Vintage Rentals Archives - Page 16 of 24

Vintage Feature – An Antique Teapot Steeped in History

Oh, my goodness, you are going to LOVE the historical connections to this pretty vintage teapot. Recently we found it on the shelf at one of our favorite thrift stores, *Paws4Ever in Hillsborough. We really liked the size of this pot – it can hold 12 cups of tea – as well as the pink roses and gold detailing. What we didn’t realize at the time is that this vintage teapot is actually an antique, probably made in the late 1800s or possibly early 1900s. But the story becomes so much more interesting …

We began our search with the mark on the bottom – Oscar Gutherz Limoges. The google search came up with several images of pieces by this china company but we couldn’t find this particular pattern. Finding the bit of information about the company, however, gave us pause because it lead us to estimate its age – at least 100 years old!

“Oscar Gutherz had originally started a porcelain decorating business with Maximilian Marx in Altrolau in 1884, using financial backing from the American importer Lazarus Straus & Sons. The company subsequently expanded into porcelain production.” – Porcelain Zone

We couldn’t find much more about Oscar so we looked into the American importer, Lazarus Straus & Sons. This search was the key to the astounding historical connections to this teapot. Here are the highlights:

First, you should know that Lina Gutherz, the sister of Oscar Gutherz (the maker of this teapot) married Nathan Straus, the son of the Lazarus Straus, the American importer who financially supported her brother’s porcelain business. This piece of information, which we found on Geni, was pivotal to understanding the rest of the story.
Lazarus Straus (the father of Nathan who would marry Lina, the sister to Oscar the teapot maker) immigrated to the United States from Germany in 1852 and settled in Georgia. After peddling wares to families with a cart, he opened a dry goods store. The success of his store made it possible to bring his wife and children, which included 4-year old Nathan, over to America.
The Civil War disseminated Lazarus’ business so he moved with his family to New York and began his porcelain import business. His sons joined him and it was on a business trip abroad that Nathan met Lina (sister to Oscar the teapot maker), instantly fell in love, and married. Nathan returned to America with his new bride.
Lazarus Straus & Sons, after renting the basement of Macy’s department store in New York City to sell their imported porcelain, eventually became partners with RH Macy. In 1887 Nathan and his brother, Isidor (brother-in-law to Lina, the sister to Oscar the teapot maker), bought Macy’s. There’s so much history about this American department store we couldn’t include it in this post except for this little bit. Macy’s star logo was chosen because the original owner, RH Macy, had it tattooed on him when he worked on a Nantucket whaling ship as a teenager. You have to love this!
In 1912 Isidor and his wife (in-laws to Oscar who made the teapot) bought tickets to sail on the Titanic. Alas, they were not on the survivor’s list.
Nathan and Lina’s son, Nathan, Jr. (the grandson of Oscar the teapot maker) attended Princeton and then went overseas to study at Heidelberg University in 1908. He befriended art scholar, Otto Frank, and convinced Otto to come to New York to work with him at Macy’s. When Otto’s father died, Otto returned to Germany and fought in WWI. Because of growing antisemitism in Germany, he took his family to Amsterdam and asked for Nathan Jr.’s help to bring his family to the United States. Nathan Jr. tried but the visas for the Frank family were denied. After being discovered in the hidden rooms above his shop, Otto and his family, including daughter Anne Frank, were sent to the Nazi concentrations camps. Only Otto would survive.

So, in summary, this little antique teapot is steeped in history and the connecting thread is Oscar Gutherz, owner of a porcelain factory, and his sister, Lina. We imagine it was imported to the United States by Lazarus Straus & Sons in the early 1900s from Limoges, France and was placed on a Macy’s basement shelf in New York. Then, soon after, a woman shopping for a large teapot at Macy’s bought this one made by Oscar and took it home. Although we can envision many cups of tea being poured over the years from this lovely pot, we wish we knew more of its story from the time it was bought at Macy’s in the early 1900s to showing up on a thrift store shelf a hundred years later in 2016!

Serve up a little history at your next tea party with this lovely antique teapot made by Oscar. You may even want to share a little of its historical connections with your guests. (Especially the story of Macy’s star logo!)

Sources:
Porcelain Zone
AJCArchive
Straus Historical Society
The House of Brilliant Glass
Wikipedia – Nathan Straus
Wikipedia – Macy’s
Geni

*We love to support thrift stores with a solid cause and Paws4Ever‘s mission is one dear to many of us – dogs and cats in need. It is a “guaranteed-adoption animal shelter and sanctuary dedicated to improving the lives of cats and dogs through adoption, training and education.” There are many ways to become involved with this caring organization so check them out!

Vintage Feature – Petite & Sweet Vintage Dishes

Ah, petite and sweet… and, just like the lovely Morticia Addams, these small vintage dishes are delightful. Whether used as a serving dish for berries or a dessert bowl for ice cream, these wee pieces of china are hugely charming.

Vintage petite serving dishes are perfect to display mini delectables like fruit, candies, and small pastries. With their elegant shapes, designs, and patterns your guests with enjoy your treats for both their taste and presentation.

Southern Vintage Table — These petite vintage leaf dishes can hold lemons, candies, or any mini treat!

We have collected a few vintage specialty petite dishes that were, at first, a mystery. We thought these dishes had unique uses and it turns out they do indeed. First, the two handled dishes below are meant to serve lemon slices during teatime and are called – you guessed it – lemon servers!

The next specialty dish is for a vegetable that once was only affordable by affluent households so, of course, it deserved a dish of its very own. What was this highly revered vegetable – celery! And, because celery was so magnificent (and expensive in the late 1800s), this status vegetable was displayed for all to see – in a celery vase. As celery became more affordable but still highly desired, the less prominent flat celery dish evolved. Now, this may be one of our favorite china history lessons of all time and, after learning this, we’ll surely appreciate every crunchy bite of this once coveted vegetable.

This final vintage dish really stumped us at first. I remember holding it in the thrift store, turning it over, and looking at it from all angles, wondering what it was. The strange shape and indentation in the center is the perfect design for – as you can see – holding spoons!

Perhaps our very favorite piece of china is the wee berry bowl. These small bowls are the perfect size for all kinds of edibles, whether it’s a side dish like peas, squash or brunswick stew or desserts like berries, ice cream, or – yum – banana pudding. We have great collection of berry bowls and we’d love to share them with you at your next dinner or event.

No doubt, when you are planning for a celebration or dinner party, it’s always important to remember the essentials – dinner plates, glassware, flatware, linens, etc. Remember, though, the small details – including these petite vintage dishes – are also wonderful to add to your list!

Vintage Feature – A Vintage Postcard’s Inspiration

Oh! you who sleep in Flanders Fields,
Sleep sweet – to rise anew!
We caught the torch you threw
And holding high, we keep the Faith
With All who died.

We cherish, too, the poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led;
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies,
But lends a lustre to the red
Of the flower that blooms above the dead
In Flanders Fields.

And now the Torch and Poppy Red
We wear in honor of our dead.
Fear not that ye have died for naught;
We’ll teach the lesson that ye wrought
In Flanders Fields.

~ We Shall Keep the Faith by Moina Michael ~

Memorial Day has come to signify leisurely fun – a 3-day weekend, parades, family cookouts, and the official opening day to the summer season. Many of us, however, overlook the solemnness of this holiday as a day of remembrance for our veterans.

I wanted to capture the historic essence of Memorial Day and began searching for an inspiration in our vintage postcard collection. I came across one with a beautiful bouquet of red, white, and blue flowers. Perfect, I thought. As I began researching the background of Memorial Day, I serendipitously found the inspiration for today’s post – the remembrance poppy.

The red poppy as a symbol for Memorial Day began with the poem, “We Shall Keep the Faith,” written in 1918 by Moina Michael, an American professor. Her poem was in response to “In Flanders Fields”, a poem penned by Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, as a tribute to a friend who died in WWI. Why red poppies, you may ask? Here’s what I learned from Wikipedia.

“The red poppies that McCrae referred to had been associated with war since the Napoleonic Wars when a writer of that time first noted how the poppies grew over the graves of soldiers.^[45] The damage done to the landscape in Flanders during the battle greatly increased the lime content in the surface soil, leaving the poppy as one of the few plants able to grow in the region.”^[46]

After teaching a class to disabled veterans at the University of Georgia, Moina Michael realized these men needed more help than they were receiving. Having read McCrae’s poem and then writing her own, the idea of a red poppy as a representative icon was conceived. She fundraised using silk poppies to help raise awareness and monies for the veterans and in 1924, the remembrance poppy was adopted by the American Legion Auxillary as a symbol for those who have died serving their country.

My quest to find something meaningful to share on Memorial Day began with a vintage postcard – what a wonderful coincidence to discover its floral symbol of remembrance.

And, to add a little vintage china in this post, here’s a new vintage set featuring red, white, and blue found by my friend, Trudy. Won’t it look terrific with blue & white patterns?

Resources:
In Flanders Field
Moina Michael
US Memorial Day
The Great War

Vintage Feature – Our First Pinterest Board “Wish List” Order!

In spite of the rainy weather here in NC we’ve had a productive week at Southern Vintage Table. First, our china was picked up for a shoot designed by Southern Weddings at a lovely West Virginia venue. More will be coming on this, for sure. Then, we received two new orders for the week – one for a wedding and one for a bridal shower. And, as a final very bright spot to the week, we were asked to help with the wedding of a dear friend whose daughter is getting married next June. We do love being busy!

We are very excited, of course, to help with each of these events but two things made the bridal shower a pretty special request. Not only were we thrilled to work with Maria again – we helped with her wedding two years ago – but she became our first client to create a Pinterest board wish list for the items she wanted from our inventory. Yay!

We shared this planning idea in a recent post, “Vintage Tip – Collaborate with Us to Create a Wish List, and it worked great. Maria created a board for the shower, pinned items from our inventory, and added notes to the pins. The part about adding the notes was Maria’s brilliant touch, and we appreciate this tweak to the process. We easily provided a quote and started packing. As we said before, it’s easy, peezy and we look forward to collaborating with you!

Thought we’d end today’s post with one of our favorite photos of Maria & Jonathan’s reception tables. Don’t you love those vintage goblets? See more from this beautiful wedding here!

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental — Photo by Rachel Dennis

Vintage Feature – Additions to our Vintage Glassware Collection

Our vintage glassware collection is growing! These past few weeks we found 3 beautiful vintage patterns in 3 different colors made by 3 different American glass companies and all of them are wonderful. Let us introduce you to these beauties and the companies behind them. The brief summaries of these American corporations are courtesy of Just Collecting and Tias.

Colony Park Lane by Indiana Glass

“The Indiana Glass Company was founded in 1907 in Dunkirk, Indiana, and became well known for manufacturing a variety of high-class glass items such as auto head lenses, restaurant ware, crystal ware, vases and much more.

The company’s coloured glass items first became popular during the 1920s, and featured a variety of different coloured-press patterns. Some of their most popular patterns include Avocado, Sandwich, Tearoom, #612 Horseshoe, Indiana Custard and Pyramid, to name a few.

Even though the Indiana Glass Company closed its doors in 2002, Indiana glass products are still being produced by the Bartlett & Collins factory today.”

The Park Lane pattern was first produced in the mid 1950s and has been discontinued. Source: Just Collecting

Vintage Grape Milk Glass by Smith Glass

“The company was established in 1907 in Jeannette, Pennsylvania and despite being overlooked by many American glass collectors, is one of the few remaining hand-made glass factories in the United States. It is perhaps best known for producing the first headlight lens for the Model T Ford.

They began manufacturing colored glass in the early 1920s. Their most popular colors were cobalt, amethyst, yellow, amber, green and pink. The company finally gained nationwide recognition for their unique black glass formula, which set them apart from the competition of the time.

In 1975 the company was purchased by Owens-Illinois, Inc. of Toledo, Ohio, a glass container manufacturer. Smith continued to operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary. L.E. Smith Glass Company was acquired by William Kelman in 2005 and is now known as Smith Glass Co.”

The best we could find insofar as dating the Vintage Grape Milk Glass pattern is up to the 1950s when the popularity of milk glass waned in the US. Source – Just Collecting

Chivalry by Libby-Rock Sharpe

“The Libbey Glass Company was one of the largest glass manufacturers in the United States of America during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. In 1888, Edward Libbey moved his glass-manufacturing establishment from Massachusetts to Toledo, Ohio. They produced bottles, containers and window glass.

The Libbey Glass Company became even more profitable after Michael Owens, an inventor from Newark, Ohio, joined the firm. Owens developed a machine that could automatically produce bottles, tumblers, and glass chimneys. The company remains in operation in the twenty-first century. In 2004, it was the United States’ largest manufacturer of glass dinnerware, with plants in Louisiana, California, and Ohio, as well as in the Netherlands.”

Chivalry, dating from the mid 1980s, is available today in clear; however, the pink color is no longer manufactured. Source: Tias

Vintage Feature – Happy Mother’s Day!

Happy Mother’s Day!

To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.
David Viscott

Love you forever, Christine.

Southern Vintage Table Event – Three Terrific Takeaways from Rose Hill Styled Shoot

Recently I received the most exciting invitation! Stacy Newburg, event planner and owner of Events by Memory Lane, was organizing her first styled shoot and asked if we would like to participate. Recalling our wonderful collaboration at Anna & Anthony’s wedding last summer, I said “yes!” and that was even before she revealed her blue & white vintage Southern elegant theme, a look I absolutely love.

After selecting the vintage table settings, linens, and decor pieces together one afternoon, Stacy then invited me to help on the day of the shoot. Intrigued to see the behind-the-scenes of a photo shoot, I just couldn’t pass this up. Even though we have provided items for many styled shoots and have appreciated the beautiful photographs from them, I haven’t actually seen the entire process at work and this was my chance!

Well, let me say, the day of the styled shoot was busy, busy, busy, and pretty darn awesome! The weather was gorgeous at this breathtaking historic venue, the vendors organized, models dressed and styled, and photographers on the go. Stacy planned everything, from the table settings to the boutonnieres to the enthusiastic and beautiful models. Breakfast and lunch were served, and a detailed plan set for all to follow. It was quite impressive to see the day play out.

Here are three takeaways from this marvelous day!

One – It requires a lot of coordination to pull off a styled shoot. As you can appreciate below, a full lineup of vendors is needed to create a mockup wedding day. Many, many kudos to Stacy for selecting such a terrific group of wedding professionals, and for her passion and joy.

Two – It’s all in the details. The teamwork of Stacy and Tiffany was phenomenal. When the professional photos are ready, you’ll see exactly what I mean!

Three – Being a professional photographer takes technical skill, an artistic eye, and endless energy. As I watched Tiffany and Aaron throughout the day, they were busy practically the entire time, taking photos of every tiny detail, encouraging and prompting the models on every shot, and making absolutely certain they captured that perfect photo. Although I have long appreciated the fine work of professional photographers, seeing these two in action took my admiration to an even higher level.

More photos coming soon! I want to sincerely thank everyone who took part in this day. I loved meeting each and every one of you and look forward to the next time we meet!

Styled Shoot Wedding Professionals

Event Planner: Events by Memory Lane
-Contact: Stacy Newburg -Phone: 814-880-0621
-Email: hello@eventsbymemorylane.com
-Website: www.eventsbymemorylane.com
*Social Media: Instagram (eventsbymemorylane) Facebook: Events by Memory Lane

Photographer: Jackson Signature Photography
-Contact: Tiffany Jackson
-Email: info@jacksonsignaturephotography.com
-Website: http://www.jacksonsignaturephotography.com/
*Social Media : Instagram (jacksonsignaturephotography) Facebook (Jackson Signature Photography)

Venue: Rose Hill Plantation
-Contact: Nicole Marion
-Email: nicolemarion@visitrosehill.com
-Website: http://www.visitrosehill.com/
*Social Media: Instagram: (Rose Hill Plantation) Facebook (Rose Hill Plantation)

Rentals: Hobnob Occasions
-Contact: Trish Koslowsky
-Email: trish@hobnoboccasions.com
-Website: http://www.hobnoboccasions.com/
*Social Media: Instagram: (Hobnoboccasions) Facebook (Hobnob Occasions)

Vintage Tableware & Decor: Southern Vintage Table
-Contact: Shelly Heath
-Email: shelly@southernvintagetable.com
-Website: https://southernvintagetable.com/
Social Media: Instagram: (southernvintagetable2) Facebook (Southern Vintage Table- Vintage China Rental)

Bakery: Edible Art Bakery
-Contact: Todd Mozingo
-Email: toddmozingo@gmail.com
-Website: http://www.edibleartnc.com/
*Social Media: Instagram (Can’t Find) Facebook: (Edible Art of Raleigh)

Hair Stylist: Wedding Hair by Liz
-Contact: Liz Perniciaro -Phone Number: 919.902.8242
-Email: liz@weddinghairbyliz.com
-Website:www.weddinghairbyliz.com
*Social Media: Instagram: (weddinghairbyliz) Facebook: (Wedding Hair by Liz)

Makeup Artist: Kristi from Wink Hair & Makeup
-Contact: Kristi
-Email: info@winkhairandmakeup.com
-Website: www.winkhairandmakeup.com
*Social Media: Instagram (winkhairandmakeup) Facebook: (Wink Hair + Makeup)

Custom Plates: Behrenberg Glass Co.
-Contact: Donna Behrenberg
-Email: info@behrenbergglass.com
-Website: www.behrenbergglass.com
*Social Media: Instagram (none) Facebook: (Behrenberg Glass Co.)

Wardrobe: Savvi Formal Wear
-Contact: Ashleigh Powers
-Email:Ashleigh@savvinc.com
-Website: savvincgowns.com
*Social Media : Instagram (savviformalwearandbridal) Facebook: (Savvi Formalwear)

Jewelry: Moon and Lola
-Contact: Camellia Provost
-Email: kubanc10@gmail.com
-Website: http://www.moonandlola.com/
*Social Media: Instagram (moonandlola) Facebook: (Moon and Lola)

Invitations & Paper Goods: Holly Meyer Design
-Contact: Holly Meyer
-Email: hello@hollymeyerdesign.com
-Website: hollymeyerdesign.com
*Social Media: Instagram (hollymeyerdesign) Facebook: (Holly Meyer)

Models:
Groom: Chris Niesluchowski

Bride: Sydney Hooks

Best Man: Jerry Newburg

Maid of Honor: Ashley Fernandez
-Website: www.thebelleinaveil.com
-Email: amcarden2@gmail.com
*Social Media: Instagram (thebelleinaveil)

Vintage Feature – Our 3 Reasons to Host a Family-Style Reception!

Plated, buffet, family style – how will your guests enjoy that delicious meal at your party or reception? There isn’t a right or wrong answer, of course, but let us share three reasons you should consider family-style!

Reason 1 – Family-style dinners can feel more intimate.

A lovely memory most of us share is sitting down to a family meal. Home-cooked food, presented on platters and in bowls, are passed down the table as everyone fills their plate. Conversation flows and folks feel connected. This sense of communion is the first great reason to consider a family style dinner!

Reason 2 – Family-style dining is casual yet elegant.

With family-style dining, guests are all seated rather than standing in line at the buffet table, and eating at the same time. But, in contrast to a plated dinner, your guests can make their own selections and portions. You might also consider a combination plated/family-style dinner by plating the dinner salad or first course, and then serving the remaining menu items family style. Be sure to consult with your caterer about how the menu fits the type of reception dinner.

Reason 3 – Southern Vintage Table has a great inventory of vintage serving dishes!

Presentation is part of the dining experience and our vintage bowls will definitely add flair to any meal. We have more than 120 vintage bowls and platters (china, ceramic, & glass) in our inventory, not including our 12 deviled egg trays and we know how important that is on a southern menu!

Give us a call or send an email – we’re ready to help you plan your family-style dinner!

After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one’s own relatives.
-Oscar Wilde

Southern Vintage Table Event – A Babies’ Shower!

Delicious food, pretty decorations, fun games, colorfully wrapped gifts, and two beautiful pregnant cousins – yep, it’s a babies’ shower! This past weekend the Heath women and friends all gathered at Tonya’s lovely home to celebrate the upcoming arrival of two babies – Allison & Steven’s baby boy in May and Sarah & Alex’s little girl in June . How wonderful!

With theme colors of teal, pink, and gray, the banners were hung, tulips arranged in vintage white stoneware pitchers, mixed and matched vintage gray & white dishes stacked, and drinks chilled in our sweet pink enameled baby tub. The yummy food and Caroline’s adorable cupcakes were presented on our vintage serving dishes and the party commenced.

In traditional baby shower fashion, we ate, chatted, and laughed – a bunch! We also loved playing Amanda’s party games – Baby Bottle Scratch-Offs, Price is Right Baby Shopping List, and Don’t Say Baby – before ooohing and ahhhing over the darling baby gifts. Needless to say, a good time was had by all.

Now we wait for the babies to arrive and we are all so excited to meet them.
Congratulations to Sarah & Alex and Allison & Steven!

People who say they sleep like a baby usually don’t have one.
— Leo J. Burke

Vintage Feature – Making Progress on our Linen Inventories!

We’ve been quite focused on our vintage linen collection and can proudly announce that 5 inventory slide shows are now available under our Vintage Linens tab. Yay!

Vintage Lace & Crocheted Tablecloth Inventory
Vintage Table Topper Inventory
Vintage Napkin Inventory
Vintage Doilies & Runners Inventory
Vintage White/Cream Tablecloth Inventory

An interesting thing happened along the way of our sorting, counting, and measuring – we discovered that we have amassed a very nice collection of vintage table toppers! These are small tablecloths or large doilies usually placed over a base cloth in the center of the table as an accent. Embellished with embroidery, lace, and/or colorful designs, these toppers add a dash of style to your table design!

Most are square but we also have a few round and rectangular ones. As an alternative to our vintage lace overlays, you may want to consider these lovelies as a backdrop for your table’s centerpiece.

Vintage Toppers - Southern Vintage Table — Photo by Katherine Miles Jones

There’s much more to add to our linen inventory – colored tablecloths, printed tablecloths, and placemats – so stay posted. We look forward to sharing these with you soon!