Feeling Guilty About Spouting Off

Yes, I am feeling a bit guilty - or at least ambivalent - about this spout:

It belongs to a lovely sterling teapot. The teapot belongs to us - or at least it did until we recently sold it in what many would think was an unsentimental, rash, mercenary gesture. After all, it's a family piece (albeit from a family member whose monogram we do not recognize . . .), and it's truly beautiful, and we love sterling items - so what were we thinking?

It's even an older, heavier teapot from the 1930s (see the ivory insulators on the handle!), which we also love. But, the problem is that tea from a silver pot isn't nearly as delicious as from a china one ~ gasp! Who could have guessed?

How can this be? What do you think tea lovers? Do you prefer tea from a silver teapot? So, our teapot and the rest of its set have a new home and we're purchasing another sterling item that we love with the proceeds . . . upgrading our collection, if you will.

And I'll be enjoying a cup of Formosa Oolong from my old ceramic teapot in the morning . . . and trying not to notice the empty spot on the sideboard.

Note: If you like this pattern, it's called Plymouth and was made by Gorham and several other sterling manufacturers.

On the Road with the Duchess

So, the Duchess in question is Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York and we're not really on the road together . . . you may have guessed that! But, I am on the road for a few days and so is the Duchess and I did have a close encounter with her at a wonderful fundraising event in Greenville, NC a few days ago. And she is visiting five other cities while in the US and I'm visiting my mom so more about Fergie when I return home.

Meanwhile I thought you might like to know that today (May 7) is not only my mother's birthday, but also the day that Joan of Arc ended the Siege of Orleans in 1429 by leading the French Army to victory during the Hundred Years' War. Saint Joan remains an inspirational figure centuries later - perhaps because she is proof that one small person can make a difference.

And you don't have to be a martyr who is burned at the stake to do it. Although I'd almost be willing to go that far to be immortalized by Rossetti as Joan was (above).


And one final word about my mother (did I mention it's her birthday?) and Joan of Arc - my mother's wedding silver is the Joan of Arc pattern seen above - isn't it lovely? It's a great pattern that debuted in 1940 and is still in production - it has lots of great serving pieces and is always available on eBay! Keep it in mind if you're looking for a new sterling pattern to collect.

Happy Friday!

I wouldn't blame The Dish for running away with this Spoon!

Who wouldn't want to steal away with this charming Georgian sterling spoon? It's a coffee spoon with a perfect little 'B' monogrammed on the back. It's one of a pair purchased on eBay several years ago.

It's difficult to see from the photo, but the bowl is quite worn from years of use.

It's a sweet 5 3/8" - just right for a small cup of tea or coffee.


The hallmarks tell us it was made in London in 1825 - just imagine, someone could have used this spoon to stir tea while reading about Thomas Jefferson's death in the newspaper! And now it's used to stir my tea . . .

Collectors often overlook spoons because they're so plentiful. But, sometimes they're also so delightful and usually quite affordable - especially if monogrammed. If you're interested in learning more about English sterling, consider purchasing a copy of Jackson's Hallmarks - it's a lifesaver when you're antiquing (online or in real life!).

Thanks for stopping by and meeting my little spoon! What things have you collected that brighten your day?

"I'm serving the crumbliest bread . . ." she thought

And what kind of dastardly plan is a host or hostess hatching when bread is selected based on its crumbliness? A not-so-subtle plan to use this lovely crumber!

When sterling flatware was at its height, there were specialized pieces for every imaginable purpose. The crumber is an excellent example, a large item with a singular role - removing crumbs from the table. It would be used between courses to gather the crumbs and leave the table clean for the next course.

This crumber was made in 1910 and is English. Many American silver patterns of this time included crumbers and you can easily find them online and in antique shops. Many have lovely monograms like the 'M. D.' seen above.

This one has an ivory handle and is about 12" - the hallmarks on the reverse tell us when and where it was created. It was an eBay purchase and rather inexpensive because there is a small crack in the handle; it doesn't affect the use of the crumber, however, so I don't mind.

To see other crumber examples, check out the Antique Cupboard. You might find one you can't live without - and then you'll be hoping for messy diners, too!

Pastry Forks! Do You Need Them?

With me, the answer to 'do you need it' is always yes - if the item in question is silver and I don't have it. That's not to say I always buy whatever it is . . . but, I still think I need it! I love collecting silver because it's beautiful and a joy to use. And, unlike a cashmere sweater or expensive shoes, sterling items improve with each use. Try wearing that new sweater every day for two months and see how it holds up!

The pastry fork is a basic place-setting piece. You may know it as the salad fork or dessert fork - so already we can see how useful it is, three things in one (even better than the plastic spork which is only two things and is easily snapped in half if used for ice cream . . . but, that's another post). There's another great thing about the pastry fork - it's often the prettiest piece in the regular place setting. The fork shown above is a great example. It's a pattern by Frank Whiting called 'Marquis'. The pattern was designed in 1889 - isn't that amazing? See the shape of the lower tine? It's wider to facilitate cutting. Most American silver patterns use the same fork for salad and pastry and consequently the 'cutting' tine may not be as wide as this one.

In the pattern above, which is Reed & Barton's Marlborough, both outside tines have the same shape. Isn't it lovely? The nice thing about collecting pastry forks is that they're inexpensive - you can often find sterling ones for less than $10. While silverplated pieces are even cheaper, I feel it's worth spending a bit more for sterling as it will last forever whereas the silver often wears off the tines of a plated fork and then it leaves an unpleasant metallic taste - after all, we're buying these to use! (Needless to say, eBay is a great source - the pieces above were purchased there and later resold there. If you look in the 'unknown' category under Antiques/Sterling, you'll find great deals - your best bet may be to simply search for 'fork'.)

And if you plan to create a special dessert for Valentine's Day, check out the yummy ideas from Martha Stewart. Of course - your pastry forks will be perfect with any of these!

Happy Friday!

Room for Vinaigrette in Your Handbag?

You may not consider carrying vinaigrette in your purse, but two centuries ago ladies (and gents!) always travelled with this kind of vinaigrette:

Barely larger than a postage stamp, these vinaigrettes held aromatic mixtures that could revive a swooning lady or provide a pleasant aroma to mask the rude smells one encountered in daily life!

Typically made of sterling silver, like this one, vinaigrettes held a tiny sponge beneath a little grilled screen.

This one was made in Birmingham, England in the early 1800s and has its original sponge. (!) The sponges were soaked in perfumed oils mixed with vinegar; a mixture pungent enough to allow the vinaigrettes to be very small - a necessity since you carried this at all times.

These were often given as tokens of affection and this one has a sweet inscription "From Charles to Sophia" that makes you wonder what happened to them. Were they sweethearts? The inscription is quite worn (and also very small - less than 1/2" wide) which may indicate this was a well-loved item. Perhaps Sophia used it for decades while dreaming of Charles who perished at the Battle of Waterloo . . . oh! sorry, getting off track!

Inevitably, vinaigrettes fell out of fashion - perhaps in direct correlation to improving sanitation. Their popularity peaked between 1790 and 1820 and by 1840 they were considered quite old-fashioned. What happened to them? Many are still floating around in antique shops and online auctions. A basic one, sans sponge, can be found for under $100. More elaborate ones by famous makers or with engravings of famous sites often run in the hundreds. Or, you can go for the top of the line and get something like this:

This citrine and gold vinaigrette sold last month at Christie's for almost $4,000. I love the way the grille design can be seen through the Citrine . . . So, when you're antiquing, watch for these tiny gems. You may find a real bargain and you may get hooked on these little beauties!

I'm off to make a salad . . . I have a strange craving for vinaigrette!

(And tomorrow we'll be chatting about Thanksgiving Etiquette - that's right, with a capital 'E')

Vintage Monograms for the Table

Yes, we're talking about monograms - again! Reese Witherspoon is famous for her love of monograms. This quote sums up her philosophy on them:

"My sheets are monogrammed, so is my silverware and pretty much everything else I own. My rule is, if it's not moving, monogram it."

We'll assume that was a tongue-in-cheek comment . . . but, it brings us to our topic of monograms for the table. While it is possible to buy new monogrammed china, flatware, acrylic serving pieces, linens, etc., vintage monogrammed items often have much more charm. Most new monograms are simply three letters side by side whereas in a true monogram the letters intertwine. For obvious reasons, it is rare to find someone who can create these intricate designs today - and the cost would be prohibitive. Enter vintage monograms!

Take a look at this beautiful salad plate. It's around 100 years old and has a hand-painted monogram. The letters are SAS, presumably with 'A' being the initial of the owner's surname. This is part of a set of 6 that I purchased at a local shop for less than $25 - all are in perfect condition. What a deal - of course, these are not my initials, not even one letter! But, that's the great thing about vintage monograms, they work regardless of the initials. And if these were a family heirloom there's a strong chance the initials would not match mine anyway. Here's a closer look at the initials - see how the letters loop around each other?

How about the monogram on the sterling salt spoon below?

I enlarged it a great deal so you can see the intricacy - it's impossible to decipher. There are four letters, maybe even three Ms and an N - perhaps the original owner's name was something like Mary Margaret Newcombe Mason? Keep in mind that the whole salt spoon is around four inches so these letters are very small. The point is, it's a lovely item with a hand-engraved monogram. New silver usually has machine monograms and they just don't have the warmth and creativity of the old hand-engraved pieces. And, monogrammed items like these plates and silver are much less expensive than their unmonogrammed counterparts. The same goes for table linens.

Often monograms on linen were created by the owner. This damask cloth is a perfect example; you can tell the embroiderer was an amateur, but it's still lovely. Monogram patterns were available for the home stitcher and a large number of monogrammed items were created by young brides and matrons alike. The result for us is a ready supply of antique monogrammed linens - with a little patience you can even find your own monogram on eBay. If we didn't have electronic diversions today, perhaps we'd all be monogramming napkins or sheets right now? Oh well . . . no need to unplug, you can create a beautiful table with vintage monograms and you don't need a thimble or needle.

"The red leaves are coming, the red leaves are coming" - Paul Revere, Oct 1775

Well, maybe Paul Revere didn't get as excited about red leaves as Red Coats, but he might have been a leaf peeper, in which case he might have said "the red leaves are coming" when he saw the first beautiful, red fall leaf on the ground. I'd like to think he did. I'm always excited to see the first fall leaves and here in Zone 7, a few trees are starting to turn. (And in the photo above, don't miss the chewed-off liriope - compliments of the local deer gang!)

But, back to Paul Revere for a moment. You probably know he wore many hats, including that of engraver and silversmith. A few of his silver items are displayed at museums around the country. The Metropolitan Museum has perhaps the most famous - a sterling teapot:

Wouldn't it be great to sit outside on a sunny autumn day and sip tea from this teapot? Hope you're enjoying the leaves in your area - whether they're green, yellow, or red. Don't forget a cup of tea, too!

Enjoying Fresh Summer Fruit? You Need These!

Take a peek at these fruit knives . . . Mother of Pearl handles, Sterling Silver Ferrules (the little bands between the handles & blades), and rather worn plated blades.

No wonder Edwardians included a fruit course with most meals. Who could pass up a chance to use a fruit set like this one? Originally these knives had matching forks and probably serving pieces as well. This early 20th century set caught my eye, but is one of those charming vintage items that's just not practical due to the poor condition of the blades. On the bright side, though, they're beautiful and sometimes that's enough!

Must run - I'm off to eat an orange the gauche, 21st century way - with my hands . . .

Looking for the Perfect Tea Accessory?

How about a sterling silver tea strainer?

This gorgeous Art Nouveau strainer could brighten any tea table - and if you don't normally use loose tea, this could be just the incentive you need. Pair this with a great pair of sugar tongs, and you're ready for an elegant tea party!

But, don't save these just for special occasions - use them everyday. After all, one of the things tea lovers love about tea is that it offers a chance to relax and enjoy a few quiet, stress-free minutes. So add some beautiful accessories to your tea routine and you're sure to make time for tea more often - and who couldn't use more quiet, stress-free moments?