Thursday, October 13, 2011

The many faces of brown transferware


There were so many comments about the transferware, I thought I'd show you individual pieces.  I love the way they "mix and match" so much, I am happy that I've found it necessary to collect a piece at a time.  Most were found by thrifting.


The bowl is Thanksgiving by Churchill.  I bought six of them at Tuesday Morning on an "after Thanksgiving" clearance sale a few years ago at a fraction of their original price (they were $2.00 or $3.00 each... can't remember exactly).

If you have a Tuesday Morning store near you, anything they sell is already less than the original (and often expensive) price so a clearance makes it really affordable.  I call it the upscale Big Lots.


The plate underneath the bowl is called The Brook by Franciscan.  I only have two of them and they are beautiful!




The teapot is Friendly Village by Johnson Brothers (perhaps the most recognized of all brown transferware in America), the teacup is Royal Mail by Myott,  and the mug is Vintage Game by Churchill.

I purchased the teapot from Johnson Brothers on Amazon.com by saving up credits (again, thank you!!!) and the mug is one of two purchased at Tuesday Morning this year on sale for about $4.00 each.  I am normally not a fan of fine china mugs but these have a beautiful "feel" to them.


Here is the Royal Mail by Myott plate.  I have one of them hanging on the wall for the autumn season.

This is not a "view only" collection, they are my autumn dinnerware and the teapot and mugs will be used all year (the Myott cups will be used sparingly to prolong their life).  I believe the Royal Mail china was continually put through the dishwasher by their previous owner as the dishes and cups have very fine hairline cracks but their price was inexpensive enough that they were still worth the addition to my collection.

I hand washed most fine china, even when I had a dishwasher (although my wedding china by Noritake seemed to take the dishwasher fine but I only used it a few times a year).

When not in use, the plates have a home on the top shelf of my kitchen china cabinet with a paper plate placed between each individual plate to protect them.  I think they are even more special when brought out seasonally.  There are many more patterns of brown transferware and I will be keeping an eye out for them, especially at thrift stores!

Just in case you wonder:  The reason I tell you the price on objects is to show you... if I can create Beauty in the home on my limited budget... you can, too!  I use gifted funds and Christmas-birthday gifts for Books and Beauty... and Coffee... and sometimes Tea.

Hubby has given me a gift certificate to my favorite Primitive Decorating store for over a decade (except when we lived in Detroit)... back when it could be $75 or more when we were prosperous and now often $25 which I combine with their after Christmas sales and coupons.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

These are beautiful pieces! I am now a little more educated and when I am in thrift store or antique store I will be more able to identify. Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

You have incredible luck thrifting. These are gorgeous, especially the teapot.

Brenda @ Its A Beautiful Life said...

O my... aren't those lovely pieces!

Aritha V. said...

The teapot is perfect. Such a pretty picture on it, I love it. I have a teapot with robins on it. And today I bought an old kettle of green zinc / metal. Its so cute. Good luck.

annie said...

Those are just beautiful pieces. I have none to compare, but an odd plate here and there. Those prices would never be found here! You are blessed!

Anonymous said...

Brenda...after reading your blog for almost two years I finally had to take time to post a comment. With all your encouragement to look for lovely things in thrift shops I finally went to our nearby Goodwill yesterday afternoon to look for a tea pot. Now keep in mind I don't normally do this..I'm really not a shopper at all. But I did want an inexpensive white tea pot for everyday. So off I went not really having high expectations of finding a white teapot.

All I can say is I think I may have had amazing beginners luck??? Within 15 minutes I had found a plain white bone china teapot made in England, it looks as if it has never been used! With a little more looking I found a pretty floral teapot, not china, but very nice, that also came home with me. And..I found a beautiful bone china tea cup, white with African violets on it and trimmed with gold. That also had to come home with me as I have raised violets for years. Last of all I made a swing through the book section and found a book titled "Taking Tea" which has been added to my small collection of tea books. I also got a small cream pitcher in stoneware to use for decorating purposes, but for now it's holding spoons on the counter. For my first time out I was really impressed..less then $20 spent!

Thank you for taking time to write, having a Christian blog to reading is comforting and encouraging...
May God bless you,Marsha

Deanna Rabe - Creekside Cottage Blog said...

I really like them...years ago these would not have interested me at all, but lately I am drawn to them.

Thanks for sharing them up close!


Deanna

Christy said...

You have a lovely collection!! My parents' wedding china was the Friendly Village. My wedding china was also Johnson Brothers, but is the pink English Castles. We have a Tuesday Morning, but I've never been there... will have to try it out. Thanks for the suggestion. :)

Anonymous said...

Beautiful !! The plate with the barn with snow on it would look pretty along with the red door winter picture you showed earlier I loved too. Plate on a table or shelf and picture above? I went thrifting today and found clothes I needed better than ones in the "real" stores. Naturally way cheaper too {and 50% off that today! :) } And a big garden pot to fluff my garden a bit! Thanks for the inspirations. A few minutes looking at your pretty arrangements and I am off dreaming and fluffing my nest too! Thanks Brenda!! Sarah

Auntea said...

My "good" dishes are the Friendly Village set. I bought most of my pieces years ago at Marshall's. My husband bought me the completer pieces online. I love the feel of these dishes. Even though they are brand new, they feel like something that could have been handed down from my grandmother. Instant heritage.

Anita said...

I love your dish collections. They are so lovely. I've just enjoyed catching up on your blog. I've been out of the loop for about a month now. Not because I'm not interested but because I've been traveling east and west! So...thanks for sharing.

Anonymous said...

These are lovely Brenda! They all do mix and match so well don't they. I particularly love the teapot - I've yet to find a brown transferware one.

I use my Friendly Village pieces each year at Thanksgiving and I have a few other pieces scattered around for fall/winter decorating.

I love that Marsha was encouraged to go thrifting and had such good luck!

Manuela

Cheryl said...

I am soooooooooo admiring your collection of brown transferware!!

I found some Johnson Brothers brown transferware dessert (or salad?) plates a couple of years ago at Tuesday Morning. My eye was drawn to them, and when I discovered the price ($1.99 each!), I grabbed every one that they had (which was eight)!
I determined to collect more brown transferware...but have had very little luck. I shop mostly at discount stores (Tuesday Morning, Marshalls, HomeGoods), and visit antique stores occasionally. I either have not seen any, or the price was not right. You have inspired me to continue the hunt at some local thrift stores.

I think that dishes are an investment in beauty!

Echoes From the Hill said...

I have spent quite a bit of time in Goodwill over the years, but I don't recall seeing dishes similar to the ones you have collected. However, yesterday, I went to GW and immediately saw four lovely plates by Wood and Sons/England with four different beautiful English cottage scenes. Of course I had to buy them since they were only 75 cents each!
Thanks for making me more aware!
nancyr