A Message from Ruth at Antiques And Teacups

Welcome to the blog of Antiques And Teacups! Let's share a cup of tea and talk about the things we love...like teacups, antiques, collectibles, visiting England, antiquing and learning about victoriana and quirky gadgets. Fun!

Sunday, November 22, 2015

Tuesday Cuppa Tea, Thanksgiving, Harvest Home, Miss Read

Hello and welcome to Tuesday Cuppa Tea! A very happy Thanksgiving to you all! This is a Thanksgiving angel by Jim Shore on my mantle,  signifying the abundance of the harvest season. 





I have a small Thanksgiving tea I did last week, as we are out of town for the week leading up to Thanksgiving, since we won't be able to gather with the family for the holiday due to work schedules and in-law or prospective in-law commitments.



My Thanksgiving angel supervises...with 3 teacups, a pumpkin colored metallic gold thread runner, a ceramic pinecone...that usually sits on the corner of my mantle with it's mate...and a bronze squirrel candle holder my daughter gave me years ago...



One on my teacups is one of my favorite hand colored and hand enameled on brown transferware...I love these, because no two are exactly alike...







Taylor & Kent made this teacup between 1931 and 1950, but because of the design, I am voting for the 1940s. I love the raised orange enamel accenting! For more info at Antiques And Teacups, click on the photos.







The next 2 are transferware cups and saucers from my collection....and I'll tell you a secret...in company with many antique dealers, many in my own collection are items that are flawed, but I love them too much to get rid of them! Someday I'll show share some of my other wounded treasures...that I still love! Anyway, there is a Charlotte by Royal Staffordshire ironstone brown transferware floral design...



My camera is acting up a bit, so here is a photo from a listing when I had the dish set available...all of it was sold....




The design is attributed to famous English designer Clarice Cliff, and this dates to the 1920-1930s, before she was famous for her art deco designs.


 This set os a Johnson Brothers hand colored on brown transferware design called Olde English Countryside from the 1940-1950s. Again, there are coors added by artists at the pottery. If you look closely you can see additions of blue, green and pink. I apologize again for the photo...my camera is on it's way out...guess what I want for Christmas?!




The pumpkin shaped cookies are another seasonal treat from our Seattle Gluten Free Shortbread Bakery...aren't they cute? And tasty! I have been so busy and out of town, that I picked these up at the Poulsbo Central Market on our way back from Seattle via ferry.  








In England, although they don't celebrate Thanksgiving as such, their is the Harvest Home or Harvest Festival with links to a pagan past. The adopting of the old agrarian festival into mainstream church life began in 1843 when a Rev. Robert Harkins celebrated Harvest Festival at his Anglican church in Morwenstow, Cornwall. The festival has gotten attached to Michaelmas Day, around Sept. 28-Oct. 4th in the church calendar.


One of my favorite chroniclers of mostly vanished English village life is Miss Read, who has a series of books...I think I have collected them all..about several school teachers in Cotswold villages from the Victorian era to the World Wars. In the 20th century many rural schools were supported or maintained by the church and participated in church festivals.


The Harvest Festival was an important part of the Cotswold villages still so close to the seasons and agricultural roots of the area. The children had the job of decorating the church with produce from their farms and gardens and took great pride in doing so. Harvest loaves are baked as well.




From Over The Gate by Miss Read published in 1964:

For most of us in Fairacre our Harvest Festival is a well-loved and well-supported institution.  It is, after all, a public thanksgiving for the fulfilment of a year's hard work in the fields and gardens, and a brief breathing space before tackling the next year's labours.

Mr. Roberts, the local farmer, gives a mammoth Harvest Home supper in his biggest barn, at this season, but naturally it is the farm workers and their friends who attend this jollification. The service at St. Patrick's caters for the whole village....

The children...decorate the prews and other alloted portions of the church and we guard our privilege jealously. On Saturday the ladies of the village come with armfuls of flowers and greenery to do their share, but they always find that the children have done their part first.

Usually we tie little bunches of corn (Yanks, that's wheat to you!) to the pew heads, and arrange marrows, shiny apples, onions, giant potatoes and any other contribution which will not whither or fade, along the ledges and window sills which we know by ancient custom are 'ours'.


Thanks so much for joining me, and I hope as you reflect on the many things we have to be thankful for during this Thanksgiving time, you can carry it with you daily in the future. We are so blessed!   



Below is the list of some of the blog parties I will be part of and there is the linky for your tea related posts...please remember that it is SSSLLLOOOOOOWWWW but if you are patient...it's there! And I love to read your comments, and can find you to visit!

 Tea Cup Tuesday 
 Bernideen’s Teatime, Cottage & Garden

16 comments:

  1. Hi Ruth, I always enjoy your posts. Seeing your lovely teacups, postcards and the history lessons. Very informative, thank you.
    Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
    Gina

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  2. What lovely cups and saucers and those would be delightful for Thanksgiving. Those cookies look so delicious too! Happy Thanksgiving to you Ruth!

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  3. Ruth, your teacups would be perfect for the Thanksgiving celebration. I am especially fond of the Johnson Bros. Love the scene on it. Those pumpkin cookies are adorable. Thanks for sharing and Happy Thanksgiving, Ruth!

    Autumn blessings,
    Sandi

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  4. What a lovely post today!! And those pumpkin cookies really caught my eye!!

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  5. I love your Jim Shore angel, Ruth! Your tea table is so pretty, with each of your Fall teacups. I just recently bought the Olde English Countryside one. Your pumpkin cookies look like the perfect treat for today. Thanks for hosting and Happy Thanksgiving.

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  6. Happy Thanksgiving, Ruth! Your lovely brown transferwares are perfect for the harvest season. I hope that Santa brings you a fancy new camera for Christmas! Thanks for hosting and enjoy the rest of the week!

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  7. Hello Ruth,
    Happy Thanksgiving! Your post is lovely. I adore the fall themed transferware. I am going to look up your Miss Read books, I haven't heard of them and they sound wonderful.
    Hugs,
    Terri

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  8. Hi Ruth,
    I am so sorry that I am always late to link up each week.
    I do love your dear Thanksgiving angel figurine and what pretty teacups too. Taylor Kent, Royal Staffordshire and Johnson Brothers do make beautiful teacups and china patterns. Your pumpkin cookies look yummy! Happy Tuesday Cuppa Tea and Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving! Karen

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  9. Hi Ruth,
    I am so sorry that I am always late to link up each week.
    I do love your dear Thanksgiving angel figurine and what pretty teacups too. Taylor Kent, Royal Staffordshire and Johnson Brothers do make beautiful teacups and china patterns. Your pumpkin cookies look yummy! Happy Tuesday Cuppa Tea and Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving! Karen

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  10. Happy Thanksgiving Ruth.I have Over the Gate but have not read it yet. Your Thanksgiving tea is wonderful. Although I am come to the party empty handed so to speak, with no tea post of my own I am looking forward to some blog hopping.

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  11. A beautiful collection, I especially love the Staffordshire! Perfect!

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  12. Your cups are perfect for this week. Isn't it great that bakeries are beginning to sell gluten-free cookies. Thanks for the reminder of the nostalgic Miss Read novels.

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  13. Ruth, such perfect fall teacups! With orange being my favorite color, I love your Taylor & Kent teacup. It's pretty unusual to see the color orange on a teacup.
    Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and thanks for hosting!
    Nora

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  14. Ruth, I know my link doesn't *look* tea-related, but it is. I always use a thermometer when making custard, which is featured in one way or another at my tea parties. Thank you for introducing me to the Miss Read books -- never heard of them before!

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  15. I love that Charlotte pattern. I bought that from Nancy's Transferware. Thanks for hosting!

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  16. What gorgeous brown transferware pieces. And I believe those are some of the prettiest backstamps ever!

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Thanks for visiting and we love to hear from you! We read every comment. If my husband's health permits, I love to visit andreply. Have a wonderful day and a cuppa tea always at hand! :)

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