Surrounded By White -

Hyacinth & Beaded Handle Soup Tureens - Hyacinth Sauce Tureen


Early this month we attended the White Ironstone China Association annual convention in York Pa. This convention is a wonderful immersion into this early English pottery with so much to see and learn in the company of the nicest people - many even more addicted to early White Ironstone than I am. Is that really possible?

There are many opportunities to purchase wonderful pieces of English White Ironstone from the Tops & Bottoms Sale the first evening - to the Auction with over two hundred items available - to the Sunday Morning Sale. Most of those attending this convention are collectors and as their collections get too large some of their treasures need to be moved aside for new acquisitions. The many special items included in the auction are these pieces.

We came home with a car full of white treasures - many of which will be available for purchase in our internet stores on Ruby Lane and Tias Antique Arts. However, since I favor the pieces with floral embossing many of those will remain in my private collection - at least for a while.


The charming small sauce tureens were plentiful and we came home with ten of these precious treasures. And at the other end of the spectrum we now have two new large soup tureens - one with its matching under plate. I have a customer in California who has a variety of the sauce tureens and serves soup in them to her guests - with each having their own unique shape.


Squash On Vine Shape - Paneled Grape Shape - Victor Shape

I have always been drawn to early White Ironstone pitchers and ewers especially those with the floral shapes such as these -

Forget Me Not Shape and Wheat in the Meadow Shape


Shown here along with Ceres Shape, Leaf & Thumbprint Shape, Budded Vine Shape

My newest fascination is the early tea pots. I just love the form of the Chinese Shape and Fig Shape and the simplicity of the Sevres Shape.


Bath pieces are becoming more and more difficult to find - the brush and razor boxes and soap dishes. We were lucky enough to locate a matched pair in the Hanging Basket Shape. These pieces leave the bath quite often in today's life style. A customer of mine uses them on her buffet table to hold all sorts of small food items.


Wonderful relish dishes were available and leaf shapes seem to be the theme of those I purchased.


Fig Union Shape - Lily Of The Valley Shape - Potomac Shape - Along With Leaf Shapes

These two covered tureens are just exquisite in their shapes -

Fig Shape and Berlin Swirl Shape


Platters in a variety of sizes and plates completed our purchases. So very useful and food looks so appealing on white.


Morning Glory Shape, Baltic Shape, Athens Shape Platters
Ribbed Cookie Plate
Corn & Oats Plates
Fig Shallow Bowl



Please visit our internet stores if you see something you would like to add to your collection - links below.

Better still - Come visit our booth at one of the many Antiques Shows we will be participating in this summer in New England - and see and touch these special pieces of early English White Ironstone.

We have just returned from Brimfield and some of these pieces are no longer available.

Our next show is an exciting experience - Antiques at Elm Bank - June 11 and 12 - on the grounds of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. Just imagine white tents full of antiques nestled amongst beautiful gardens! My favorite combination - antiques and flowers - Wonderful!


Holly Lane Antiques is located across from the goddesses

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Holly Lane Antiques At The Del Mar Antiques Show -

Holly Lane Antiques returned to the Del Mar Antiques Show last weekend. It is a three day large show at the fairgrounds in Del Mar California. It was a wonderful spring weekend and we had a successful show. Perhaps the economy really is beginning to turn around! The best part of any show for us is always visiting with our returning customers who are now friends after so many years and helping them add to their collections.







As many of my blog readers know I have a serious fondness for the early English White Ironstone I sell and have favorite pieces. One of my most favorite ewers in the Bordered Hyacinth Shape found a new home as did this difficult to find large drainer - also referred to as a mezzanine I have been told.





Two of my exquisite Hawkes stems also found a new home. Note the unusual square base. Back in their day I am sure they were meant as water goblets but now how wonderful for our wine! Two of this size are still available as are matching cordial stems.



Favorites among my sterling collection are the delicate strawberry forks with their long tines for piercing those luscious berries. Several of those will now be used for the wonderful large just picked California strawberries we are finding in our roadside stands. These are in the Imperial Chrysanthemum pattern of Gorham. Four more are still available as well as strawberry forks in other patterns.



A favorite Antique Haviland plate in a beautiful lavender floral dropping to the center went home with a Haviland collector and repeat customer. She also chose a charming chocolate cup and saucer for her collection. Another collector of Haviland ramekin sets chose one in the popular Schleiger #146 pattern on the St Germain blank. There are still some of these chocolate cups and saucers and ramekins available for purchase. The plate was unique and a rare find.







My husband commented on the variety that we sold at this show including some of our beautiful English table linens and depression stemware and antique floral prints.

This show however was a bit bittersweet for us. We brought my 99 year old dad to live with us here in California last October. He was with us for the November and January Del Mar shows. He came and watched us set up our booth - asking questions and giving suggestions for a better way. My daughter brought him to see the show and he proclaimed our booth as the best one there - always the proud dad! He passed in March to join my mom and sisters. He is so missed!




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March - A Time For Green And Clover -

My Favorite - Green Orchid

For the Irish and the non Irish alike - March is the month we think green!


Early English White Ironstone Ewer in the Clover Shape

A Time to Celebrate - being Irish or perhaps that Spring really is coming!


Antique Elite Limoges Plate

For most of the country this has been a long, cold and snowy winter and you are yearning to look out your windows and see your green lawn again. For those of us in Southern California it is a joy to look out our windows and see the foothills once again covered in green after the fires. We have had so much rain lately it is as if it actually rained green.



Early Haviland celebrated the Irish with its designs featuring clover patterns.


Schleiger 98


Schleiger 113

And often used green very effectively as borders and accents.






Schleiger 1153


Schleiger 2776


Schleiger 33


Schleiger 847



The early English potters favored clover in several of their shapes.


Wheat And Clover Shape



Green transfer ware is not as readily available as other colors. When a piece is found it is a rare treat!





Green depression glass is always special







Continuing With The Green Theme -


Royal Crown Derby


Tirschenreuth


Royal Crown Derby


Haviland Schleiger 67


Royal Worcester England


Haviland Limoges



Green has always been a favorite color of mine. I love it that there is a month when many celebrate green!


19th Century George lll Mahogany Fire Screen




More Greens - A Yummy Way To Eat Your Spinach!


Bruschetta with Fontina and Greens

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients
Toasts:

* 1 (1-pound) loaf ciabatta bread, trimmed and cut into 14 (1/2-inch thick) slices
* Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
* 1 garlic clove, halved

Topping:

* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 12 ounces (12 cups) baby spinach
* Kosher salt
* 2 cups (4 ounces) shredded fontina cheese

Directions

For the toasts: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Arrange the bread slices in a single layer on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until light golden, about 10 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes. Rub the warm toasts with the cut side of the garlic. Set aside.

For the topping: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1/2 of the spinach and stir until it begins to wilt, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt, to taste. Using tongs, arrange the spinach on top of the toasts. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 5 to 8 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Season with salt and cool for 2 minutes.

Transfer the bruschetta to a platter and serve.


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A Bit Distracted Recently

Holly Lane Antiques continues to offer a large selection of Antique Haviland Limoges China and wonderful Early English White Ironstone at their two internet locations - Ruby Lane and Antique Arts - links below.

However, this blog has been neglected for a while since my life has taken on a new focus. In October we brought my 99 year old dad to live with us. This has been a new adventure for all of us and after two months we are all settling in very well. What a wonderful experience for my daughters and grand children as they have the opportunity to experience his stories of life in the early 1900's. And to have four generations gathered for our Christmas celebrations was most special!





I have especially enjoyed observing the interaction of my 7 year old grandson with his 99 year old great grandfather. They have become great buddies! Memories to be cherished!




With the new year we will be continuing our Antiques Shows beginning with the Del Mar Show January 22 23 24 at the fairgrounds in Del Mar California. Holly Lane Antiques can be found again at space 820.

And with the new year I will be back here more often sharing information about our new treasures and adventures.

The beautiful Haviland set pictured at the beginning of this blog entry dates to the late 1800's - Haviland's earlier pieces. It is the Lierre Shape of Haviland and features a pattern of gilded leaves. The squash finials and split design of the ribbon handles add to the beauty of these pieces.




Among our most recent English White Ironstone pieces are this Hidden Motif Shape Pitcher and Niagara Fan Shape covered tureen. The Hidden Motif Shape was made by Jacob Furnival & Co Cobridge England. This 19th century English White Ironstone Pitcher has a lovely graceful shape with leaf sprays around the top and bottom of the wonderful rope handle. The hidden motif are the small 6 leaf sprays under the pitcher lip.




The Niagara Fan Shape was made by Anthony Shaw c.1856. This 19th century white ironstone tureen has a lovely classic shape along with an embossed leaf pattern on the lid at the base of a gorgeous finial. Both the body and lid are divided into paneled sections and it stands on a pedestal base.

Holly Lane Antiques Sends Best Wishes For A Happy New Year To All!

Click on the banner below to visit our internet store where many of the items pictured are available for purchase.



Also visit our new internet store
Holly Lane Antiques at Ruby Lane