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We are always amazed at the creativity of our clients! After working on this slide show for several days, we are excited to share with you some of the designs from 2023. We hope you enjoy their artistic tablescapes!
PS – Thank you, clients and photographers, for allowing us to share your work!
Two ah-ha moments occurred as we were planning this week’s blog post. The first happened while browsing our photo library and came across our very first wedding. It was October 2013, our first year in business. It’s hard to describe how exciting it was to book our first real event! While reminiscing about this day, the idea to feature one October event for every subsequent year popped into our heads. Our search began…
The second moment was finally figuring out how to add a slide show. If you’ll remember, we attempted to do that earlier this year but just couldn’t figure it out. So frustrating! Well, we are happy to debut our first slide show! Rolling back 11 years, each slide portrays one event that year in October. Being our first, it’s not as polished as we’d like but we are happy to have it up and running!
Photo credits – 2013-SVT, 2014-SVT, 2015-SVT, 2016-Live View Studios, 2017-Parent, 2018-JP Pratt, 2019-Samuel Holt, 2020-Becca Ames, 2021-Brian Anthony, 2022-Kasey Powell, 2023-SVT, Header-Joanna Sue
Eleven vintage hand painted teacups have been on many adventures and now they have settled in at Southern Vintage Table. Gifted by the doctor who delivered my children and the mother of our client, these teacups carry much meaning for us.
Each teacup and saucer also has a small plate that carries the same floral theme. We’ll reveal each layer for you to marvel!
Last month Southern Vintage Table provided tea accessories for the second annual Cynthia’s Primrose Tea at Mitford Museum in Hudson, NC. Once Jan Karon’s elementary school, The Mitford Museum hosts this fundraiser to further its “mission to advance the common good through literacy, creativity, and community.”
After selecting the teapots and teacups, we were inspired to take a few photos of these vintage beauties before they were packed up. Aren’t they lovely?
Virginia Woolfe
“Who would not spout the family teapot in order to talk with Keats for an hour about poetry, or with Jane Austen about the art of fiction?
Birds are amazing creatures – they can fly, lay eggs, and have beautiful feathers. The way they strut on their two feet is quite delightful! So, it makes sense they would adorn many vintage china patterns. Today we are sharing some of the ones we have in our collection but there are many, many more.
Our first set is a group paying homage to the pheasant. There are many species of pheasants and most of the males have gorgeous, vibrant feathers. We learned they are also quite delicious.
These three vintage patterns are known as Asiatic Pheasants. This popular pattern was created in England during the mid 1800s and has been copied by many different pottery companies.
Pheasants are also on these next patterns. Their bright feathers are prominently featured. The first is a vintage design by Johnson Brothers, the second is Chelsea Bird by Myott, the third is Spring Garden by Royal Gallery, and the last pattern is from France, called Vieux Provence by Varagas.
It appears that birds that are delicious to eat appear more often on plate patterns! Quail by Furnival comes in a variety of two tones – we have blue small plates and brown dinner plates in our collection.
And, of course, we see lots of roosters and chickens on dinner plates. These whimsical patterns are mid century, with the first and last are Taylor Smith & Taylor and the middle one is Scio.
These next patterns have birds that we cannot identify, but they do add beauty and detail to each pattern. They are Devonshire by Johnson, Willliamsburg Potpourri by Wedgwood, Vintage Woodsong by Fine China, and Spodes Tower by Spodes.
Lastly, the most recognized pattern, Blue Willow, has the famous pair of turtle doves. The story goes that two forbidden lovers were saved by the gods and turned into these loving doves. Did you know that there’s a Pink Willow and a multitude of versions of this original pattern, designed by Thomas Turner in the late 1700s?
Hope you have enjoyed today’s birds on plates blog. We are pretty sure there are more in our collection and, if so, a sequel will follow!
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!
Hello Yellows!
Casablanca, Jubilee, Damsel, RYL398, Queen’s Rose, Vendome
Buenos Dias BROWNS!
Monterey, Overture, Casa Del Sol, Barcelona, RYL4, Nutmeg, Can Can
Oh la la – ORANGE is next!
Mozambique and Sahara
Bonjour Blues!
Patio, Aurora,Baghdad, Blue Heaven
G’day Greens and Blues!
RYL360, Camelot, RYL86, RYL3, Flower Dance, RYL16
Greetings to the Greens!
RYL 137, RYL325, RYL403
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!
Passion, energy, positivity, strength – adding even just a little red to a tablescape promotes all of these sentiments. And, did you know that both your appetite and table conversation can be enhanced with this dynamic color? Knowing this, we went on the hunt to find red among our vintage decor collection. Perhaps these examples will spark a few ideas on how you can invigorate your tablescape and event!
What red decor ideas are you ready to try?
Tomorrow Americans will celebrate the 246th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Towns and homes across the country have donned their banners, flags, and swags in red, white, and blue to recognize the day we mark as America’s birthday.
In recognition of this day of parades, fireworks, and family bbqs, we pulled from our archives images of vintage tableware and decor in red, white, and blue just for you!
RED – RED – RED – RED – RED – RED – RED – RED – RED – RED
WHITE – WHITE – WHITE – WHITE – WHITE – WHITE
BLUE – BLUE – BLUE – BLUE – BLUE – BLUE – BLUE – BLUE
Although perfect for a July 4th celebration, these patriotic colors are quite lovely for any event. Happy 4th, all!
Today’s post is not about pretty vintage dishes or goblets; it’s all about the fabulous folks who have visited our studio in search of their vintage jive. Whether planning a wedding reception, birthday party, bridal shower, dinner party, or styled shoot, there’s nothing quite like being amist rows of vintage goblets in almost every color, vintage plates from different decades, shelves filled with teacups, and a room full of decor.
Some folks come solo to concentrate on their own vision; others bring their mother, sister, best friend, planner, and even their florist with whom they share ideas. And, of course, the bride and groom often arrive together to plan their reception tablescape that’s uniquely theirs.
Thank you all again for coming over and chatting with us! We are always excited to share our inventory and witness how your creative tablescape emerges!
As well as wonderful celebrations, family time,
and sweet memories.
Happy July 4th, 2021!
