Thursday, February 24, 2011

Tea Time

Laura over at Decor to Adore is holding a High Tea linkup party.  I've never had a tea party.  I invite friends over solo for a cuppa, but have never held anything remotely similar to the fantastic teas linking up over there.  Still it's nice to set a pretty table even when it's tea for two.  I set this tea for the most part with all things vintage.

While we were in Rochester for the weekend, my MIL gave me a shoebox full of silverware.  It was really fun to go through.

Some of it was engraved with the initials of people we could find listed in the family bible.

There were 4 different patterns of relish forks.

I love this little sauce spoon.  Ignore my grotesque man hands in the picture.  It was taken at a weird angle.  I swear, I don't have mitts for hands.

I chose a couple of little monogrammed cheese knives for my tablescape to use as spreaders for the berry compote.  They shined up quite nicely once I hit them with the silver polish.

I served the compote in these adorable german pieces.  I'm not sure if they're salt cellars or possibly votive holders, but my MIL gave me 4 of them from Computer Genius's great-aunt's estate.

If anyone recognizes this mark on the bottom, or has any info on them, I'd love to learn more about these little dishes.


I served these little mini-scone fruit triangles on a delicately beautiful Limoges tray also from my MIL.  Who's lucky enough to have Limoges just given to her?  This girl.

My vintage table wouldn't be complete without these fantastic vintage linen napkins found in the bottom drawer of the sideboard that we inherited from CG's great-aunt.

The only things not vintage on this table?  The teacups and saucers.  They're our wedding china - Mikasa Wedding Band Platinum.  I like to pull out our wedding china when it's just adults.  I hate the idea of it sitting in the china cabinet unused.

Behind the teacup you can see another lovely piece.  This sugar bowl is so pretty, and another piece that arrived from my MIL.  It's Bavarian, and signed on the bottom.  I'm assuming the signature belongs to the artisan that painted this piece.

Oh, and the table?  That's a solid cherry butler's table that I snagged off Craigslist for $15.  The young couple selling it said that it was her mother's table and it didn't go with any of their (Walmart pressboard) stuff.

Thanks for popping in and having tea with me.  I'm linking this up to Between Naps on the Porch's Tablescape Thursday and Common Ground's Vintage Inspiration Friday.
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22 comments:

  1. I love this....Something about a Tea Party makes me happy!!

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  2. Oh how fun that must of been going through the silver!

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  3. What beautiful old flatware...love those relish forks.

    Blessings,
    Linda

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  4. Oh my goodness what fun treasures to play with!

    I am thinking that those lovely napkins would have gone great with the linen topper I used on my tea table.

    Thank you SO much for sharing.

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  5. Don't you just love old silverware!? The little cups are cute. Let us know if you find out what they were originally used for.

    Allison
    Atticmag

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  6. What a nice MIL you have to give you all those pieces of silverware. I know you enjoyed going through and seeing the different patterns. Also, i would have enjoyed a cookie and tea/coffee with you.

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  7. You set a lovely table! Family pieces are the best-they come with memories and imaginings of the wonderful times they were used on your husband's great-aunt's table. I treasure the tea set my in-laws gave us for our 25th anniversary. Hopefully our kids will enjoy having it as much as you enjoy your beautiful pieces.

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  8. I love your silverware -- so beautiful. What an amazing find in the cherry table!

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  9. Oh I do love inherited treasures! You really have some lovely pieces and your wedding china is timeless! That table is a huge score! Too bad the couple didn't appreciate it but good for you!! Thanks for joining Junkin Finds Friday! hugs, Linda

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  10. Hi there! I'm just dropping in to let you know I chose you for the Stylish Blogger Award!! Visit my post for details here: You're a Stylish Blogger Award Winner! :)

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  11. Oh, how wonderful to be given this silverware, I just love it. I have discovered it is really hard to come across these types of things. Lovely. Happy VTT!

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  12. Your tea for two setting is so pretty...what a nice surprise from your MIL...that must have been such fun looking at each piece of engraved silver...they are lovely :)
    Big hugs,
    Queenie

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  13. I love it all--that silverware is so pretty--my favorite kind of stuff to find!

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  14. Just beautiful. I love old teacups but the silverware is what I'm really envious of.

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  15. Everything looks so pretty! I love all the different types of silverware that you got. How fun that they came from relatives. That just gives it extra meaning!

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  16. You really did good. Love the scones too.

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  17. Hello,
    I can imagine the fun to find this beautiful flatware items. So many shapes! Your nice German compote (or salt cellar) is an early Rosenthal piece. I think made between 1891-1906. Look at this homepage for more information about the mark: http://porzellankompass.de/index.php?module=Pagesetter&func=viewpub&tid=2&pid=80
    I don't know the name of the pattern. In the very early time some Rosenthal china was handpainted. It looks really precious. I enjoyed your tea time very much.
    Greetings, Johanna

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  18. Aren't MIL's wonderful? Our's always give us cool old stuff that no one else in the family want :) We are getting ready to host a tea party benefit at our store this weekend - so we'll be toasting you with a cup ourselves!!

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  19. The plate holding the scones is gorgeous!

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  20. YOu have a treasure of silver from your MIL! Oh, how heavenly. I LOVE silver, especially with monograms! So pretty.
    YOur sweet table and delicious looking scones just beckon me to sit and enjoy a cup of tea with you!
    Yvonne

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  21. It may take that young Craigslist couple a number of years, but the day will come when they will kick themselves for getting rid of that table. Aren't family treasures just the very best! Many times 'blanks' of well known china pieces were sold to china painters who would design and paint their pieces. Did you know that in china painting, each layer of color means an additional firing? It's quite the labor intensive process. The little bowls appear to be ramekins. Are they bisque on the bottom...unglazed? They would have been filled with a pot de creme flan, or creme brulee, for example, and baked in a water bath. Thank you for sharing your lovely design. Cherry Kay

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  22. I'm your newest follower. What nice silver from your MIL, I love all the things I have from my MIL, while she was alive and after she passed in Jan. 09. You did wonderful. Love the scones, thank you for sharings these lovelies. Hope you visit, I'll be delighted. Enjoy your children every minute, they grow so fast!

    XOXO
    FABBY

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