, goblets, candle holders – even a vintage hairbrush.
Our silver-plate collection at Southern Vintage Table also includes a large wine cooler, ice bucket and serving utensils. As you plan your next gathering consider adding touches of this precious metal to your table. Whether a little darkened with tarnish or gleaming with sheen, vintage silver will dazzle your guests! Be sure to check out more pieces on our Pinterest Board!
I remember the first time I heard the term “milk glass.” My dear sister-in-law, Cathy, was packing up her house to move to the Outer Banks. She showed me a vase and explained it was hobnail milk glass. I recall thinking “what a cool name” and I think I even had her spell it since I had never heard “hobnail”, but it wasn’t love at first sight for me. Of course, I said something like, “hmmm, that’s interesting” but I didn’t quite understand why anyone would collect a knobby white vase. Like many twists in life, I never imagined I’d be building a collection of milk glass today for my business, Southern Vintage Table!
Since then I’ve educated myself a bit on this classic vintage glassware. I’ve learned that milk glass has been around since the 1500s but the term “milk glass” wasn’t coined until the twentieth century. Although “milk glass” was popularized by the white milk-like color, the word “milk” doesn’t necessarily mean white; it means the glass isn’t transparent, but translucent. Here’s a little bit of chemistry trivia – they use either tin oxide or bone ash (yep, ashes of real bones) to give the glass that milky white color!
“Opal glass.” as it was called, comes in white, brown and black as well as in hues of green, yellow, pink and blue. It was invented in Venice in the 16th century, spread to France and England and then to America. First considered collectables by the wealthy, many American companies began making less expensive milk glassware for the masses. One highly, collectable and popular variety is Jadeite, which has a beautiful light green color. Our collection is only white but I’m always on the lookout for the other colors.
Probably all of us have seen the many styles of milk glass vases. I’ve collected small bud to large bouquet vases, with wonderful designs and textures. Here are some from our collection!
I love the vintage compotes and serving dishes in the milky white color. Food just looks extra delicious against the pure white of the dish!
Vintage milk glass goblets and small compotes are also lovely and can be used as either vases, planters, or small serving dishes!
The purity of white vintage milk glass is a classic choice for so many special gatherings such as weddings, receptions, showers, anniversaries, and dinner parties. Invite Southern Vintage Table to help you set the table with this charming vintage accessory! More of our collection can be seen on our Pinterest Board.
I came across another beautiful set of china that fits perfectly with the vintage china collection at Southern Vintage Table. This vintage set belonged to Grandmother Belle and, according to her daughter in law, was used on special occasions. I can imagine how delighted Belle must have been when she set her table for her guests with her fine china! This pattern is by Grace China and called Formal Garden. Discontinued in 1939, it was made in pre-war Japan which means it’s at least 75 years old!
This pattern is truly beautiful, but I think the sweet floral design stands out even more when mixed with other vintage patterns. Here’s a collection of place settings featuring the Formal Garden dinner plate with a medley of salad plates. Some patterns are contemporaries with Formal Garden and others were manufactured decades later. Such historical richness in a place setting!
Here are a few photos with the soup/salad bowl and the dessert plate. Charming!
Another gorgeous vintage china pattern in our vintage china collection ready for you to share with your guests! Contact Southern Vintage Table for more information about our event packages with our lovely, vintage wares. We look forward to hearing from you!
It’s time to catch up with some of our new additions to our inventory here at Southern Vintage Table! We have found a little bit of everything and we know you’ll love them all!
We added three new teacups to our growing collection of lovely china. This one is gorgeous, inside and out, with its purple flowers and gold trim. This vintage set is by Royal Sealy China of Japan.
Here’s a version of the Blue Willow pattern that I had not seen before. This pair of teacups were made in Occupied Japan, making them a bit of a collector’s item, and this dates them between 1945-52. I didn’t notice that detail until I brought them home because I was taken by their beautiful cobalt blue color with gold trim. What a nice surprise!
It was an amazing week as far as pink glassware! I found three Jeannette Glass Cube footed tumblers from the early 1930s. The pair of pink embossed goblets are a little less vintage. The pattern, Arbor by Noritake, was discontinued in the late 1990s.
The next three finds are now in our vintage decor collection. One is a vintage jug that would be perfect for a spray of flowers and the another is a vintage flour sifter. They belonged to Belle and they are probably from the 1930s-40s. The vintage wooden box is from a thrift store nearby – I love the rough, darkened wood!
Found this trio of charming dessert plates at a flea market. I love the hand-painted dogwood, something I can’t walk away from since the dogwood is our state’s official flower! The pattern is Dixie Dogwood by Joni and although they’re a bit crazed, I appreciate their beauty.
We added to our milk glass collection with these three vases. Their regal design is a new one for me!
Perhaps my favorite find is this beautiful, hand crocheted lace overlay. It’s incredible! I found it at a local thrift store so I do not know anymore than what I can see – but that’s saying a lot!
These and other unique vintage items are now available at Southern Vintage China. Add a bit of beauty and history to your next happy occasion!
This elaborate china pattern features a very popular Godey print!
I love flowers on vintage china patterns – pinks, blues, yellows and greens in floral motifs are beautiful to behold as you sit down to your dinner meal. And, although flowers are lovely, I also appreciate non-floral china patterns decorated with images of roosters, funky shapes and people. As I looked through our inventory at Southern Vintage Table I realized that we had quite a few “people” patterns and decided it would be interesting and fun to see these all together!
Let’s start with the Godey print china patterns portraying Victorian life. I researched this Colonial couple a while back and discovered that this print actually came from a magazine called Godey’s Magazine and Lady’s Book. According to Wikipedia, the magazine was printed from 1830-1898 and the editor during most of that era was Sarah Josepha Hale, the author of “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”
The magazine is best known for the hand-tinted fashion plate that appeared at the start of each issue, which provide a record of the progression of women’s dress. Publisher Louis Godey showed off that in 1859, it cost $105,200 to produce the Lady’s Book, with the coloring of the fashion-plates costing $8,000.[15] Almost every issue also included an illustration and pattern with measurements for a garment to be sewn at home. A sheet of music for piano provided the latest waltz, polka or galop.
Wow! Can you imagine how exciting it must have been to get this magazine every month with the hottest fashions, a dress pattern and the latest music hit? Well worth that $3 a year subscription price, right? Read more about the influence of this magazine on American culture – I learned that wearing white on your wedding day, putting up a Christmas tree and even the celebration of Thanksgiving became popular traditions because of this publication! Get more details in the Wikipedia article – it’s a fascinating read!
Godey Print by Salem
Godey Print by Salem
Godey Print by Harker
Apparently this print featured above was very popular when you consider how many different china companies used it as their center design. I looked on a popular china replacement website and found at least 37 different china patterns with this one print! Companies like Limoges, Sebring Pottery, Homer Laughlin, Canonsburg, Harker, Cronin, Stetson, Sheffield, Royal, WS George, Salem and Crooksville all had this print on at least one pattern – in fact, several had it on multiple patterns. I wish I knew how all these china companies ended up with this one Godey print, so if anyone out there can enlighten me, please do!
We also have four china patterns with a similar look from that same time period – the first is a Godey print and the other two are very similar.
Pattern by Salem
Pattern by Salem
I think this is a Godey print but not sure.
See the lamb in her lap and his hand on his heart? Sweet…
Homer Laughlin pattern
This look was popular through the mid century. I found a Salem China’s advertisement from 1945 featuring the Godey print pattern with this comment.
“Every meal becomes an “occasion” when your table is set with Salem’s Godey’s prints. Faithful color reproductions with all the charm of Godey’s Lady’s Book.”
Now let’s take a look at another view of American life in this series of “people” patterns that were popular mid-century through sometime in the 1980s. Farm and rural life are depicted in many china patterns; perhaps the most well known are the Currier & Ives patterns from Royal China and Scio. The landscape scenery is the main focus but there are folks in there, too! The blue pattern is made by Royal China, the green by Scio and the last one is by Metlox Poppytrail, All three china companies were once thriving industries in America – Royal China and Scio were located in Ohio and Metlox was in California.
Currier & Ives by Royal China – the old grist mill is featured on the dinner plate.
Royal China – Old Grist Mill scene on dinner plate
Royal China’s Currier & Ives series had a harvest scene is on the bread & butter plate
Royal China’s Currier & Ives series had a harvest scene is on the bread & butter plate
Currier & Ives by Scio
Currier & Ives by Scio
Wayne County by Royal China
Wayne County by Royal China
Homestead Provincial by Poppytrail bread & butter plate
What I love about these rural series is that each of the china pieces in a pattern have a different scene so the entire set works together to tell the story – a multi motif pattern. For instance, the blue Currier & Ives has an Old Grist Mill on the dinner plate, the salad plate has an image of Washington’s birthplace and the cereal bowl shows a schoolhouse covered in snow. How delightful! Here’s one resource that you might enjoy about Royal China and the Currier & Ives series. By the way, I learned from Wikipedia that Currier & Ives were not the artists of the prints; they owned the printmaking firm that produced the artwork.
The final “people” plates are two that portray early American History. The Liberty Blue series is also multi-motif with the dinner plate showcasing Independence Hall and the other is called Old Church Tower Jamestown Blue by Adams China. It features images from this settlement and portraits of John Smith and Princess Pocahontas!
Liberty Blue by Strffordshire
See the folks strolling on the grounds?
Old Church Tower Jamestown by Adams China
Captain John Smith
Princess Pocahontas
As I researched and wrote this blog, I became more deeply enthralled with the work of the artisans of the china and dinnerware industry. Their artistry is encapsulated in a piece of china for generations to enjoy at the family dinner table. How cool is that?
We have these patterns and others in our inventory at Southern Vintage Table! Give us a call or send an email to find out how we can help make your next gathering special and memorable!
