The Pouring Teapot Give Away.....

"Strange how a teapot can represent at the same time the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company. "

~Author Unknown~

(photo source)

Tea time is drawing to a close, this is the last installment of La Tea Dah's (Gracious Hospitality) blog-a-thon. This last week is all about The Pouring Teapot, which is all about sharing teapots. Tell your teapot story, give it's history, and tell what it means to you. If you have a whole collection, share them all!I am not really much of a teapot collector as some of you are. I do have a collection of teapots and one or two for decoration but for daily use it is my trusty copper kettle that helps me make a good cup of tea!

This pretty little pot was the first gift my daughter-in-love ever gave me. I love its little round body with its pale rose design and Scripture ringing the lid which says, "Honor the Lord and serve Him wholeheartedly." Joshua 24:14 (NIV). Isn't that a perfect Scripture for a serviceable little pot? It rests atop one of my writing desks beside a translucent cup and saucer that belonged to my mother-in-law, and a framed photo of my husband and myself. These are all lovely reminders of having a servants heart and I do on occasion use them for tea.

You have seen this little guy, my Peter Rabbit pot, in an earlier post.He was a present to myself as he hopped into my heart with his little lettuce leaf cup and cute cotton tail. He was sitting among an odd assortment of bric~a~brack on a flea market shelf looking at me longingly wishing he had a proper home, so I adopted him. He is my favorite one on one tea time treat. Just he and I will slip off into God's Garden, this is what I call my little acres of woods, and take tea with the birds and butterflies. We sit outside in the whispering wind, still, knowing just as surely as the invisible wind is felt, unseen, but still present, that so is God in our garden. With Peter at my side, in God's chosen spot for me, I think deep thoughts, dream big dreams, and whisper prayers that I will indeed bloom where I have been planted.

This vintage silver pot with its red Bakelite handle and knob are new to my collection. It was seen in last weeks blog-a-thon post.I just purchased it a few weeks ago. It was reduced as the booth was going out of business and I had looked at it several times but it was a bit pricey. As fate would have it, I was in the right place at the right time and it was the right price. It now resides in my glass fronted cupboard with some other silver pieces and will be put into service when entertaining. I was particularly drawn to this pot because of the play of the red plastic off the silver shine. It sums up my style of entertaining, casual elegance.

The only collection I have are electric hot pots, most of which were made by Brew Master. Here are just a few grouped together in a kitchen cupboard, also from a previous post.They were manufactured in the 50's, 60's, and early 70s'. Most of them have the new Moss Rose pattern on them. I especially like the ones with the little blue bird on top. They whistle when the water is heated. I have paired down my collection to just my very favorites. I began collecting these years ago before the teapot craze and they were really cheap, usually $2.00 to $4.00 apiece. Now they have gotten collectible and are $20.00 and upward. I used to choose one to use everyday for heating my tea water but they are now more for viewing pleasure and display. They do come out and play tea party frequently, just not daily.

My trusty copper kettle is my mode of making tea now.I met this kettle in a flea market also. It was new and sitting atop its box all shiny and ready for use. As my old kettle had seen better days and the bottom had been cooked away from years of service, it retired to the garden as a planter and they new one came to replace it. She is not as shiny as she used to be but to me she has the perfect patina and she can help brew a mean cup of tea! I love filling her up with cold water and setting her on the back burner to slowly heat as I begin my morning routine. I know exactly where to fill the water to and where to turn the dial so that the timing is perfect for me to do a quick tidy up of the bedroom and bathroom and putter back to the kitchen where Katy will be releasing a bit of sweet steam. She is cheery and cheeky as she whistles for me to come and join her for the very first sip of morning tea!

That is the extent of my teapots and so we draw a close to this tea party post. This brings us the give away! I love to collect tea cups and saucers, just not in sets. I do have some very lovely sets that were given to me as gifts and I cherish them but my favorite ones are homeless cups and saucers that I like to mix and match into new pairs. I have recently done just that with the two cups and saucers below. I found these precious scenic saucers devoid of matching cups.

This one, with the quaint little cottage on it, is bone china made in England by Royal Vale, with the markings of G 66 4, a product of Ridgway Potteries LTD.This one, with its charming little woodland scene, is also bone china made in England by Shelley, with the markings of 13370. Daffodil Time.I found two cups, both bone china made in England, that I thought mixed nicely with them, the first being made by Royal Vale with a floral motif that looks as if it may have been plucked straight from the little cottage garden. The colors and patterns compliment each other perfectly. The markings on it are G 3 along with some gold hand painted markings that I cannot quite make out.The second cup is by Royal Albert from the Nell Gwynne Series entitled "Drury Lane". It looks like its pretty yellow posies have sprouted round the cup straight from the woodland floor, once again, they mix and match well.I also picked up a couple of tin serving trays produced for The Wallace Collection London by Elite Gifts Boxes, which are made in England. I think these trays are pretty as well as practical.

The first trays design is taken from a Sevres Porcelian saucer produced between 1775-80 (C397-8). The decoration shows a basket of flowers, including roses, hydrangeas, anemones, tulips, daisies, and convolvulus. The saucer and matching cup were bought by the 4th Marquess of Hertford (1800-70) as part of a Tea Service consisting of a tray, two cups and saucers, a milk jug, and a sugar bowl with cover.The second trays design was taken from a Sevres Porcelain saucer dated 1774 (C440) with the bold turquoise blue ground invented in 1753 for Louis XV's dinner service. The cup and saucer set were acquired by the 3rd Marquess of Hertford and displayed in St. Dunston's Villa, his residence in Regent's Park, London.I have made up two gift sets that each include a cup, saucer, tin serving tray, a pretty matching vintage hankie pocket which holds a tiny golden rose handled tea spoon, a spot of gourmet tea, and a tiny brass framed tea time print.One gift set will go to La Tea Dah as a hostess gift and the other is the Tea Time Give Away prize!
To sign up for the drawing, just leave a comment on this post. I will choose and post the winner on Monday, May 25, 2008!

Happy Tea Totaling!
Miss Sandy