I've been collecting this classic 1950's tableware since I was 18, when my dear friend Rose gave me three little cups and saucers she'd found in a junk shop. She'd originally bought them for herself, but soon realised they were much more to my taste. Smart move, I absolutely loved those cups and saucers at first sight!
Over the years, I've picked up more pieces in junk shops, vintage fairs (I talk about a lucky find in this post) and on eBay, and the three teacups and saucers have now grown into quite a collection. The range was designed by Jessie Tait for Midwinter in the 1950's and is called Red Domino.
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A backdrop of Midwinter Red Domino |
Now for a twist… an illustrator friend of mine - Carol Seatory - recently listed a few handmade pieces in her Etsy shop. Her work is quite retro in style and always incorporates found, upcycled or salvaged materials at some point in the process. I particularly like her collages, which she makes using vintage fabric and wallpaper. The two that initially caught my eye were Swimming Hat...
... and My favourite Dress (look at that pleated skirt!)
But imagine my face when I saw this?!!! A Midwinter Red Domino Teapot collage!
Look, I've even got a matching teapot!
If ever anything had my name on it, this was it. I love the way you can see the texture of the vintage fabric up close. Needless to say, the collage now lives with me!
I'm fascinated by people's collections, and the reasons why they start collecting things in the first place. If you have a collecting story to tell, please let me know, I'd love to do a roundup. x
that might be the most "you" collection i have ever seen! red? check! polka dots? check! must be handmade jane! i love it and the pic is perfect - i'm definitely going to check out that etsy shop. i don't collect anything (unless fabric/ patterns count?). i don't like clutter and have got rid of almost everything a few times in my life so i tend not to collect things.
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit of a contradiction - as well as collecting stuff, I'm also notoriously ruthless at getting rid of clutter too! x
DeleteI collect elephants (sadly not real ones - definitely no room for those!). I never buy them myself though - friends and family will always bring one back from holiday (or "rescue" them from jumble sales etc), so I have little elephants from all around the world. I've loved elephants ever since I was about 8 when I had a chance to meet an orphaned baby elephant - it had quite a profound effect on me at the time. I love your red polka dot collection - it is the most you!
ReplyDeleteI must have known that fact about you and elephants Shivani because every time I see one I think of you! x
DeleteI love the swimming hat - really lovely design. Ive never really been a collector but love seeing other peoples collections
ReplyDeleteSo do I! x
DeleteHow lovely, Jane! I really like both of those prints and needless to say, I also love the crockery! I collect crockery too. I collect Hornsea Heirloom dishes - I started out by buying a couple of the jars in green at a flea market in Coventry and it went from there. That was about 7 years ago, and in that time Hornsea stuff seems to have gone up in price, but it's something that friends and family buy for me if they see it. I have a fair bit now in all three colours (blue, green and brown) and a few bits of the other designs - a wee bit of Saffron (although I don't like it as much) and some Bronte (which I can't let myself buy or I'll start collecting it) and last winter my Daddy bought me a whole set of Fleur, which is at home waiting for when Nic and I have a bigger place. I love it because it's tactile and usable and also because it's kind of essentially worthless, as it was produced in such large quantities in the 70s and 80s. I love having a boiled egg from my Hornsea Smarties eggcup and not being afraid to use it!
ReplyDeleteNeedless to say, I also have a fair collection of dresses and shoes. But I'm not sure if that counts ;)
Aw that's wonderful Roisin, I love the fact that you use it too! I only get mine out for special occasions (apart from the teapot with does get used) We actually had some Hornsea crockery when I was little in the 70's, I remember thinking it was so glamorous, especially the coffee pot! I'll think of you now whenever I see it, x
DeleteDo vintage patterns and fabric count as a collection? Ooh I know! Lace! I collect lace and lace like embellishments. When I see that intricate detail or the heavy crocheted stuff I have to snatch it up right away.... Yeah, I collect lace!
ReplyDeleteI just realized it's the lace trims! not lace yardage! Good grief I don't even know how to describe what I collect!
DeleteOoh I like the sound of lace embellishments, x
DeleteThat is such a neat collection! It must be fun to come across a couple pieces here and there. I wish I collected something, but not really. One thing I really love are vintage brooches, especially involving plants and animals. I have three that I've picked up here and there (not a collection!) but I always make sure to check out brooches in shops. Maybe in a few years I'll be able to say I'm a collector :)
ReplyDeleteI always keep an eye out for brooches too, they're fab aren't they?! Mine are mostly flower themed (apart from the one that's a lady from a vintage sewing pattern!) x
DeleteI am fascinated by peoples collections too. I wish I collected something but I feel like it's something that should start up naturally. I am also a purger so it would have to be something small.
ReplyDeleteYes, I find other people's collections fascinating too, x
DeleteHi Jane I adore this set as red is my most favourite colour. I love collecting old brooches which I wear every day - I have always worn them even when they were out of fashion and I try to pick up little old ones which are not expensive but which may have been a special treasure for a lady years ago - I like to think that I have rescued them in some way. Love your blog Jane, fabulous.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks
Dorothy
:-)xxxxxxxxxxx
crochetknittingsewing.blogspot.com
Dorothy's Room
Brooches are the best aren't they? I'm always intrigued by who's worn it before me too, X
DeleteWait, you don't collect gingham? Okay, polka dots, I can understand that too for you. ;) I love your collection! It's so cheerful.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite collections is vintage decorative state plates that feature special sites/locations from various US states. I mostly have enough to fill a wall in my kitchen at this point, so now I'm only on the hunt for special places-- states I love that I don't have a plate for. I'd love to know if anything similar existed in the UK, I'd love to add one or two to my collection if that were true! :)
Right, I'm off to investigate UK county plates for you! You've just reminded me that I also collect old Agatha christie novels! As soon as you started talking about collecting I remembered your Nancy Drew collection! X
DeleteThat china is perfect for you! I have an enormous collection of red transferware and I love it so much!
ReplyDeleteHow lovely! My mum has a small transferware collection too, it's so pretty. x
Deleteomg, Jane, that china is soo PERFECT for you! What a sweet collection and back story :) I love that you've been picking up pieces since you were 18.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid my collections are kind of weird and not in an interesting way - I collect old obsolete electronics. My personal favorites are computers/game systems and cell phones. I don't know, I just really love to play with them! My collection is small and scattered (I had to put a halt on picking up everythingggg I see because some of that stuff is quite big!), but it makes me happy :) and my boyfriend thinks I'm a weirdo, ha!
Ah, you should definitely visit the Science museum in London, they have all kinds of old electronics on display, you can even play one of the really old fashioned computer games! x
DeleteI love the polka dot teacups and saucers. Really enchanting.
ReplyDeleteHi Jane,
ReplyDeleteHave just emailed you re sewing prints. Let me know if doesn't arrive. My email is a bit temperamental! Louise x
Oh what a heavenly match-made piece of art. Couldn't think of a better wall to hang it on! xxx
ReplyDeleteLove your collection - it's so you! It's always nice when you collect something useful. I collect flamingos but really try to keep it subtle since it's so easy to end up with tacky. Except at Christmas when I feel there's no such thing as too much & go all out with a flamingo themed tree.
ReplyDelete