It was while strolling around the picturesque town of Frome yesterday, browsing the antique shops, and stopping for a delightful glass of cider and a light lunch at a cafe in Cheap Street, that I got to thinking about the English, and their obsessive love of tea, and the rituals that surround it. I have to admit, that although I mostly drink mine from a mug, I do still enjoy sharing a leaf or two in fine china when the desire takes hold.
Frome Petunias
As you probably know by now, I have a slight obsession with glass, and have an ever increasing collection. Amanda also has a collection, but of antique and vintage tea cups. There are glasses and tea cups everywhere in our house, and some times the two collections overlap a little. My main focus is on goblets by the venetian glass designer Salviati, preferably late 1800's, although there are dozens of others from various years and countries.
As you probably know by now, I have a slight obsession with glass, and have an ever increasing collection. Amanda also has a collection, but of antique and vintage tea cups. There are glasses and tea cups everywhere in our house, and some times the two collections overlap a little. My main focus is on goblets by the venetian glass designer Salviati, preferably late 1800's, although there are dozens of others from various years and countries.
Amanda generally collects bone china or porcelain, with cups and saucers from many different countries, but also has a couple from my favourite chap. Salviati occasionally turned out glass cups and saucers, and although quite rare to find now, they come to light now and again.
We have these two. Some from across the atlantic refer to the bottom one as a 'creamer', but it is in fact classed as a cabinet cup. I particularly like the gondola style of it. Both are very delicate, and exquisitely hand enamelled.
Later in the days of the company, porcelain and china were also introduced, and are even rarer to find. I was lucky enough to find this little beauty, dating from my calculations to about 1950.
So, the story brings us to the title 'Tea For Two'.
On the afternoons that we sometimes choose to just stay at home and relax, Amanda will always pick out two of her most precious cups for us to drink a fine leaf or two from. Never two the same, they can be Spode, Royal Albert, T.Goode & Son, Royal Crown Derby, there are dozens and dozens, with many too old to even have makers marks. There is even an eighteenth century one from China.
Yesterday she chose the Salviati above, and this rather beautiful Coalport from 1891.
On the afternoons that we sometimes choose to just stay at home and relax, Amanda will always pick out two of her most precious cups for us to drink a fine leaf or two from. Never two the same, they can be Spode, Royal Albert, T.Goode & Son, Royal Crown Derby, there are dozens and dozens, with many too old to even have makers marks. There is even an eighteenth century one from China.
Yesterday she chose the Salviati above, and this rather beautiful Coalport from 1891.
Sometimes mugs just will not do.
Heaven
ReplyDeleteSometimes one just has to take time out for the finer things John. Working on that veg by the way.
DeleteOh my, and yes, sometimes mugs will just not do.
ReplyDeleteWhat lovely collections you both have.
Have a great week ~ FlowerLady
Good afternoon Lorraine,
DeleteThank you, they are both things that we take immense pleasure in collecting.
Gary,
ReplyDeleteShould I happen to be Catholic, I would now have to be running off to confessional and asking for absolution for my coveting of your and A’s most glorious collections. On view past posts, when a glimpse of your collection have been given, I will admit to an audible gasp of delight escaping my lips and this post is no different.
Be it goblet or cup, both collections are beautiful to view. But I am most taken with the fact that these are not just static collections, placed high above for viewing only but are used, which to me increases the worth of their ownership multifold. Not being British, I fear I have a totally romanticized view on the taking of tea which may or may not be correct. Upon reading that you and A often take afternoon tea using selected cups and sauces from the collection only confirms that view.
As always a splendid post, now I must run and see if a can find a priest to confess my collection coveting to. – gary
Haha! Oh, the thought of such a conversation with a priest eh Gary? You are very kind in your comments. We do indeed use all of both our collections for that 'extra special' feeling sometimes. Neither of us believe in just putting them permanently behind glass, it would be a kind of insult to the skill that went into making them in my book. Take care
DeleteI'm not a big tea drinker but do enjoy coffee out of a proper coffee cup.
ReplyDeleteHello Adrian,
DeleteThe trouble is that in this day and age of Starbucks, Nero and Costas etrc, people are settling for paying the same price for their product in crap china or even worse, paper cups, and so lose the ability to appreciate good coffe or tea in the appropriate cups. A simple pleasure.
your glass collection is beautiful! as are the cups
ReplyDeletejust this weekend i gave away nearly all my bone china cups and saucers. they were so pretty but i never used them and this house is so cluttered.
i hope the new owners enjoy them.
Hi there Kylie,
DeleteWhat a shame Kylie, but it is easy to suddenly find oneself overrun isn't it? What are the cups that you kept like?
This is fascination of more than tea. Collections that are very selective can have some interesting history. However, I have just had my morning coffee ...and from a mug!
ReplyDeleteYou go for it Red, I'm drinking tea out of a dirty old mug on the allotment at the mo.
DeleteI love tea and drink a lot, mostly in mugs like you. Having it in a special cup adds an other layer to the pleasure to the experience.
ReplyDeleteMugs of tea are the mainstay of a gardeners life Alain. The cups are nice to use when I where clean clothes though.
ReplyDeleteHi Gary, thank you for visiting my blog. I totally agree - gardeners and tea go together. Our kettle is always on. Your glass collection is stunning. I love coloured glass, though I'm no expert on what's what.
ReplyDeleteGood morning Molly,
DeleteNice to see you over here. Thanks for your kind remarks. The glass is kind of taking over in our house.
You have the prettiest pieces. While I don't have a collection really, I seem to find myself picking up little bowls. The perfect size for ice cream. Not into the tea so much. Love the colors!
ReplyDeleteThanks Sherlock,
DeleteAnything can make a collection, and little bowls, especially for ice cream, sounds like a good choice!