I guess those of us who like old quilts also like other old stuff! Finn was showing her lovely antique dishes, and it made me jump right up and take a picture of a few of my favorites. I really should do some close-ups for my family, because most of them are family treasures that I am lucky enough to own. Mainly because I am the one who is interested in them! But they need to be labeled. When my mom passed away I realized how little I knew about the things that she held dear. I need to learn from that!
The three dishes are Johnson Brothers. All have different pictures on them. They were my mother-in-laws. The little houses are not antiques (yet). They are by David Winter, and they were my mom's. On the lower shelf is an enamel tea set 
that belonged to my great grandmother, Libby Winspear. On the bottom it says "Germany", but no other clues. I would love to decorate my whole house in this manner, but I have a husband. 'Nuff said.
Another favorite display of mine holds a big platter that was a wedding gift to my great-grandparents (Lemon Chambers, yes, Lemon) in 1888. It is a treasure! The silver colored mug on the right might be pewter. I don't know enough about antiques, really. It is engraved, and says, "Won as 2nd Prize at Delaware Street Church Spelling School by John North, May 3, 1875". He was my great-grandfather. Two iron banks, one of my grandfather, Wally Winspear, and one from my husband's father. You probably can't see it, but around the neck of the little baby dress is a birth bracelet from when I was born. It says "Winspear Girl" in little bead letters. Anybody remember those? I guess that is an antique now too! Oh face it, I guess I am an antique now too!
16 comments:
wonderful collection of things. You're right though., if you take the time to write down the history your children will appreciate it! My mother keeps telling me stories behind various items, but I'm not great a remembering which goes with what, and one day it'll all be lost unless we do something soon...
You have done a marvelous job of displaying your family treasures. It is these things that makes a house a home.
I loved hearing about the history behind your antique collection. Your comment about your husband really tickled me because my house would look soooo different if I didn't have a husband with 'his own ideas' about home decor.
Nice... (Great stories too.)
Anecdote about Lemon. When I taught school in Baltimore City I had a student named Lemonjello - pronounced le' mon'gel o. (I can't make stuff like that up!)
Love all those details! What beautiful treasures. You're very right about being sure people know the stories. Especially like the mug award!
I really like how the red of the enamel shows up against that shelf - your husband ought to be proud of your decorations and let you fill the house... lol
And if these are decorations, and not used, you might think about writing a little note about who they're from and their family history, and hiding the note inside the item. :)
You are smart to record the stories of your treasures. So many details of my mom's stories are gone now -- I remember a lot, but I know there is so much more. You have displayed your heirlooms so nicely -- a way to remember and enjoy those who have gone before every day.
What a beautiful way to show off family treasures. So far I have a teapot of my grandma's and a silver tea spoon set of my mom's. My mom still has a lot of antiques including a set of Noritake china for 16. Someday I will become the keeper of her items.
what beautiful things you have. I have four David Winter houses which i bought a number of years ago. Thanks for showing these photos.
I have a real weakness for dishes. These are beautiful.
Thank you for sharing your treasures with us. And I too have my baby beads. :-)
"I would love to decorate my whole house in this manner, but I have a husband. 'Nuff said." I was just telling someone yesterday about how different my decorating ideas/choices are from my husband's!!!!! ROFL Doesn't it just aggravate you to death sometimes???? LOL Love, love your dishes, tea set, banks, and the baby dress....and oh my yes, I think my Mom saved my baby bracelet that is made like that. How fun!!!
You have beautiful heirlooms and you have displayed them beautifully. Photographing them and blogging about them is a great way to start the documentation process. If there are any other stories about these items, I think they would be worth writing down, as you know. It doesn't have to be anything formal - just type up your notes, you can always edit them later.
You have displayed all these things so beautifully Marcie. How lucky you are to have so many treasured family heirlooms.
Thanks for sharing the lovely displays :-)
Oh those dishes are beautiful, and you have everything displayed so pretty! What wonderful treasures.
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