This is going to be a graphics dense post. Just enjoy the pictures and skip the reading if you're low on time. 
These are my teacups given to me by my grandmother. She gave them to me because she knows that my favorite color is yellow and my favorite rose is a yellow one. One is considerably older than the other and is a Royal Albert, which includes the third dessert plate, I believe. The other is a Melba. Both are bone china made in England.
Nan gave my sister green teacups. She gave each of her four great-grandchildren a teacup, including my son whose teacup is a depiction of a fisherman in midstream. She also gave her great-granddaughter-in-law a pink rose teacup. All of these gifts were based on the receiver's favorite flower and color.
This is my mother's teacup collection, which now incorporates many of my grandmother's teacups. Nan was once an avid collector, but she isn't much interested in teacups these days. The time for gathering the stories has gone, I'm afraid.
Here are a few closeups of my favorites from her collection...
This is one of my very favorites because of its little feet and the colors in the plate are gorgeous.But I have already shown you my favorite teacup for sipping my tea right here. It's not too fussy and it's easy to hold. It's also the most recent gift as I just received it last week from a friend.
Guess I'll save my other tea stories for another day. Thankfully, this event is ongoing.
Thank you for looking at my treasures and at my mother's, too. Have a great day!
Edited to Add: Having visited others who are doing the teacup-a-story, I learned that I could look up my china teacups. The "newest" teacup with just the saucer is a Melba by "Melba China Co Ltd Stafford St., Longton. Staffordshire Potteries from 1948 to 1951." So it's older than I am and I feel ancient. ;> The trio Royal Albert Tea Rose was produced from 1942 to 1987. Though it looks older than the first, I could be wrong...I'm thinking that it's from the 40s.
Your teacups are amazing...and their history is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed day!
kari & kijsa
Oh I hope you can continue to coax teacup stories out of Nan. Please don't give up, easily.
ReplyDeleteWho knows, maybe when she realizes that 'tis true ~ people do want to hear them! ~ she will come around. I hope so. It's so sad for these stories to be lost to a family history.
Got a tape recorder?
So much to comment on with your interesting post. I hardly know where to begin. I love your beautiful yellow roses teacup. It's elegant and 'fine' --- very pretty. And my eye couldn't help but be drawn to the other sweet yellow and roses teacup you posted from your mother's collection. I love the divided yellow and white effect. And the teacup displays --- a perfect way to display a lovely collection! I wonder if teacup racks/shelves like that are still made? Thank you, Vee, for posting and being a participant in the tea blog-a-thon. I'm so glad you joined and look forward to future posts!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy a lovely day!
LaTeaDah
Beautiful collection of teacups, Vee! I'm almost convinced to take up 'tea drinking' just so I can use the lovely cups. I've become so accustomed to those large handled mugs...I'd likely need lessons on sipping from a teacup.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful tea cup collection you have.
ReplyDeleteIt was so nice to see all the pictures. They are beautiful.
What a great idea of your grandmother to give you all teacups - something so special for each of you.
I love your teacups Vee...its nice to know the stories behind them too...perhaps you can pass the teacups and the stories on as well.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Robin
Vee,
ReplyDeleteIf I were there sipping tea with you at your grandmothers I would beg to use the yellow and white cup with the gold filigree and dainty pink rose! I love the history of your family tea cups and that she even included her grandson! I am working on my story and hope to post it tomorrow. I had a hard time choosing which cup bear my tale. I'll give you a hint, it was my very first one!
Aren't they just gorgeous! I love all the teacups! They look so fragile and perfect! Thanks so much for sharing them!
ReplyDeleteJan
Hi Vee...I can't begin to tell you how much I have enjoyed seeing your beautiful tea cups..I love that you have stories about them as well, from your Nan...I will think of you today when I have tea... :) Dee Dee
ReplyDeleteYour teacup collection is fabulous! I love the way they are displayed!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful collection of teacups! You have a wonderful family heirloom.
ReplyDeletebeautiful cups.... they are so dainty....
ReplyDeleteBeautiful teacups! I love that display shelf your Mom uses!
ReplyDeleteManuela
What a wonderful collection you and your mother have, they are all so beautiful. You could really do it up right with an afternoon tea!
ReplyDeleteWhat a marvelous collection. Thanks for sharing the detailed photos.
ReplyDeleteCarrie
Oh, how I love seeing your collection! I don't know how you ever picked a favorite. One that took my eye right away is on the smaller shelf, in the center. It has such a pretty wide band of dark flowers, very unusual. Sipping tea from a proper teacup elevates the whole tea experience. Your grandmother must have known that.
ReplyDeleteVee, what a beautiful collection of cups. I enjoyed the history too. Tea cups with a pedigree! Your shelves remind me ever so much of the ones my grandfather made for my grandmother's teacups. Sadly they are no longer in use. Thank you for sharing such special memories with us. ~~Kathy
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful tea stories. Your collection is exquisite.
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful teacups! They all must have lovely stories and lovely times associated with them. They harken back to a gentler time, don't they?
ReplyDeleteOh Vee, I simply adore teacups, adore them! They are such exquisite works of art that bless your hand and lips with each cup of tea...I love them..thank you for sharing
ReplyDeletehugs
Sandi
Your tea cups remind me of my mother's collection, that my sister (In a Garden) has now. She has them displayed beautifully like you do. They bring back such wonderful memories.
ReplyDeleteI see you still have a bit of snow in our beloved New England. Hang in there Vee, Spring is right around the corner...maybe :/
Thank you for your nice comments on the teacup collection. My mother was pleased to think that other teacup lovers enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteLa Tea Dah asked if shelves like my mom's are still made. If you look closely at the photograph of the larger collection, you'll see that they are two different shelves...one smaller...one larger...tied together by paint color and theme alone. The smaller shelf was purchased years ago, but the larger was purchased just a few years ago at a store where unfinished wood products are available.
Displaying on shelves such as this where the teacups do NOT hang by hooks is the best way for the delicate cups. Many teacups are destroyed, over time, by being hung from their handles. We learned this the hard way as we packed up my grandmother's collection after she'd sold her home.
What a lovely collection of teacups.. my mother has an enormous collection as well.
ReplyDeletethank you for the eye candy!
:) Abbie
I came here from Gracious Hospitality and I'm so glad I did! I share your love for yellow and yellow roses. Thank you for sharing your wonderful teacups. I need to find a shelf for mine so they can be displayed and ready to use. I'll be back again to see what you have to share. ~Adrienne~
ReplyDeleteJust Gorgeous Vee! Lucky you!
ReplyDeleteTerri
Oh what a marvelous collection of tea cups you have. How fun to have them from your grandmother and mother. I'm visual and loved looking...
ReplyDeleteBeautiful teacups and wow, what a collection! They're all just so pretty.
ReplyDeleteSandra
Ravenhill Cottage
Thanks for dropping by to see my favorite cup. You have shown us quite a collection. I am drooling!
ReplyDeleteMillie
Oh my, your teacup collection is amazing and the stories you have to go along with them, simply priceless. I look forward to reading more about tea from you.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful collection of teacups your Mom and Grandmother have! I love how they are displayed. I think it's such a nice tradition for your grandmother to pass on a special set to her grandchildren..such treasures.
ReplyDeleteHugs, Pat
Hi Vee :)
ReplyDeleteI found you over at the tea-a-thon list. Your teacups are lovely :) Don't you just love things with a story?
Thank you for sharing,
Rue :)
what a gorgeous collection, I am thrilled to be a part of this blog a thon!
ReplyDeleteRoyal Albert/Royal Doulton is just so classically beautiful but all your pieces are wonderful
What a wonderful collection of cups and memories. What I really envy, though, are the wonderful display shelves. I've been looking for some like those for years, with no luck. Waaah...
ReplyDeleteYou have a lovely teacup collection and I especially liked the display with the hanging cups shown with their saucers.
ReplyDeleteYour blog banner is also very attractive.
What a beautiful shelf for teacups! That is so, so pretty. You have a very lovely blog.
ReplyDeleteWow awesome collection. I am just starting with a collection. I just love them. I am not really a hot tea drinker either. Prefer the ice tea. Did someone make the large teacup collection rack for her?
ReplyDeleteTime fo a tea party perhaps! I have a few tucked away as well, I think I'll go and have a peek at them again.
ReplyDeleteOh, I love the yellow and white one with the pink rose. So sweet. One of my daughters has a teacup collection. Lovely to see some of your favorites. They are all pretty.
ReplyDelete