Five more boxes of books went to the library for their book sale. And while I have more shelves to clear upstairs, I decided to do take a break from the books and address the problem of inherited china and glass ware--some inherited, some wedding presents.
I began with the Haviland china--some my maternal grandmother's and some my mother's. Mostly never used by any of us. Like the hot chocolate cup above--so pretty, so delicate--so 19th century.
I think I did use this butter dish back when I was milking and making my own butter.
But really--pretty as all this stuff is, it doesn't suit our idiom--which is more heavy mugs and Blue Willow plates. Ditto, I expect for the boys and their wives. (Though they are welcome to speak up if I've misjudged them.) I'd be thrilled to sell this stuff and am keeping a photo and written record of what I've packed away--when I get a little forwarder with the work, I'll look into Etsy or other venues. . .
This figurine below was on the shelf with the Haviland. It's not Haviland--but Hirode (Japanese import stuff.)
Yes, it's pretty ghastly. But it was one of a pair that sat on the mantelpiece in my grandparents' bedroom and my grandfather always put a couple of rolled up dollar bills in the ladies' arms for me and my brother to find.
Sweet memories. But I'll keep the memory and the picture and donate this couple somewhere.
This is what happens when you live in the same house for almost fifty years. Things accumulate...
6 comments:
Nobody that I know of cares about china anymore. Not even us. We have two good sets, one from my mother that we never use. Poor mom. She collected her favoured china over the years, but somehow or other, I came across it’s value in these days. It is essentially worthless.
Yep, that's the case with so many of these things.
Oh how pretty, and pretty useless. I can imagine a tea party with little finger sandwiches (who cuts the crust off bread these days!) and wonderful fragrant tea...but then the china can't be put in a dishwasher...so I guess I agree, not my 'cup of tea' these days. The beauty lives on, now behind glass somewhere.
Somebody will want them enough to buy them. We have things inherited from my mother in law that we've never used, including a full set of silverware. Who wants to polish silver? And a full set of dishes that sit in a cabinet high above the refrigerator, unreachable. Need to get rid of some of this stuff. You've inspired me!
I love all this stuff and still use mine for "occasions." My daughter understands it will pass to her and she can do with it what she will. But for now, I still feel the presence of the ones who cherished this fineness in their hand, long lives.
Which is why I've held on to it for so long. But truthfully, I feel closer to my ancestors when I cherish their books, their kitchen tools, their quilts--omg, that reminds me of all those fancy tablecloths.
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