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, December 31, 2017

Tuesday Cuppa Tea for A New Year's Eve And First of 2018

Welcome to Tuesday Cuppa Tea for the New Year of 2018!
Hoping you had a wonderful Christmas and Hanukah, or any other winter holiday you hold dear!
Ours was quiet, snowy and cold!




A Happy New Year to you! We always take time on New Year's Eve to pray for God's blessing for the coming year and thank Him for His grace through the ending year. This has been a difficult year for many, and we are praying for His grace and mercy as we move into 2014. It just seems the fitting way for us to end one year and begin another...


New Year's Eve...the last one...in London, with the London Eye....




My Auld Lang Syne tea really developed out of the 1930s blue transferware large farmer's or uber-breakfast sized cup and saucer I found a few weeks ago...


The really large breakfast cup and saucer features an 18th century couple and has the famous lyrics to Robert Burn's poem/song

Take ye a cuppe o'kindnesse 
for auld lang syne

which is roughly take a cup of kindness
for old time's sake

The verse comes from a poem by Robert Burns who wrote it in 1788. It has become such a staple of New Year celebrations all over the English speaking world, and has been translated into thousands of languages.



A number of other potteries made versions of this over the years in one form or another. I have shared my Wedgwood version of it before....


This particular transferware design is actually being made, in a far rougher and heavier version, in China which you may see...blurry and rough...sometimes with misspellings...which is quite fun!


The set was made by British Anchor Pottery, Ltd. which existed from 1884 to 1970. From the 1940s theye were merged and manufacturing together with J. & G. Meakin. After World War II they resumed production, were then acquired by Gailey Group which also had Thomas Poole & Gladstone. But in 1970 they stopped British Anchor production.



This mark dates this cup and saucer to 1913 to 1940 when the war stopped production.




I also have out my family Royal Doulton Rosebud china from our holiday meals....Love it!


And...surprise! Surprise! Some antique and vintage New Year postcards and cards which I love too!
This one is by Gibons simply says New Year Greetings from 1922


This is wonderful art deco 1930s card that says

New Year Greetings
Happiness, health
and the best of cheer
To you and yours
in the coming year

I echo that for you!


This is from 1908 with a good luck horseshoe and A Happy New Year and penciled in To All. 


This one is from 1915 and says

A New Year Greeting
Not only for today
But for all the time may
Happiness attend
Thee

with hand written dedication and signature


Lastly, from 1916

Greetings and
Good wishes for
the New Year


Our tea today, is a gift from a friend for Christmas... a tin of Keep Calm and Carry On English breakfast tea...so sweet of her and I LOVE the tin!


And for a goodie with our tea...an English treat I haven't had for years sent by another friend...Tunnock's Dark Chocolate Tea Cakes...


The tea cakes are a shortbread type cookie base with marshmallow cream and a dark chocolate layer. Yum!




Besides New Year's Eve...it's also Hogmanay!



In England and other areas of the UK, especially in Scotland where Hogmanay is celebrated from Dec. 31st until Jan. 1st (known as Ne'erday) as the New Year's tradition, one of the old traditions is called First Footing. 


The First Footer refers to the first person who crosses the threshhold after midnight and "seals yer fate" for the coming year. The First Footer should be a tall, dark and handsome man with a "dainty foot" and come with certain things:



Until the First Footer came in the front door after midnight, no one should enter or leave. The First Footer would knock, be asked to enter and do so with gifts in his pockets which have regional variations. The usual in my family's tradition was bread or sometimes salt, coal, coins and matches. In Scotland the bread is shortbread and also included...what else? Whiskey! The First Footer then backs out of the door...so he won't take his good luck with him. Then the door (and the party) is free for all! 



The coal means your hearth won't grow cold, your bread is enough food, the coins insure prosperity and the matches, light.

First Footers who met the criteria, were in great demand and could make good money going from house to house by appointment. I don't know how many do so today, although a Scots neighbor said the gifts nowadays are more likely whiskey!

So who will be first through your door??? I know who will be first in our home, as He will never have left! A Happy New Year to you all and may 2012 be a year of health, prosperity, peace and happiness in our home and in yours!


So Happy New Year! And thanks for joining me for a cup of tea and achat with friends.
From me to you, as the postcard says below...

All New Year Joys Be Yours!


I am joining:
Share Your Cup


Here is the Tuesday Cuppa Tea linky for your tea related posts...please remember that it is SSSLLLOOOOOOWWWW but if you are patient...it's there!  I am so looking forward to visiting you!

Monday, December 25, 2017

Merry Christmas! Tuesday Cuppa Tea, Antique Christmas Postcard

Merry Christmas!!!


Antique Christmas postcard for December 25th...from a previous blog post, but my favorite!



I won't have a linky for Tuesday Cuppa Tea this week...
too many destive things going on! 
More time to spend with family and friends!


We just finished watching our favorite version of A Christmas Carol...the musical Scrooge with Albert Finney. And just after it started...it began to snow! We have about 2-3 inches, but it's now to dark to see much, so will be fun to see what we wake up to on Christmas morning!


Have a wonderful day...full of love and joy and peace!


Sunday, December 24, 2017

Saturday, December 23, 2017

Antique Christmas Postcard for December 23rd

Amazing! December 23rd already!
26 degrees with a heavy frost this morning at 7:30 1m...
up late this morning, as we stayed up until 11pm watching the Polar Express...our TIVO is malfunctioning, so needs to be replaced, but won't be serviced until tomorrow, Christmas Eve...so if we want to wating...no recording it!


Always a Christmas tradition....


Antique Christmas postcard for December 23rd...
1903


And the newest addition to my favorite Christmas teas....
is another from Republic Of Tea...
Sip And Be Merry Black Tea
It came in a catalog I just received as sample, and it is delicious! so I ordered some and will sip it on through the New Year!


My annual reading of favorite Christmas books continues as well...
today it is Miss Read's
No Holly For Miss Quinn...
charming!


The Holy Family is in place on the mantle with the crocheted trees my mother made years ago...
Christmas is a time of memories and
deal friends, families, books and joy!


Have a wonderful day!

Friday, December 22, 2017

Antique Christmas Postcard For December 22nd, Christmas Teas Part 2

Good morning! We are supposed to have a dusting of snow overnight...we''ll see!

Today's antique Christmas postcard for 
December 22nd


This is a Davidson & Company, USA postcard printed in Germany and mailed in 1911. I love the embossing and the message

"Remembrance as the Ivy clings"
Hearty Xmas Wishes

With a wonderful snowy village scene...so sweet!



Part 2 of my holiday teas...
Republic Of Teas Downton Abbey Teas
Dowton Christmas teas...black tea with mulling spices...very nice!

And my favorite again...Murchie's Christmas tea!
Just had to order again!


And last night, we continued a Christmas tradition of watching at least one version of Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol

This is our second favorite, the 1984 George C. Scott version...love it!


I hope you are enjoying your own Christmas traditions...
with a cup of tea...of course!


Thursday, December 21, 2017

Antique Postcard For December 21st, Winter Solstice, Christmas Teas Part 1

Good moring on the shortest day and longest night of the year...
winter solstice
December 21st


And although no snow today, we are extremely cold for us...it was 26 degrees when I got up this morning...that's cold for us!


Antique Christmas postcard for today
December 21st
1902....


And my annual round up of favorite seasonal teas starts today....


These are the ones I have had in the past or re-buy, and the additions of some new ones as I find them
Today...
Harney & Sons Holiday Tea...always warm and tasty
Republic Of Tea Comfort And Joy...lots of fruit and cinnamon
Harney & Sons White Christmas Tea...a bit lighter and not quite so spicy, just delicious
More tomorrow...
Hope your week is full of festive tea, friends and enjoyment of the shortest day...looking forward to a longer one tomorrow...

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Antique Christmas Postcards for Dec. 19th & 20th

Hello! A combined post of antique Christmas postcards for Dec. 19th and December 20th.
We have had another storm and intermittant power of cable outages, so the post for earlier in the day didn't post so have revamped for 2 days.

For Dec. 19th...


Christmas Nativity postcard... 1911

And for Dec. 20th...


From 1929 with the poem:

Christmas Greetings

A wish for your
gladness
As Christmas bells ring
And all the btight blessings
These holidays bring

Have a lovely day!  



Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Antique Christmas Postcard for December 18th

Hello! A bit late this morning...up late watching Christmas programs on TV with my husband...we love this time of year!


Christmas postcard for December 18th from 1909.
The verse says

A Merry Christmas
To wish you every happiness -
there's no time like just now.

Lovely!
And remember this week's Old Country Roses Christmas Tea is up for Tuesday Cuppa Tea


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Have a wonderful day!

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