COLLECTION #257: Sugar and Cream Sets

Aren't these fun? I have a variety of little sugar and cream sets, ranging from  old (my silver set that was a wedding gift to my parents 73 years ago), to a modern set from Target. Most everything is somewhere in between.  I love them all!

I'll start with the silver set- I'm sure it's silver plated, and is manufactured by the WB Manufacturing Company, probably in the 1930s. I'm so glad my Mom gave it to us, because it's something that I always remember being in our home my whole life.

The blue and white phoenix set has an unknown manufacture & date, there were many companies that made this pattern, from Europe to Japan, and I'm sure this is an inexpensive set. I have many other pieces, some of which I displayed in an earlier post.

The cute English Village set was featured recently, and was a gift from my Mom. She brought it back from England. I have no idea if it was new or vintage when she got it, but my guess is that it was new. She brought it home about 20 years ago.

I love my pale green sugar and creamer. I believe they are from Poppy Trail (because I have a marked platter that matches, but I can't be 100% sure). My guess is they are from the late 1930s or '40s.

Next is a set of 'honeybee' pottery, which was a wedding present to us,  34 years ago. When we received it, I had the feeling it was antique then, but I never thought to ask the giver. So, since there are only numbers on the bottom and no name, and I have been unsuccessful in IDing it from the internet, I'll just leave it as a mystery set. I love it!

On the top row, I have my wonderful Franciscan Desert Rose set, from the 1950s, and a modern set, pale blue and white stripes, from Target.

I wonder if any of you have some sugar and cream sets in your home? I'll tell you one thing- I've never used them for sugar or cream!

COLLECTION #252: Mixing Bowls

Oh, how I love mixing bowls! Old ones, new ones, white ones, pink ones. I love them solid colors, and I love them with a little decoration. I don't care if they're from Target, or if they're Pyrex or Franciscan. (Ok, I love the vintage ones a little more!) Mixing bowls make me happy. I love that they are used for mostly fun things: making cakes and brownies, mixing egg salad or meatloaf.

For Christmas 1977, my sister Lynne gave me a beautiful, heavy white mixing bowl. It seemed an odd gift for a single girl who didn't like to cook or bake, but I immediately feel in love with the feel of the bowl. Simple in design, heavy in construction, I still have it, and use it often, although there's a hairline crack that runs through it, and technically I should probably retire it. But, I love it so!

I inherited several lovely bowls from my Grandma. When Bruce and I were married in 1978, we ended up buying my grandparent's house from the family. With most of the goodies still there. I got Grandma's 1950s Pyrex mixing bowls (in pink and green), and my favorite of all, a small yellow pottery bowl. This is probably my most cherished mixing bowl. It's the one I always use when I make corn bread. (Ok, I'll admit, I use Jiffy Corn Bread mix, and it's just the perfect size for one box of Jiffy.) I don't know what brand that bowl is, but it's awesome. I suppose I should do a little research to find out who made it. My guess is that it's from the 1940s.

My favorite little yellow mixing bowl.

We received a set of Pyrex mixing bowls for a wedding gift, and they still look great. It's not my favorite pattern, but it's held up well, and you can't beat Pyrex for making a long-lasting, quality product.

Some of my modern bowls are fun too. I absolutely adore the retro-looking set of blue bowls with their creamy yellow insides. I also love the newer white bowls with the blue rims or stripes.

When Bruce and I inherited his Mom's set of Desert Rose Franciscan Ware a few years ago, the piece that made my heart beat faster, was the small mixing bowl. There's just something sweet about the shape, the color, the patina of the pottery. And, the pattern is just my favorite.

Small Desert Rose mixing bowl by Franciscan

Do you love mixing bowls too? I'd love it if you'd share your favorite with me!

COLLECTION #84: Franciscan Ware Desert Rose Pottery

 
 I owe it all to my dear late mother-in-law, Betty. Or perhaps to her mother. But this summer we finally closed out the storage unit where her possessions have been residing since her passing in 2008, and brought it all down from Sacramento to Moorpark. We inherited several wonderful pieces of furniture including a pretty spinet piano, and a beautiful china cabinet with curved glass and intricate carved details. Stored safely inside that china cabinet, is my 'new' lovely set of Franciscan Ware, the Desert Rose pattern. Desert Rose was the second of the hugely successful patterns of Franciscan Ware. (The actual name of the company was Gladding, McBean & Co. who got their start making ceramic tile for California homes). Franciscan Ware rose to fame in the 1940s, where their lovely stoneware dishes became the epitome of the California lifestyle.  As a little girl, I remember that my Mom loved Franciscan Ware, and we had many dishes and pieces of Franciscan pottery in our home. I also remember visiting their headquarters and outlet store in nearby Glendale, where my Mom loved to browse.

 I really love the Desert Rose pattern. Although the most common and popular of Franciscan's pottery, it's easy to see why. Creamy white background with a sweet, rather simple rose and leaf design, with a clever vine design on the handles- it's a pattern that can go with any decor- modern or traditional.

I love the little egg cups, the butter dish, the sugar and creamer (alas, the sugar dish has a missing lid). There are divided platters, a small mixing bowl (my favorite piece), and many plates, saucers, cups, and salad plates. I only photographed the 'unusual' pieces, but perhaps I'll photograph the rest some day.

 The hallmark on the bottom of most of these pieces show that they were made between 1949 and 1953. So, they're not the earliest examples, but they're not the latest either. I'm hopeful that one of my daughters or daughters-in-law may want to add these dishes to their homes someday.