Last night I sat on the deck, under the trees, and had my supper on a dish that could have been one of my Grandmother’s dishes. It has always been a surprise to me that I liked these dishes. I love them. Anyone who knows me well enough to have been in my home could tell you that my taste, though eclectic, runs modern. My dishes are plain, solid tan or white. Nothing fancy. The art on my walls is contemporary. The images are abstract. There isn’t any chintz, nor ruffles. But, for all these years, this pattern has stuck to me. I’ve wanted to have them for my own for as long as I’ve had my own home. What happened to my Grandmother’s dishes is a long story that would benefit no one. The short version is simply that they are gone. For years I have looked in second hand stores and antique shops, hoping
to find one or two. Never did. When I was a child, we would sit at my
Great Grandmother’s cherry table in the summer kitchen of the farm. My
Grandmother served us on her dishes, like these. I never knew the pattern name, nor manufacturer. Then, about a month ago, a friend showed me a lovely set of dishes she had just inherited. THE dishes. Almost. At first, I thought I must be mistaken. They had to be the same pattern. But, it didn’t feel quite right. There are two patterns that have the same chintz, pink flowered design. My friend had "Worchester". Armed with this new information I hit Google and Ebay. And, I found, after all these years, the pattern named "Dorchester" (Johnson Brothers). I finally bought four dinner plates and one salad on Ebay. And, today, I used them for my supper, on the deck, under the trees.
I love the square salad plate. I remember some little bowls, too, with small handles, like ears.
The Midwest Moonlight scarf has been at a stand still. I was missing the last ball of yarn I needed. I found it in my suitcase this morning. I’ve debated whether to make it longer, it should be, or to quit at the end of this ball of yarn. The last one is the only one I’ve washed. In my panic to get all the skeins I’d dyed rid of this brown bleeding goo, I washed the sericin from it with hot water and detergent, over a couple hours. It is a bit lighter with the dark brown sericin removed. The scarf that was on the needles did not get this treatment, it was after all, knitted.. half done. I knew better. The debate I’ve been having with myself is if it will all tone down when I wash the scarf in the same way. Or, if the one lighter section, will remain, forever, lighter. I’m chancing it. If it bothers me too much, I’ll rip it out and use the scarf at the length it is now. It’ll work.
Comments
15 responses to “Dorchester”
Oh, those are beautiful. I absolutely love old dishes — and have some like my grandmother’s, too. My “grandma dishes” aren’t quite as fine — they’re more everyday — and so when I find them in shops (they’re not all that uncommon), they’re often worn or chipped. I used many of the really bad ones as part of a mosaic table I made with old dishes a couple of years ago.
Thanks!
Can’t help with the silk issue, but good luck and please report back!
Very pretty dishes! I have very similar dishes (my mothers) called Mandarin by Mason’s. Almost too busy to eat from, but they are sentimental. Mine are Imari colors, but the pattern placement is very much the same (central motif, three flowers around the rim, fluted edge).
I have Johnson Bros plate that were my moms, and I love them. They were my favorites growing up and they’re still my favorites. (an autumn harvest pattern, can’t remember the name).
I always loved the small bowls with handles “like little ears” — great description by the way –. My grandmother called hers “cream soups” as opposed to “soup plates” which were for clear broth soups.
I tend toward modern tastes as well but am amazed at the strength of memory associated with my grandmother’s china pattern.
I lost much of my grandmother’s china to non-family looters, and some of that was her mother’s. It’s a shame really, but I do cherish the few that remain. Do you know about these sites?
http://www.chinalovers-replacements.com/
http://www.replacements.com
http://www.patternfinders.com/
Good luck!
Oh, I love that story. I know that over the years there were things that I ABSOLUTELY HAD TO HAVE, and come to find out they were replicas of things that my paternal grandmother had — I hadn’t been in her home since I was six or seven, and didn’t realize I was unwittingly recreating her home!!
The dishes are so pretty – and I think they reflect your taste quite well.
I’m another lover of English Ironstone, especially the burgundy and white patterns. The little soup cups with ears are in fact cream soups; back in the Victorian days there were different-shaped bowls for different types of soup.
Replacements.com is VERY expensive; ebay is much better. And I’ve been known to buy imperfect versions of pieces I love, just to display or to use till they break.
Isn’t it funny how some things just “do it” for you? They aren’t things you would normally like but something just makes you go “ahhh, perfect.”
I like your new banner – it seemed you used to change the banner for different times of the year but it didn’t change for a while.
Interesting that the first hints of fall are coming – just like spring is sprung here.
The dishes are beautiful (and coordinate very well with that shawl!) I have the same kind of relationship with my Grandmother’s dishes–they’re not a pattern I would ever pick for myself, and yet, I love everything about them, because they were hers.
Hmmm…maybe I’ll have to go take their picture . . . maybe for eye-candy Friday!
Dishes and grandmother memories must become some kind of permanent part of our DNA to feel the way they do. I’m glad you could find some of the pattern.
love the dishes, love the memory.
I tend towards modern and simple as well, and think those plates (with matching yarn) are quite pretty, maybe all the more so because of the story.
That is such a pretty pattern.
I like your new banner. I love how yarn that’s just been dyed looks out in the sun drying.
Those are wonderful dishes. I’m so glad you were able to figure out what the pattern is so you could get some. Because of the shade of pink in the flowers and the nice square shape on the salad plate, and the fact that they’re also made by Johnson Brothers, they’re similar to my grandmother’s every-day dishes, which I am honored to be the keeper of.