Monday, July 13, 2020

China Patterns

Alessandra Branca

Yesterday was spent taking three carloads of my china to the new house. I thoroughly cleaned the cabinets and organized all the china. I had already bought over silverware, candles, and pots and pans, so the kitchen is now almost set up. What a great feeling.

I love beautiful china. Interesting that my wedding china is a Chinoiserie pattern, Wedgwood Chinese Tigers. I still adore this pattern. I have service for 8.

Wedgwood Chinese Tigers

I also have a large set of Lenox Morning Blossom. When I was first married, I collected every piece known to man through a china club. Do you remember those?

Lenox Morning Blossom

I am super excited to start using all my fine china again. Using it with Golf Guy has been impossible. (Think 5 year old son with ADHD).

Fine china and silver seem to be such relics of days gone by. I even use cloth napkins at every dinner. Did you know that sales of paper napkins have been down dramatically in recent years? The reason is not the use of cloth napkins - many younger people use paper towels instead of purchasing paper napkins!

At any rate, I find it fascinating that both my china patterns acquired years ago are Chinoiserie patterns, so my love of Chinoiserie goes back to my twenties. I also bought an antique Chinese screen and started collecting antique ginger jars in my twenties. I literally just realized all this writing this post.

Do you use your "fancy" china on a regular basis? Any Chinoiserie patterns?



55 comments:

  1. Wedgwood Chinese Flowers here. I bought 12 place settings in England and most of the serving pieces here. I still love it as well. I once saw it on consignment at Reunions in Fairlington. I have noticed the same thing about paper napkins. Your house will be beautiful and I am watching closely.

    Peggy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for following. I love Wedgwood Chinese Flowers. A lovely pattern.

      Delete
  2. My pattern is Royal Dalton Tonkin. I do do not like the feel of everyday paper napkins. I use Vanity Fair Premiere Dinner Napkins.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tonkin is a beautiful pattern. I agree about the napkins.

      Delete
  3. I inherited Wedgwood Swallow (green trim) "everything" set from my MIL and absolutely LOVE it. Makes me happy just looking at it. Recently, I bought Juliska Classic Bamboo plates for everyday use which I pair with my cheap/faux bamboo handled utensils. Those make me happy too. It doesn't take much, does it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OH!!!! I love Swallow. One of my favorites. I love my cheapo faux bamboo silverware - I have sets in black and in natural.

      Delete
  4. My utensils are just like this and at the price I hoarded 16 place settings...just in case you can't find them any more. https://www.homedepot.com/pep/301006913

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks - I use these all the time and love them.

      Delete
  5. I am a china junkie! Decades ago my mom started me on this addiction when she would pick up beautiful pieces of china, old linens and other treasures at thrift shops and second hand stores, before this ever became fashionable. Once she brought me a beaded Schiaparelli sweater. Now, of course, no one donates these treasures anymore. They are very hard to find, and if one is lucky enough to find them, they can be a bit expensive. This love of beautiful old things has never left me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My mother and I adored thrift stores and we both worked at a rummage sale at our church every year when I was old enough to get first dibs at the worker's preview. Where I grew up in Lake Forest, society women would even donate Chanel. I was wearing Chanel in high school. We both owe our love of fine things to our moms.

      Delete
  6. I love the Chinese Tigers. The color! I wish my taste was this sophisticated in my 20s. Alas, I was clueless, haha! My everyday china is Willow by Johnson Brothers and my special occasion china is a mix of Dior Malachite, Mottahedeh Tobacco Leaf and Royal Crown Derby Mikado. I have a full service for 10 of Mikado, a service for 5 of Dior and only a few pieces of Tobacco Leaf (still curating the last two).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You've got great taste now! Beautiful choices.

      Delete
  7. Yes, we still use our wedding china (Wedgwood Columbia) and also we enjoy our Mottahedeh Blue Canton. Sterling silver is used often as well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Great classics. Do couples still get wedding china? I need to use my sterling more. Do you wash it in the dishwasher?

      Delete
    2. We do not wash our sterling in the dishwasher, but I know many people do. I need to do some research. I think there are a few pointers to keep it safe. Many couples do not get wedding china now--but I know some still do. Our son and daughter in law received wedding china 18 years ago--but I know things have changed since then. We live close to a china shop and I see selections made by brides and grooms there from time to time.

      Delete
    3. I have read not to use dishwashing detergent with lemon or citrus and not to put the sterling in the same compartment with stainless and you will be fine.

      Delete
  8. I, too, have the Wedgwood Green Tigers and use it everyday. My husband lives in another house six miles away so I always treat myself with china when I eat alone. I have Olde Aves in the traditional colors and save that, don't know why, and use it for entertaining.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love Old Aves - beautiful! And I love that your everyday is Chinese Tigers - great taste!

      Delete
  9. Oh, dear! I fear this post is going to turn into a China collector/hoarder anonymous meeting! I married in 1975, the cusp of the US centennial. My everyday then (and now!) is Blue Calico. I thought then is was calico of fabric popular in American quilts. I was surprised it was based on Wedgewood's plum blossom! Because Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, I choose Autumn by Lenox, Baccaret Provence crystal and Grand Colonial silver by Wallace. I still love them. I have added sets of Mottahedeh Blue Canton, and Malmaison by Haviland. In addition, I inherited a custom octagonal Haviland of white and gold and then a very pink flowery Haviland from my husband's grandmothers. We are still in the throes of this everything remodel and are on hold because of the virus. I use the Blue Calico everyday,plus white dishes from Revol. I am appalled!!!!! but not changing anything.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL. That is quite the collection.

      Delete
    2. Back to correct, china is not Malmaison, but Chateaubriand blue by Bernardaud...and I haven't used it in several years—obviously! But the scalloped plate still tugs at my heart. It is currently residing in my china cabinet...now in the basement!!! Have loved all of the comments.

      Delete
    3. Grand Colonial is my wedding silver and I just love Mottahedeh Blue Canton!

      Delete
  10. We use our silver for every meal, even take it to the beach where we eat lunch. Cloth napkins and china always!

    ReplyDelete
  11. " Hutschenreuther " Hohenberg Germany , from the early sixties . ( All white with a tiny grey lace + gold trim ) I use it every day , not a chip or a scratch on it in all these years !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bavaria - I grew up in Germany. Lovely.

      Delete
    2. I have Hutschenreuther Scala D'Oro from the 80s. Still love it! The design reminds me of bird feathers or fish scales - goes with my bird and koi obsession...

      Delete
    3. I just looked that up - I was not familiar with it - very pretty.

      Delete
  12. My wedding china is Lenox Mansfield (plain bone china w/gold rim) service for 12. I mix multiple other patterns with that including Gorham China Chinoiserie (fave) and different Asian/chinoiserie patterns I find on ebay, etc. The Chinese Tigers are just perfection - always, always loved that pattern!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have Lenox Mansfield as well! It coordinates with everything.

      Delete
    2. Mansfield is so versatile - it can indeed be mixed with anything.

      Delete
  13. Long before I was born my mother took her silver out of the storage box and put it in the kitchen drawer. Five children and it was the only flatware we ever new. It went to school in lunch boxes, the dinner knives were used as screw drivers to open the backs of toys, you name it. My mother passed recently and the silver went to my sister. Every piece was accounted for and looked great.

    My "best" is Herend Rothschild Bird and Audubon by Tiffany & Co. I also have Lenox Federal Cobalt and Francis I. I have stacks of folded cloth napkins in the sideboard, thanks to Home Goods, which I use everyday.
    Beth, I sent you a private email which may have gotten overlooked given your busy week.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I just emailed you. I love your china choices - stunning. And HomeGoods is great for linens - I have also found very expensive sheet sets there.

      Delete
  14. Chinese Tigers is my Fav! Wedgwood Fleur is my day to day favorite...Thinking of expanding to Wedgwood Cuckoo. I am LOVING all your posts - thank you for bringing us along on your move/reno and inspiration...I'm itching to buy and renovate!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for following. Wedgwood has so many great classics, don't they? I love Cuckoo.

      Delete
  15. Love this! Reading every comment was heaven!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Me too - I love reading about all these beautiful patterns.

      Delete
  16. LOVE your Chinese Tigers! That has always been one of my favorite patterns. I also have coveted since I was a child Royal Crown Derby Old Imari. I inherited my mother's Lenox china in the Rondelle pattern (trimmed in a gold Greek key). I have several sets of different Lenox patterns. I use my crystal, silver and china a lot.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I too love the Imari. Stunning. The Lenox Rondelle is beautiful. It's wonderful to use crystal, silver, and china instead of "saving" it.

      Delete
  17. I have a very old cup, saucer and plate in the Chinese tigers design but in red.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was at the Georgetown flea market in DC and found a huge bowl in the red worth hundreds of dollars for $25.

      Delete
  18. Wow,there are others out there like me.
    I love using my dinnerware all the time.
    I use more of the casual than China but I loved the comments.
    My favorite casuals are:
    Woodland
    Blue Clipper
    Rattan- metlox
    Florence- metlox
    Black Aves
    Gold Aves
    Just a few of my favorites

    ReplyDelete
  19. China is my downfall. Am slowly finding pieces of Wedgewood's St. Austell, and Spode's Landscape (blue). Love the old patterns!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What a wonderful group! I have Poisson by Herend. It is so hard now to find pieces. I have several serving platters of different sizes on my dining room wall. I love it.

      Delete
    2. You lucky girl. It is to die for.

      Delete
    3. Dear Beth,
      Three carloads of china! You are a woman after my own heart!! My favorite patterns are Meissen Blue Onion, Spode India Tree (rust) for Thanksgiving, and Haviland Vieux Paris vert. I stalk eBay and etsy for individual pieces. One super fun thing is having Replacements, Ltd. identify two old crystal patterns I inherited so I can complete the sets. I do love your Chinese tigers!!

      Delete
    4. Those are all lovely. You have me motivated to fill in some holes in my collections.

      Delete
  20. Cloisonne Peony (Fitz & Floyd) - peach and purple flowers on a black background - still stunning after all these years. Mixed with Renaissance Peach plates -- a showstopper ! In my view, the best chinoiserie look in china.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I have become a china hoarder in the last few years even though we NEVER entertain (and can't now even if we wanted to!). I think it started when I saw the Royal Crown Derby Imari teacups in the movie "Crimson Peak," and now it's completely out of hand! And I looooove cloth napkins. I have a pristine monogrammed set from Leontine Linens that will never, ever touch anyone's lips. Instead we use Crate and Barrel's Spectra napkins, which come in multi-color sets and are so easy to toss in the wash.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Love your taste. You picked such fabulous patterns.

    I have my grandmother's Limoges China and just registered for Pillyvuyt basketweave and Apilco hemstitch from Williams Sonoma when I got married.
    Smart on my part bc I do have a 5 year old with ADHD. I just laughed so hard over your comment.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow, hope you were not offended. He does in fact have ADHD and in many people it improves as they get out of childhood and then gets far worse as they age. It is true with GG. Unfortunately, the ADHD is the least of it.

      Delete