Plum Blossom Decor: An Instagram Flash Sale

Friends, if you love decorating your space in the chinoiserie style I'd like to invite you to a Plum Blossom Decor Instagram flash sale this Friday, September 2nd at 5:30pm Pacific Time.

In this 'Five on Friday' flash sale, I'll be offering a Nora Fenton Design display plate, an Oriental Cross Stitch book, a blue cabbage-ware child's tea set, a Japanese Imari teapot and a pair of Chinese shelf sitters.

So come join me on Friday! There will be detailed photos, full descriptions and prices. If you've never made a Paypal purchase this way before, these instructions will help facilitate a smooth shopping experience.

Thanks for looking and I hope you'll join me this Friday!

Blue & White Italian Staffordshire Style Dogs

Hello friends! One of my favorite things to collect these days is ceramic mantle dogs. They are commonly referred to as Staffordshire dogs or Staffordshire style dogs because the original dogs were made in Staffordshire England by a variety of the English potters as early as the 17th century. Production of these quirky creatures continued into the 19th and mid-20th centuries.

The most common type of dog made was the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Greyhounds, poodles, dalmations and pugs were also produced. No matter the animal type, many mantles have been graced with pairs of these adorable animals.

According to Gloria from Willow Road Interiors, this pair of blue and white Staffordshire style dogs were made in Italy. I purchased them from her Instagram shop. They are not antiques but rather a later reproduction - hence Staffordshire 'style'. I love the hand painted blue floral design and who can resist those blue eyes?

Friends, meet Polly and Suki. Each is about 7" tall and 6" wide at the base. I had fun styling them in my bedroom on top of my antique chest of drawers, along with a blue 'hidden butterfly' patterned Chinese melon jar, some vintage books and a vintage bird trinket box made in Japan.

The pair are unpainted on the back side and have a large 'casting hole' on the bottom. The casting hole comes from the slip mold process - clay and water are mixed to a creamy consistency, then poured into a two-part plaster mold. The slip water is absorbed by the plaster mold, leaving a clay shell next to the mold. The excess water is poured out, the mold is opened and the clay shell removed.

I can't say for sure what breed of dog this pair represents, but I think they are adorable and I hope you enjoyed seeing them. Now if I could just figure out which one is Polly and which one is Suki...

As always, thanks for looking and bye for now!

Plum Blossom Decor: An Etsy Shop Update

Hello friends! A funny thing happened on the way to writing this blog post. Last weekend I pulled five of my Etsy shop listings from my inventory (shown above), styled them on our piano, and photographed them so I could write this blog post for you today.

Then on Wednesday a customer bought the Blue Willow canister set. I considered starting over again and replacing the canisters with something else, but since they are such a rare find I thought I would still share the set, as well as the other items shown.

I found these ceramic Blue Willow canisters at an estate sale a few weeks ago and almost passed them up because it was only the three, not the standard four. I had a hunch though that, because it's Blue Willow, maybe someone out there wouldn't mind that the largest sized canister is missing. Perhaps I guessed correctly...

When I came home from the sale I searched the internet for Blue Willow canisters and found that there are very few out there for sale. This set is not marked but I did find one or two other sellers that had the same canisters and theirs were marked Japan. Johnson Brothers England also made a Blue Willow canister set.
 Nevertheless, I'm sure that Tina in New Jersey is going to love her new Blue Willow canisters!

The remaining items (as follows) are still available in my Esty shop Plum Blossom Decor.

This J & G Meakin ironstone platter in the 'Blue Nordic' pattern was made in England in the 1970s. It is 12" wide and 9-1/4" in height and is dishwasher safe. Blue Nordic, also known as Blue Onion, is a very popular pattern and appears to be widely collected. Its abstract floral design is Scandinavian influenced and quite popular amongst those that like almost anything blue and white. The fact that this pattern is dishwasher safe is a bonus as it can actually be used for everyday meals!

Also available is a sweet (albeit mismatched) pair of Japanese ceramic fans. The fan on the left has pretty pink and purple irises, blue leaves, gold highlights, and a raised or embossed texture. Although the white fan does not have any decoration, it has all the same raised or embossed textures as the decorated fan. These would be fun to use for sushi night or for jewelry next to your bedside or on your dresser. They would also be nice displayed on a bookshelf or piano.

Another lovely item for your consideration is this 'Canton style' Chinese decorative bottle with lid. It features a wrap around pattern, similar to Blue Willow, with pagoda style buildings along a river that has a bridge, sailboats, trees, flowers, rocks, birds and mountains in the background. At 7" in height it would be lovely sitting on a stack of books on your shelves or as part of a vignette on a bathroom shelf or perhaps on your bedside table.

And lastly, a Chinese ginger jar with a hand painted 'chintz-like' pattern. It is 7" in height and there are interesting borders on the top and bottom of the jar as well as on the lid, and a floral medallion on the front and back. A classic piece that will work anywhere you choose to place it.

So head on over to Plum Blossom Decor on Etsy to see more details, photos, videos and prices. Everything here is available (except the sold Blue Willow canister set) and in excellent vintage condition with no chips, cracks or crazing to the glaze. And don't forget to use the code PlumBlossom10 for a ten percent discount on your order!

Thank you for looking and bye for now...

Vintage Finds: Chinoiserie Figurine Lamp

Hello friends! Have you ever had some small task or idea rattle around in your brain for years before it ever sees the light of day? Of course you have! Today's post is all about just such an event. Way back in 2016 I published a 'Vintage Finds' segment entitled Vintage Finds: Tickled Pink on this blog. I shared three charity shop finds, one of which was this Asian lady figurine that appeared to be a lamp base.

It is hollow ceramic and has an open bottom as well as openings on the top of her head and in the back, just above the base.

I don't know if it ever was a lamp in the past. When I found it at the thrift store it did not have any hardware attached to it. After I purchased it and wrote the blog post I placed it on a bookshelf. I remember some time after that Jimmy and I were shopping at one of the big box home stores and I saw a packaged lamp kit. While it seemed to be the right size it had parts I knew I didn't need so I passed on it and Jimmy suggested I take the lamp to a lighting store. Six years later I did just that!

The helpful staff at Brighter Homes Lighting Gallery had the parts in stock and assembled the lamp while I waited. It has taken years, but this small Asian lady figurine has finally become a cute accent lamp!

A great feature of this lamp is the dynamic posture of the figure. Her legs are front facing, yet her torso is slightly turned to her left. Her left hand grips her garment and in her right hand she holds a fan. With her fancy clothing and headpiece I'm sure she will begin to dance at any moment!

There are no markings or labels but I have no doubt that we're looking at a mid century piece. The colors are quintessentially 1950s and Oriental themed home decor was quite a big influence back then. There is some glaze crazing but overall it's in excellent vintage condition - no chips or repairs.

 

For my vignette here, I styled my new lamp with a vintage Japanese runner duck that Jimmy once gifted me and a mid century Haeger planter into which I planted a couple of mini ferns from Trader Joe's.

 

Oh, and the lamp shade is a white 6.75" (height) silk/shantung bell shape clip on from Wayfair although when I purchased mine several weeks ago it was $35.99 with free shipping.

Thanks for looking and bye for now...

Plum Blossom Decor: An Etsy Shop Update

Hello friends, I haven't written about my Etsy shop Plum Blossom Decor for a long time. The shop is in the process of being revised because my interest in all things chinoiserie has overtaken my love of vintage tea ware. There was a hiccup in renaming the shop and there are still a few things to fix but I am anxious and motivated to complete the transition.

I still adore old teacup sets (and 'pretty vintage' things) and will continue to offer them in my shop but over time I will be focusing more on vintage Chinese and Japanese home decor items, as well as vintage English items featuring the chinoiserie themes. There will also be a few choice Mid Century items as well.

In fact, today I'm sharing five new items (above) that have just been listed: Three Famille Rose pieces: a large statement vase (center), a large tea jar or ginger jar (left rear), a 'fishbowl' planter (left front) and two Rose Medallion items - a small wall plate (right, rear) and a teacup and saucer set (right front).

Famille Rose and Rose Medallion home decor items are considered a quintessential part of the chinoiserie home fashion look. Famille Rose, with its 'court' or 'salon' scenes typically depict people in a formal setting carrying out traditional duties. Rose Medallion items do not feature people, but rather are portraits of the natural world. The 'rose' referred to is actually a peony. Both Famille Rose and Rose Medallion share common painted background characteristics of peonies, moths, birds, pomegranates, gold highlights and lots and lots of 'fill-in' florals and greenery. Pinks and greens are the traditional colors, but there is some variation.

At 14-1/4" in height this vase can certainly be considered a statement piece. It has beautiful bright colors and portrayals of courtly behavior within a cartouche-like frame on both the front and back of the piece. There are birds, moths, pomegranates and florals with gold highlights filling in all the spaces.

This lidded tea jar or ginger jar also depicts a court or salon scene. It is 10-3/4" in height and 6" in diameter. It has florals, moths, greenery and gold highlights. A perfect shelf styling accessory!

One of the more fun items in the Famille Rose family of items I'm offering is this small (5" in height) 'fishbowl' planter. While it has the traditional salon or court scene attributes on both the front and the back (as well as two bird panels), it has a surprise element. Unlike most house plant containers, this one has a finished interior which renders it just as beautiful on the inside as on the outside. Keep scrolling and you'll see what I'm referring to...

Don't you just love those fish? They are both realistic and stylistic at the same time!

And lastly, the Rose Medallion wall plate and teacup and saucer set. The wall plate is 6" in diameter, and has four panels that contain the traditional rose and greenery elements. There is a lovely scalloped border with gold highlight and it has two holes in the back which make adding to your plate wall super easy!

The tea set has the same cartouche-like panels, with birds the central theme here. There are also the roses, peonies, moths, and an abundance of greenery as well as gold rims and gold embellishing in all the spaces within the greenery.

As mentioned at the beginning, all items featured in this blog post are available in my Etsy shop Plum Blossom Decor. All are in excellent vintage condition with no chips, cracks, glaze crazing or repairs. Each piece has been carefully cleaned and inspected. As always, my goal is to offer the best quality vintage chinoiserie, oriental and asian style home decor items for your enjoyment. So if you love this kind of timeless home decor, visit my shop! For more details, including video clips and prices, visit Plum Blossom Decor and enjoy a ten percent discount with the code PlumBlossom10!

Thanks for looking!

Introducing Plum Blossom Vintage: Chinoiserie, The Orient, Midcentury

Hello Friends! Well it's been almost one year since the corona virus struck the United States and our lives fell into a tail spin. But now that there is a vaccine and a new president in the White House, I'm feeling hopeful about the future. I hope you are as well.

I'm excited to share some news with you! I'm starting a new shop! Plum Blossom Vintage will offer inspiring vintage chinoiserie, oriental and midcentury homewares for anyone looking to add some asian or midcentury (or both!) inspired flair to their home decor.

I'm still selling vintage tea ware in my Etsy shop Vintage Tea Treasures. This new endeavor will be on Instagram. I'll be utilizing my Vintage Tea Treasures Instagram account where the name has been changed to Plum Blossom Vintage. Shown above is a sneak peek of the first collection for Plum Blossom Vintage. It is almost ready for a flash sale which will be happening very soon and I will announce it here. 

So wish me luck and I hope you will join me for the sale!

Flattening the Curve, Day 10

Hello everyone. First off, I have a question for you. Now that most of us here in the United States are becoming fully ensconced in the coronavirus (COVID-19) Stay Home, Stay Safe 'lifestyle', have you brushed your teeth, washed your face, gotten dressed, and eaten breakfast today? I hope you are able to eat something. I only ask because I have to remind myself to do those things.

Getting lost in all the confusion of this COVID-19 problem can take your spirit away, rob you of your senses, and make you forget to brush your teeth. Everything feels like a ball of confusion. And yet, we have to sit with it, don't we?

So today on the blog I'm taking a break from all the news, data and anxiety and sharing what I would normally call in the title 'Vintage Finds'.

Since I started my Etsy shop Vintage Tea Treasures I have become enamored with vintage English pottery and bone china. And through that activity I discovered the chinoiseries, or Chinese style midcentury home decor items. The quality of the items I find varies but the decorative theme is always a take on a classic idealized form.

For example this 9-1/2 inch Wedgwood plate, in the 'Eastern Flowers' pattern features three chrysanthemum floral bouquets around the perimeter of the plate and an open fenced area with another chrysanthemum in the center of the plate. The center flower has moss entwined around it, as does the smaller blue flower to the left of it.

Another of my favorite items to collect are the asian or Chinese style figurines. Traditionally they came in pairs but most of the ones I've found have long since lost their mate, like this one shown.

What I enjoy most about this figurine (and I find it to be true in all of the ones I've found thus far) is the dynamic pose and the interesting gestures.

The shape of the base indicates that perhaps this figurine is meant to be a bookend, however it is very lightweight so maybe this one and its' mate could have held up a few books (maybe three?) as pure decoration.

And who can resist the makeup? A 1930s 'Betty Boop' heart-shaped lip treatment and an oh so dramatic eye liner! Love that!

Well, I hope this peek into my obsession with chinoiserie style collectables diverted your mind, if only for a moment...

Stay well family and friends!

Design Spotlight: Vintage Haeger Pottery

In 1871, the same year of the great Chicago fire, German immigrant David H. Haeger became a part owner in the Dundee Brickyard. The brickyard was located along the clay-rich banks of the Fox River, 45 miles northwest of Chicago, in Dundee, Illinois.

Although just a small town volume brickmaker, Dundee Brickyard contributed significantly to the rebuilding of Chicago by firing the first of millions of bricks needed to help rebuild the city.

In their desire to transition the company from brick making to the production of artisan wares, David Haeger and his son Edmund H. Haeger began planning their future development. Over the next thirty years David Haeger expanded the business by adding two more brick and tile factories to his holdings.

When David Haeger passed away in 1900 the company was already producing simple red clay flower pots for the florist trade. With David's passing Edmund took over the management of the business and transformed Haeger Bricks into Haeger Potteries.

By 1912 Edmund introduced a more sophisticated line of glazed art ware incorporating fine design and craftsmanship. When a shipment of the new pottery arrived at Chicago's premiere department store, Marshall Field and Company, it was widely accepted. 

In 1919 Edmund doubled the factory output by purchasing the Dundee pottery business from the family holdings and adding another kiln.

By the 1920's production included tea ware, luncheon ware, crystal and glassware.

In 1939 Haeger Potteries, Inc. took over another pottery factory located in Macomb, Illinois, about 200 miles southwest of Dundee, and converted the output to art ware. A second kiln was added to the Dundee plant in 1941.

A pivotal moment in the history of Haeger Potteries occurred in 1934 when Edmund Haeger built a complete working ceramic factory on the grounds of the Chicago World's Fair 'Century of Progress' exhibition. Indeed, the fair was an historic event for a city that just 50 years earlier had burned to the ground. Furthermore, the city's reunion with the once volume brick maker turned art pottery business, which played an important role in helping to revitalize Chicago, is highly notable.

More than four million visitors attended the exhibit. There were demonstrations of both ancient and modern production techniques and the factory produced commemorative souvenirs.

Over the years there were several prominent designers that contributed to the legacy of the Haeger Potteries line of art wares. For example, J. Martin Stangl worked with Edmund Haeger to develop commercial florist ware. Royal Hickman introduced the 'Royal Haeger' line featuring intricate smooth flowing lines and highly original glazes. His signature piece was a sleek elongated black panther, introduced in 1941. Eric Olsen contributed a red bull figure to the Royal Haeger line in 1955.

The work of the designers played a pivotal role in the growth and evolution of Haeger Potteries for many decades. Their creations helped to broaden the Royal Haeger range into exquisite vases, figurines, miniature animals, birds, flowers and lamps.

Unfortunately, after 145 years of production, Haeger Potteries, Inc. succumbed to the economic pressures of our modern age and went out of business in 2016.

As an avid thrift shopper I have managed to find the few Haeger pieces shown here. I had fun arranging some 'urban foraged' spring blooms in them from my walk around downtown and in my neighborhood. I hope you agree that they do make lovely containers for all sorts of floral arrangements.

If you would like to see more containers similar to mine as well as vases, planters and even a few of their lamps, you may want to check out this Haeger Potteries Pinterest board I made just for you.

Do you have any vintage Haeger pottery? I'd love to hear about it.

Thanks for reading!