Royal Stafford Teacup

Hello Everyone,
First, I want to thank everyone who visited my "high heels" post last week. It was fun reading your comments about the wearing (and not wearing) of high heels! I most definitely prefer cute flats now, but I would love to wear heels again for a special occasion. So, if, or when, that happens - I'll share with you, I promise!

My sister and I went antiquing in a nearby town last week, where I found this vintage Royal Stafford teacup. You won't believe how much I paid for it!

It was marked $2.00, and they were having a 20% off sale, so it cost me all of $1.60 plus tax! What drew me to this cup is the shape and color of the "bowl" of the cup (which doesn't show up well in my photo...but it's a very soft, pale shade of pink.)

From my research, I found that Royal Stafford is a "brand name" of an English company from Staffordshire, England that was called Thomas Poole. The Thomas Poole Company was founded in 1880 (and formerly known as Johnson & Poole.) In 1952, the company was re-formed again and became known as Royal Stafford China. The backstamp on my cup dates it to this period, sometime after 1952.

I'll be posting photos of some of the other interesting things I saw at the antique barn later in the week. For now, I'm sharing my teacup on the Tuesday Tea Time link parties and other blogs listed below. Have a great week, everyone!

Cindy

Linking to the following Tea Parties and Blogs:

Tuesday Cuppa Tea at Antiques and Teacups

Tea Time Tuesday at Rose Chintz Cottage

Teacup Tuesday at Martha's Favorites

Teacup Tuesday at Artful Affirmations

Tea in the Garden at Bernideen's Tea Time Blog

Teacup Thursday at Miss Spenser's Blog

A Return to Loveliness at A Delightsome Life

What's It Wednesday at Ivy and Elephants

Show and Tell Friday on My Romantic Home

Passion Parade Friday Link Soiree at Petites Passions

Foley China Teacup

Hello Everyone,
I haven't posted a teacup in quite a while, but my small collection grows slowly but surely. Today, I have a "new" cup to share with you - as in "new" to me, but it's actually quite old. This is a Foley China teacup and saucer in the Glengarry Thistle pattern. Pink flowers on a light blue background with gold trim. Very pretty!

It's my understanding that Foley China was produced by several different manufacturers in England. The backstamp on my cup says "Glengarry Thistle" Foley China, English Bone China, Made in England. This dates it to between 1930-1936.

I couldn't find an actual description of this pattern online, but the flowers look like clover. The antique shop where I found it had another one just like this. I may have to go back and get it! What do you think?

Have a wonderful week!

Until next time,

Cindy

Linking to the following Tea Parties and Blogs:

Tuesday Cuppa Tea at Antiques and Teacups

Tea Time Tuesday at Rose Chintz Cottage

Teacup Tuesday at Martha's Favorites

Teacup Tuesday at Artful Affirmations

Teacup Thursday at Miss Spenser's Blog

A Return to Loveliness at A Delightsome Life

What's It Wednesday at Ivy and Elephants

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Passion Parade Friday Link Soriee at Petites Passions

Lomonosov USSR Porcelain Teacup ~

Hello Everyone,
Well, it took some digging, but I found the manufacturer of my latest teacup by identifying the backstamp on the website found HERE. It was made by the Lomonosov Porcelain Factory in Saint Petersburg, Russia.  I fell in love with the delicate shape and design.

The Lomonosov Porcelain Factory is the prior name of the current Imperial Porcelain Factory (Manufactory.) It was first established in 1744 in the town of Oranienbaum (Lomonosov.)  Many collectors still refer to the Imperial Factory as Lomonosov. According to the backstamp on my cup, it was made prior to 1991.

As a novice teacup collector, I'm enjoying the research and history involved with learning about them. I'm beginning to see how one can learn to recognize the country of origin by the shapes and designs of these beautiful works of art. I hope you've enjoyed seeing the latest addition to my collection!

Until next time,

Cindy

Linking to: Tea Time Tuesday at Rose Chintz Cottage

          Teacup Tuesday at Artful Affirmations

A Return to Loveliness at A Delightsome Life

Teacup Tuesday at Martha's Favorites

White Wednesday at Faded Charm

What's It Wednesday at Ivy and Elephants

Teacup Thursday at Miss Spencer's Blog

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Mustache Cups ~

I'd heard of them ~ mustache cups ~ but never actually seen one until I bought this one a couple weeks ago during my first visit to Jeffrey's Antique Gallery in Findlay, Ohio, which is the largest antique mall in Northwest Ohio. Their website can be found HERE. Mustache cups are one of those interesting items that, at one time, were very common, so when I saw this one, I couldn't pass it up. They have a semi-circular ledge inside the cup that served to keep men's mustache's dry while sipping tea or coffee.

A little history: mustaches became very popular during the American Civil War and Victorian era. Men would melt a little bit of wax in a pan, and using a special comb, carefully apply the wax to their mustache. It was quite a problem for men prior to the invention of the cups, as the wax would soften, and sometimes melt and drip into the coffee or tea, and fair-haired men's mustaches would become stained. We're talking about some serious, heavy-duty mustaches in those days. Just one example:

John Haskell-King, Civil War Photo

The mustache cup was invented by an English potter named Harvey Adams in 1830. My cup has no manufacturer's mark on the bottom, so I have no way of knowing its' age.  It has a lovely design, though, of purple and pale yellow flowers.

For more history and information on mustache cups, click HERE.

Until next time, thanks for visiting!

Cindy

Linking to:
Tea Time Tuesday at Rose Chintz Cottage
Tuesday Cuppa Tea at Antiques and Teacups
A Return to Loveliness at A Delightsome Life
White Wednesday at Faded Charm
Tea Cup Thursday at Miss Spencer's Blog
Time Travel Thursday at The Brambleberry Cottage
Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

A Trip to the Antiques Barn

My sister and I took a spur-of-the-moment drive on Monday and found ourselves at an antiques shop/barn filled to the brim with antique furniture, glassware, lamps, and almost any other type of vintage treasures you can imagine! It would actually take several trips to see it all. I loved this cast iron pig planter!

 A couple more pictures of the inside - this is only a tiny portion of what's there!

This is what I came home with - a set of two vintage tea cups/luncheon plates (crumpet set) - both for $5.00! They're stamped "Made in Italy" on the bottom, but no other markings. There's a tiny chip in one of the cups, but I bought them anyway because I just love the colorful design, the shape of the plates - I love everything about them!  

Until next time, Happy Teatime Tuesday!

Linking this to Tea Time Tuesday on Rose Chintz Cottage 
                  Tuesday Tea for Two on The Plumed Pen
Time Travel Thursday on The Brambleberry Cottage
and

Creative Bloggers' Party & Hop on The Brambleberry Cottage