Vintage Finds: Booths Ltd Silicon China Plate

Hi Friends! I have another interesting piece of antique English earthenware to share with you today. This 10 inch 'silicon china' plate was manufactured by Booths Ltd in 1916.

Silicon china was the result of a pottery manufacturing method that utilized a technique called tin-glazing. Tin-glazing was a glaze that contained tin oxide and produced a white, shiny, opaque background surface that imitated Chinese porcelain and supported brightly painted decorations.

Indeed, the lovely chinese-inspired floral motif of pink and blue stylized peonies, other red flowers, and free flowing vines of 'greenery' have certainly retained their eye-catching bright colors for over one hundred years now!

I'm sure you will agree that the Booths Ltd claim of "Opaque Porcelain of the Finest Quality" was indeed true, especially when considering that their silicon china was used in the catering markets such as in hotels and on sea liners and railways. Surely this high quality earthenware would have greatly enhanced the dining experience of any travelers lucky enough to experience it.

No doubt the longevity of the colors we are looking at here can be attributed to the meticulousness of the tin-glaze method. Tin-glaze was applied to red or buff-colored earthenware and the decoration was applied to the unfired glaze surface by brush with metallic oxides such as cobalt oxide, copper oxide, iron oxide, manganese dioxide and antimony oxide.

When I first saw this floral plate at the charity shop I knew right away that it was hand painted but I did not know until I brought it home and researched the Booths Ltd company what a gem of a plate this truly is!

My initial thought was that it is definitely a chinoiserie revival era piece because of the stylized peonies. Upon further investigation, as mentioned above, I discovered that the bright white opaque surface is a Chinese influence. And then I discovered the 1916 date of manufacture impressed into the earthenware, near the inked back stamp which further confirmed my initial thought that this, indeed, was an early 20th century piece.

Not only have the colors retained their magnificent brightness, but also the overall excellent condition is quite impressive and a result of the loving care its predecessors gave it. There are some normal wear marks from it having been used but no chips, cracks or crazing. I cannot even find a fleabite! There is still a lot of life left in this old plate and I intend to help it in its journey further into the future.

I hope you have enjoyed this edition of Vintage Finds and I'll see you again soon. Thank you! 

Faffing with Vintage Tea Treasures - Royal Stafford, Johnson Bros, & Royal Albert

Hi Friends! There's been a flurry of activity in my Etsy shop Vintage Tea Treasures this week with three sales packed and shipped! And so I thought it would be fun to share with you a peek into what customers are buying.

The first item sold was the Royal Stafford Order of the Eastern Star teacup and saucer set shown above. This set features a five-pointed star both inside the teacup and in the middle of the saucer. The star is the emblem of the Masonic Order of the Eastern Star which is a fraternal organization of stonemasons dating back to about the 14th century.

Each color of the hand painted five-pointed star represents an inspirational biblical figure. Both pieces are further embellished with an array of small gold stars and there is gold gilding on the edges of each piece as well as sponged gold gilding around the top rim of the teacup and around the perimeter of the saucer.

Also sold was this lovely set of pastel blue porcelain tea ware (below) by Johnson Bros. The pattern is called Greydawn and it was developed in the 1920s and produced through 1987.

The Dawn series came in sky blue (pictured here), rose, green and gold. The saucers and small plates feature a distinctive beveled edge and a slight delicate scalloping which is repeated on the foot of the teacups.

And lastly, this Royal Albert #4360 teacup and saucer is heading to Australia. Both the Malvern-shaped cup and the scalloped saucer are grounded in a robin's egg blue, graced with pretty floral bouquets, and features gold gilded edges with heavy gilding on the foot of the teacup. A fine example of the Royal Albert quality.

If you enjoy quality vintage tea ware, you may like to browse Vintage Tea Treasures on Etsy and see what treasure you may find for yourself or a friend. And don't forget - I have a special code for readers of this blog - if you enter code PLUMBLOSSOM10 you'll receive a ten percent discount off your order.

Thanks for looking!

Eugene Obon & Taiko Festival

Every July here in Eugene the Japanese American Association of Lane County, the City of Eugene, and the Asian American Foundation of Oregon sponsor the Obon & Taiko Festival. Each year the event is held in the early evening in Alton Baker Park, a 373 acre park that is located next to the Willamette River.

Obon, or Bon, is the Buddhist custom of honoring the spirits of one's ancestors. The Bon Odori, or dances, that are performed during Obon are a way of remembering and appreciating their sacrifices. Dances are performed by members of the Japanese American Association and the public is invited to join in the fun.

Taiko, or Japanese drumming, is performed by Eugene Taiko. The ensemble plays modern interpretations of traditional pieces as well as their own compositions. Taiko drumming is thunderous, dynamic and energetic. It is rooted in warfare but in the present-day it is enjoyed at festivals and cultural events.

The formal dances proceed either clockwise or counter-clockwise around a yagura, or high wooden platform, and are performed in unison to recorded traditional Japanese folksongs that are played through a PA system.

For over twenty years now, attending Obon has been our family tradition, with each year being a variation of family members and friends coming along for the fun. This year our daughter Audrey accompanied James and I.

On this carefree summer evening we enjoyed catching up on family news while watching the dancing and drumming and ate delicious Japanese cuisine from local food vendor Masa's Yatai.

As the festival wound down and darkness began to descend, we packed up our things and felt grateful for good times and happy family memories of another year spent at Obon.

Thanks for looking!