Mismatched Vintage China Rental NC Archives - Page 42 of 42

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

A Vintage Adventure – I Love Auctions but Thrift Stores are Still My Number 1

Recently I ventured outside of the thrift store arena to attend a couple of auctions and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I got some things that you probably can’t find at a thrift store today, like a butter churn and washboard. But, for basic vintage bargains, the thrift store can’t be beat. Whether it’s one topless sugar dish, a vintage ironing board or a set of beautiful gold trimmed bar glasses, thrift stores have it all – not all at once or at every store, but that’s part of the fun – you have to go out and find it. And, you have to be a frequent visitor.

Here are some of my latest thrift store finds that have been added to the Southern Vintage Table collection.

After visiting my mom I usually stop at a thrift store closeby. On this last trip there was a set of the coolest highball glasses sitting on the shelf! They were all in perfect condition with their intricate, delicate gold trim. While I was inspecting them, the thrift store employee put out these small lovely blue vases. With the vintage glasses, vases, blue drawer, sign and decanter, the bar is open!

I found this vintage ironing board at one of the junkiest stores in town – it’s so packed you have to move furniture to get to some of the items. Needless to say, I love stopping in. This vintage wooden ironing board was sitting behind the door with a split down the middle. After some wood glue and clamping, it’s ready to be part of your vintage decor. Whether it’s a dessert table, welcoming station or drink bar, it will be charming!

At one of the thrift stores nearby, they have an outside area with bins filled with left overs from estates. Some broken, dusty and dirty, but good stuff to look through. For $2, which goes into a fund to help local folks with the upkeep of their homes, you get to fill a box. Sometimes there are also larger items nearby, which is where I found this vintage typewriter. I have to say this is one of my most favorite finds – the color, the condition and the look embodies the spirit of retro vintage.

Another favorite thrift store is close to my home and I stop in pretty often. The prices are usually very low and folks appreciate it, so if you see something you like, or even think you like, you better get it that day or it will be gone. I found this silver-plated shell dish for under $2. It was very tarnished and a bit unsightly, but I took a chance it would shine right up. It did – I almost can’t believe how beautiful it is. Looked this one up – it was made in England and valued at about $50.

This collection of items all came from various stores. I love the old tins and the two candle holders, once tarnished and encrusted with wax, now gleam. The teapot didn’t have a lid and I even found the candles on the shelf. When I think about where each of these items have been and how they ended up with me, it’s like an adventure story!

So, will I go to another auction? You bet – the energy, the variety of vintage items and the people make it very exciting. The gambling atmosphere is a little risky (at least for novices like me) but certainly fun. However, the everyday thrift store is still my favorite place to hunt. For the unexpected, and usually, very inexpensive vintage item, thrift stores are where it’s at.

All of these wonderful vintage items are here at Southern Vintage Table and we would love to share them with you at your next gathering!

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Vintage Feature – Layering with Square Vintage Plates

Square vintage plates are now high on my list of favorites here at Southern Vintage Table. Whether it’s a dinner, salad or dessert plate, glass or porcelain, the unexpected shape is a sweet surprise! They look terrific layered and also make fabulous serving dishes.

One classic vintage square plate pattern is Madrid by Federal Glass, manufactured during the early 1930s in Columbus, Ohio. This is the only Madrid dinner plate I have found on my adventures and will be a lovely serving plate for sweet treats or hors d’oeuvres.

Classic blue and white – a look we all love. This white swirl salad plate by Johnson Brothers between the two vintage blue dishes makes this place setting distinctive.

This setting features a square plate with a Godey print. The image comes from a publication called Godey’s Lady’s Book which was popular in the mid to late1800s. Here’s a link to the site, Accessible Archives, with articles from this vintage publication – very interesting material!

This final layered settings are for that high drama look. These vintage china patterns featuring gold and flowers and beautiful by themselves but layered together, wow!

Square is in – at least for vintage china place settings. They can be center stage or the backdrop pattern but two things are for certain – they will add pizzazz to your table and Southern Vintage Table is ready to help!

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A Vintage Adventure – Thrifting with a Kindred Friend is Twice the Fun

I really do enjoy looking for vintage items for my business, Southern Vintage Table and actually like going solo. I don’t have to consult with anyone about where I’m going, how how many times I walk down that same aisle of china or whether I want to stop at just one more store. But, no doubt about it, it’s tons more fun when you get to share the experience with someone, especially if it’s a friend who loves thrifting as much as you!

Last Friday, Jami and I explored my favorite haunts in Burlington and Mebane. At our first stop we found some vintage wheat china and Jami’s keen eye spotted a beautiful blue and gold china pattern. At the next store Jami found a pair of Golden Wheat glasses and I mulled over whether to pay $15 for a vintage school desk. As far as the desk, I decided that I’d keep looking.

We toured a used furniture store and then went to the place where Jami would find the best deal of the day – the child’s metal school desk – for only $5. It’s perfect for displaying a bouquet of flowers, a potted plant or even a sign. I got a few other things and Jami bought her major purchase of the day – a $1 plastic container with a lid for her paints. Talk about thrifty!

Clay Street in Mebane was our last stop and after eating a late lunch, we walked through Melville’s Trading. I knew Jami would love this place and she did. It has a little bit of everything with different vendors renting spaces throughout the building. I left with a vintage file box but also with visions for future projects.

It was a great afternoon – exploring, admiring and finding treasures – with my kindred friend. Thank you, Jami!

Check out Southern Vintage Table for beautiful vintage rental china as well as unique vintage decor for your next event!

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Vintage Feature – A Symbol of Love and Prosperity is… Wheat

While collecting vintage china patterns for Southern Vintage Table, I have found many vintage patterns with wheat shafts. Why wheat, I wondered? It’s brown and umm … brown. I knew there must be a story behind it. Well, of course, there is.

Wheat symbolizes many good things in life. To name just a few – prosperity, love, home and hearth, harvest, spring, birth and hope. In the bible wheat is the symbol for righteous people. No wonder it was popular on china, to be seen everyday at the family dining table!

One of the most prevalent patterns in the mid 1950s was Golden Wheat by Homer Laughlin, featured in the middle of the photo above. It was a marketing gimmick of Duz detergent – they wanted to have an edge over Tide, so they started including china dishes in their boxes of detergent! Don’t you wish someone would do that again?

The third image above is a beautiful golden scalloped edged pattern on a luscious cream background. I came upon it at a local thrift store – there was an entire set! One of the volunteers, Polly, and I sat down on the floor and examined each piece, reveling in its design and beauty. The pattern is from Grindley, manufactured in England and dates during the 1940s-50s. Of course, I bought it!

One more trio of wheat images is below from the 40s-60s. The first two are on fine porcelain china and the third has a beautiful teal coloring.

So, lovely wheat is in – at least on vintage china patterns – and we have them available for you at Southern Vintage Table!

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Southern Vintage Event: Reisling Vintages with Vintage China

It was her turn to host the monthly wine club dinner and Rowena wanted to do something special for her friends. The wine club’s mission is to ferret out the best wines in every possible category. For each meeting the members contribute a dish for the meal and then they try different vintages of the featured wine. A difficult task but these dedicated women are up for it!

This month’s featured wine was Reislings and what would make this festive event even more fun? An assortment of vintage china! Rowena arranged for Southern Vintage Table to set her table and each guest enjoyed a lovely unique place setting from our elegant collection with themes of pink and green. The final “plat de résistance” to help uncover the best Reisling vintage – an assortment of vintage hats!

Southern Vintage China Vintage China Rental NC — The bold salad plate sets off the delicate flowers of the berry bowl and dinner plate.

Bottles of Reislings and a delicious meal on beautiful vintage china – the perfect recipe for a spirited time! Having a dinner party, book club meeting or wine tasting event? Contact Southern Vintage Table for unique vintage china place settings that will get the conversation started!

Southern Vintage Table Event: YaYa Palooza!

Friends and birthdays just go together. My friends, Cis, Louise, Jami, Pat and Mary, love to get together for any reason and birthdays just make our gathering even more fun. Jami invited us over for a home cooked meal, including her speciality dessert, and I had the pleasure of setting our table with china from the casual collection of Southern Vintage Table. With dinner, key lime cheesecake and vintage hats, you’ve got a YaYa palooza!

Our food was delicious – chicken enchiladas, avocado and tomato salad, quinoa and rice – all served in and on pink vintage china in the casual collection!

After dinner, we donned our hats, made our birthday wishes to Cis and Mary and had scrumptious key lime cheesecake and coffee. Pass the vintage china, please…

Consider Southern Vintage Table for your next birthday or special evening with friends and family. Add the vintage hats and welcoming suitcase for more vintage flavor!

A Vintage Adventure – Vintage China, A Cup & A Business Friendship

This vintage china rental business is a perfect fit for me. I love vintage stuff – love the smell, the feel, the look, the beauty, the energy encapsulated in it, the history. I also love to go hunting for it – what a thrill when you find something interesting and imagine sharing it with others.

One day I was looking carefully at each piece I had placed in my shopping cart at a Durham thrift store and an attractive woman approached me. She commented about the array of dishes in my cart and I mentioned to her that I was looking for china for my vintage china rental business, Southern Vintage Table. We chatted a bit and she went back into the china aisle. A few more minutes later she returns with more pieces of the same pattern I had showed her. The kindness of strangers – don’t we all love that!

The next time she came back to my cart she was holding a coffee cup with “Terry” on it. It turned out to be her name.

Now, here’s the beautiful, eerie part – as she’s showing this cup to me, she’s explaining that it must be a message from the cosmos to talk with me about Southern Vintage Table. She shared that she had worked as a consultant with some prominent local companies in the area, which certainly caught my attention, My cosmic antenna was also up that day and I deeply felt this was not just a chance encounter. We exchanged names and numbers.

Our fateful meeting turned into a wonderful business collaboration for which I am very grateful. Her insight, experience and expertise helped get my business up and ready. Thank you, Terry Melville, for understanding the message in the coffee cup!

Southern Vintage Table is ready to help you with your next event – birthday, shower, anniversary, wedding reception, dinner party, tea party and any other gathering – with beautiful, interesting vintage china!

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Vintage Feature – Three Vintage China Patterns and their West Virginia Connection

As I have researched the vintage china patterns I have collected for Southern Vintage Table, I have also learned about the companies that designed them. Here are three wonderful vintage china patterns with variations of lovely pink flowers. The three patterns were produced near West Chester, West Virginia by three different pottery companies, none of which are in business today.

Rosebud Bouquet by Harker Pottery Company

I remember the first piece of Harker Pottery I found years ago when I was collecting plates to break for my mosaic projects. The pattern was teal green and had this rope design around the rim. I fell in love with it, and even though it had obvious defects, I could never bring myself to break it. Since then, I have collected more Harker pieces and still marvel at their story. Touted as the oldest pottery company in the United States, Harker Pottery started in a log cabin in 1840 in East Liverpool, Ohio. In the 1930s, it moved to Chester, West Virginia and remained in business until the early 1970s. This pattern, part of a series called Royal Gadroon, was popular during the 1940s-1950s.

Green Arbor by Continental Kilns

This lovely hand painted pattern was one of the first pieces I found for my vintage china rental business, Southern Vintage Table. I love not only the raised design but also the pink and green color combination. Continental Kilns was based in West Virginia and operated during the 1940s through the late 1950s.

Appalachian Heirloom by Taylor, Smith & Taylor

I remember the day I found a set of this china pattern at the thrift store. They were dusty, dirty and priced to sell. When I brought them home and washed them, the stunning beauty of the pattern emerged. The company, Taylor, Smith & Taylor, existed from 1899 until the early 1980s in Chester, West Virginia. I couldn’t find the date of this pattern but I believe it’s from the 1950s.

Three beautiful vintage china patterns, all produced in West Virginia by three different pottery companies, are part of our dinner table past. Pieces from each of these vintage patterns are available for your next gathering from Southern Vintage Table!

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Southern Vintage Table Vintage Rental China NC

Vintage Feature – Remember the ’60s Jingle, “Mix and match, it’s fun to do…” ?

Okay, I’m revealing my age a bit, something that doesn’t bother me at all, but this 60s jingle has stuck with me for over 50 years! I was really into Barbie when I was young and I loved to change her outfits. “Mix and match, it’s fun to do, what Barbie wears is up to you…” spoke to me as a young girl of the 1960s.

Well, this jingle now goes perfectly with the table philosophy of Southern Vintage Table – love to mix and match patterns in every color, in any pattern from every decade. It’s like bringing together generations of families who sat at their dinner table throughout the century. Mix and match is still fun to do!

Visit us on our website, Southern Vintage Table, and check out our inventory on our Pinterest Boards!

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