A Haven for Vee

Monday, May 2, 2011

Nan's Dishes

Shield your eyes! This is the dud mosaic for yesterday. What was I thinking?
Click to enlarge at your own peril

In my own defense I'd like to say that I was very tired last night. I've spent the last several days cleaning the yard. Then yesterday afternoon, John and I cleaned the garage because we were moving a bunch of stuff in.

It was a great morning to load up the goods from the storage facility above and take them to the new storage facility below.




Ever since, I've been unpacking Nan's china. (My mother's is still at her home.) The table and counters are loaded with it. I'm washing, dividing, and repacking it. Sis gets half.

Nan's china is named Derbytone from Myott and Sons, England. The pattern has been discontinued. My mother told me that, when she was trying to replace some chipped pieces, she learned that the factory had been bombed during WWII and the pattern was lost. Therefore, there are precious few replacements. The china was a gift to my grandmother from my grandfather. (I've told you what a sweet gift giver he was.) Sometime prior to WWII, he was shopping in Boston when he came upon this set of china. He liked it so well that he purchased two sets, one for my grandmother and a set for his mother-in-law as well.


I remember eating from these dishes only on very special occasions—Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.


Scattered throughout the Derbytone are pieces of Bavarian china. This little plate is darling and so modern looking to me. The top is porcelain and the bottom is rougher like stoneware. It's called Royal Silesia (Possibly Prussian).


There'll be more to share as I delve into the depths of those boxes. It's a bittersweet day. How are you spending yours?

34 comments:

  1. Hi Vee,
    Gary and I were cleaning our garage too this weekend and spring cleaning inside. We are getting ready for a garage sale.
    Have you heard of replacements.com
    they sale all kinds of dishes. I was able to find my Mom and Dads wedding china there, also the china that Gary at purchased while stationed overseas in the 60's.
    They might have replacements for you.
    The china is beautiful!!!
    Have a sweet day and big hugs, Elizabeth

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  2. I just love antique dishes! My daughters inherited a 12 settings collection of Limoges from a great grandma. One daughter is taking that and the other wants my Christmas china, so that worked really well. Of course, I still have all of it!
    I'm sorry about your mosaic header, but the one you have up today is absolutely lovely! You're going to be busy. Enjoy!

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  3. I have boxes. Boxes and boxes of stuff - my mother's, mine, my grandmothers' (both of them) and I have just started getting rid of some of it now after decades of trying to ignore the boxes. Houses here are very small, and my attic is crammed too. Groan. I have decided that this summer is going to be the "let's empty the attic" time. Some boxes have been up there since 1990 unopened and I clearly do not need whatever is in them, do I??
    Your Granny's dishes are beautiful. Will you use them more often? I hope you do, Vee. They are too pretty to pack away!

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  4. The dishes are simply beautiful! And I can certainly see why you loved them..

    About the mosaic...that's the way I felt all week-end with my cold meds! LOL

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  5. Bittersweet it is. Our Prime Minister used the words "sober satisfaction." That resonates well with me.

    Nan's dishes are beautiful. You will treasure them, I know. And in using them you honor her memory.

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  6. Wooooooooooosers! That's some mosaic!

    You know how I spent today. Yesss!!!

    Along with more yard work.

    Today Justice

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  7. I think you know how I love antique dishes! Those are lovely. :)

    Would you believe the furnace is running here? It is raining AGAIN and cold. Hard to believe it is May.

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  8. Beautiful china! Love both the patterns!

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  9. What beautiful heartfelt treasures that will bring back memories for years to come.
    Hugs,
    Cathie

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  10. Those are such lovely dishes! Please use them and don't tuck them away for only an occasional holiday! EVERYDAY is special!

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  11. So beautiful. Just makes your heart ache doesn't it? (I'm still unpacking and moving stuff, too.)

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  12. The china is beautiful Vee! Can't wait to see all the goodies you are going to unpack. The storage unit looked stuffed.

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  13. Your Nan's dishes are beautiful! It is so hard to part with objectas like these that have so many memories entwined with them. It's good you have things in storage so you can take your time and sort through it all slowly.
    I have a friend who took photos of all her deceased mother's belongings and then sent out the photos in book form asking all relatives what they would like to keep. If more than one relative wanted ther same thing they drew straws. She then donated all that no one wanted to keep, as she felt the photos would now hold their memories.

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  14. your mosaic looks as if the pictures were taken through a rain sluiced (?) window...half from the top and half from the bottom through a screen. it kinda made me cross-eyed =o)

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  15. OOO...beautiful china. I sure would love to find some boxes full of THAT in MY garage...:))

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  16. My mom got a set of china from her grandmother. It still sits in my dad's house unused. I only remember using a few times. It seemed like such a waste! I have a set of cheap china but it serves me well. With all my kids it wouldn't last long around here even though we only use it for holidays.
    Sandy
    www.twelvemakesadozen.blogspot.com

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  17. Just lovely.

    My cousin and I each have half of my Grandma's china set. It is amazing how much these dishes can mean and the memories they hold.

    I know you asked about yesterday but I was out and about most of the day and didn't get here....so I'll answer about today. I get to watch my little kiddos at MOPS this morning and then visit my friend with cancer. After that I will come home and work on a huge candle order from a young man prepping for a mission trip this Summer. It seems it will be a full day.

    Blessings.

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  18. Good Morning Vee

    I understand bittersweet...think of the good times sitting around the table enjoying the food and conversations.

    Just poured a cuppa Joe and am cruising a few blogs before heading out to work. My new washer comes today so tonight it'll be a few loads of laundry.

    Leann

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  19. Vee,
    I like Pat's suggestion at taking photos and helping to sort that way. I do like your nan's china. That stack of boxes is most intriguing. May the memories grow sweeter every day.

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  20. Elizabeth, yes, I have heard of Replacements. That is one of the first locations my mother contacted. They may even have been the ones who gave her the information about the pattern's being lost.

    Linds, a creature of habit I am so it is unlikely that I will use them often. I prefer my everyday Corelle because it's light. My hands are sore most days and the heavy china is too much.

    Brenda, yes, I do believe that. I was reading a Texas blog and they were cozied up by the fireplace. Crazy spring weather this year.

    Pat, that is a great idea! Too bad that I have already repacked so much for GOING, GOING, GONE.

    Sandy, warned ya! ☺

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  21. Good Morning Vee! What beautiful dishes! While I know going through the boxes has to be bittersweet, I know you are treasuring the memories and history behind the dishes. It's always lovely when you have a story to go with your treasured pieces. I

    We are still in the depths of clean-up here. The kids will be out of school the rest of the week .... it will have been 8 school days out in all. I know of two schools that have said "the year is over; You can take the grade you have or meet with your teachers for a final. "

    It makes me wish for our snowy winter again!

    Have a wonderful week!
    Jen

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  22. Oh, did you have to remind me of the boxes stacked up in my spare room?! lol Really, I must open up the boxes of stuff brought back from my mom's when she moved to the assisted living center. My sister is so much more ruthless about not holding on to what she doesn't need! Hopefully, my own kids will want some of these heirlooms for I just can't part with them. I'm just hopelessly sentimental for most of this stuff belonged to my father's mother.

    Your Nan's dishes are so lovely, and that her husband selected them, makes them even more special! Taking photos for remembering and then giving the things away would never work for me! Gotta be careful not to be a "hoarder" my hubby tells me. There's some truth there for sure so I'm hoping my kids will want some of this stuff for their own homes!
    V
    V

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  23. I love the little flowers on the last picture.
    We've been going through lots of stuff for a yard sale and doing yard work too. It's nice to have the old house for storing lots of stuff we don't want anymore and just haven't decided what to do with it all.

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  24. Is there a gene for loving old china, do you think? If yes, I certainly have it....A little sad because I only have big family dinners a few times a year, but I love to have my wedding china, my mother's china, my grandmother's china, my mother's Christmas plates, my grandmother's Thanksgiving dishes...I don't think of this as clutter. I find these things beautiful and meaningful and they make me happy. But I don't know if my daughters will want them! They seem, already, to have their own sets!

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  25. Is there anything sweeter than touching something that was so treasured by someone you love and knowing that they held the same dishes? Such wonderful, sweet memories of family times with those same dishes! Thank you for sharing with us.

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  26. How beautiful...what a treasure. I was given my grandmothers silver, but never saw her dishes. These are just beautiful.

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  27. Beautiful, antique china! Splitting the set with your sister seems the right thing to do. It will be a treasure for each of you.

    We split my mom's set among all us kids...and each got a few pieces. I wish I could find more of her set...but have only met dead-ends in my search so far.

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  28. Beautiful china --- and what a sweet and precious story!

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  29. What a beautiful and unusual pattern. I hope you have many sweet memories today as you sort through the china.

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  30. What lovely china and such a beautiful story...you are very blessed indeed to have these precious gifts in your family.

    Blessings Kelsie

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  31. What an absolutely glorious way to spend the day: full of memories and heirloom china. Hugs!

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  32. Beautiful..... and what a very sweet and thoughtful grandfather.
    Love the dishes....

    I always feel that good things should be enjoyed and used...not stored away. Looks like you're going to enjoy!

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  33. The Derbytone is lovely! Beautiful lines and design!

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