Tea Cups

While we were stationed in England I had several opportunities to go to Stoke on Trent. This is where traditionally fine bone china was manufactured. In recent years some factories have closed down and outsourced the manufacturing. However, you can still go there and shop the seconds shops. Most of the items in these shops have defects so small they can barely be seen if seen at all. There were so many pretty patterns that there was no possible way I could just choose one to collect; nor did I think Phillip would allow me to collect several patterns. (That one is right up there with trying to figure out a way to justify a chandelier from Waterford, "But it was only 3000 euros, sweetie....") Just when I thought it was hopeless, just when I thought I would never be able to own lovely British china a memory from my youth came back to me.

As a little girl I loved to look at my Great-Grandmother Berg's tea cup collection when we would go visit. Only once I had fully inspected the pretty cups and saucers from a distance and without touching them, would I raid the toy box for the old comics.

It was then that I decided to collect tea cup/saucer sets. Over the next few years in England I would gather fourteen sets, twelve from shops in Stoke on Trent and two sets from antique shops. My collection has been displayed on the baker's rack, wall shelves, and recently on the ledge of the half wall in the kitchen. I have long wanted proper displays for my collection.

Last fall my mama P told me about a shop in Old Colorado City that has displays she felt "screamed Lynn". This last weekend my parents took me there...boy was she right! The whole shop screams Lynn! I bought two displays that hold eight sets apiece. Monday morning I hung them up, washed the sets, and put them in their new home. Although I broke one saucer when it refused to bounce off the floor(I have since found it on-line and ordered it), I am rather happy with the results.



Even better, I have two slots just waiting to be filled with the perfect editions to the collection....