Dinnerware Diary

Delightful Floral Tableware Designs

 
As lovely and serene as its name, Lenox Butterfly Meadow is scallop-shaped, with an embossed edge. This multi-motif pattern features a variety of flowers and flying insects - the dinner plate featured here is called "Dragonfly," and includes a magnificent summer rose.  Butterfly Meadow has been in production for more than a decade. The Lenox Ceramic Pottery Company was founded in 1889 by Walter Scott Lenox in Trenton, NJ, the "Staffordshire of America" of its time. By 1897, examples of Lenox's work were displayed at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. In 1918 President and Mrs. Woodrow Wilson commissioned a set of Lenox for the White House, making it the first American china to grace a president's table.

Our featured crystal, like the china, is also from the Lenox Butterfly Meadow pattern.  Floral stems and insect designs are hand-painted in bright colors on the glasses. You can see how beautifully the crystal and china complement each other! The founder of Lenox, Walter Scott Lenox, was named for the nineteenth-century Scottish writer, Sir Walter Scott. Mr. Lenox was a gifted artist, and had studied with master potters since his youth. Lenox first organized his company as an art studio, producing one-of-a-kind pieces for a select market. His vision created the foundation for a company that has since grown to embrace the entire tableware world, including not only china, but crystal, silver, and of course collectibles and giftware as well.

Gorham Silver Blossom (Stainless) is a gorgeous flatware pattern with a delicate floral design that perfectly complements the featured Lenox Butterfly Meadow china and crystal patterns. Gorham has earned a reputation as one of the pre-eminent design companies in silver tableware. The White House has used Gorham silver services during several administrations; Mary Todd Lincoln purchased an impressive tea and flatware service for use in the White House, and Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant asked Gorham to commemorate the United States' centennial anniversary with a spectacular Century Vase that contained over 2,000 ounces of sterling silver. Gorham's reputation for excellence endures today, and their well-earned design pedigree is easily recognized in the gorgeous Blossom (Stainless) pattern.

Ornate Designs, Classic Patterns

 
The stunning Empress Dresden Flowers pattern by Schumann/Bavaria was produced from 1945 to 1981. This gorgeous porcelain pattern features dazzling gold trim, and is adorned with embossed elements and an ornate floral design rendered in brilliant colors. Schumann/Bavaria was founded in 1881 by Heinrich Schumann in the town of Arzberg, in what is now Germany. The design of "Empress Dresden Flowers" was greatly influenced by the "Rococo" style of early eighteenth-century France. During the reign of King Louis XV, Rococo emerged in response to the heavier, highly ornate art of the late Baroque period. The Rococo style comprised elaborate designs with playful swirls, scrolls, and decoration. Schumann produced high-quality porcelain for more than 130 years, until the company closed its doors in 1994. Schumann/Bavaria pieces remain highly sought-after by collectors.

Many of the crystal patterns made by Waterford reflect Irish spirit and history. Charlemont celebrates the history of a village and family in northern Ireland in Armagh County. In 1602, Sir Toby (Charles) Caulfeild, serving under the rule of Queen Elizabeth I, established a bridge, and a fort to protect it, at a location on the Blackwater river. The site became known as Charlemont, and for this and other services to the Queen, Caulfeild was awarded a large grant of land, and was eventually named Baron of Charlemont under James I. Gorgeous on any table, Charlemont crystal is a popular Waterford pattern. The company dates back to the Flint Glass Works, founded in 1783 on the quay in the port town of Waterford. When a Waterford crystal service was presented to the wife of King George III, she was so proud of it that she had it displayed in Cheltenham castle. Today "Waterford" is synonymous with fine crystal, and is found in households around the world.

Meadow Rose by Watson Silver features a blocked design in a rose motif, with ornate scrolling along the edge, a cameo/frame design with a rose at the tip, and a glossy finish. Watson literature from 1942 describes Meadow Rose as "made by silversmiths who have spent 68 years recreating museum masterpieces for connoisseurs of fine silver... so superbly designed and faultlessly executed that you will find it unexcelled anywhere else today." The Watson Company was established in 1874, and primarily produced jewelry in its early years. Later, the company shifted focus to manufacturing souvenir spoons before expanding its production lines to include silverplate flatware, hollowware, and novelties. As the company further streamlined in the twentieth century, production was confined to sterling flatware and hollowware. The Meadow Rose pattern was first produced in 1907, and other popular patterns followed, including John Alden (1911), Lotus (1935), Windsor Rose (1940), and Foxhall (1942). In 1956, Watson Company was purchased by Wallace and Sons Mfg. Co. (now Wallace Silver). Meadow Rose remains an enduring example of the exquisite, finely-crafted sterling products produced by Watson Company during its prime.

Exquisite Rose-themed Tableware Designs

First produced in 1951, Delaware (New York) by Haviland is scalloped-rimmed, cream-colored china with delicate, beautifully rendered roses decorating the center and rim, and an embossed edge with gold trim. The story of Haviland China begins in 1841, when David Haviland of D.G. & D. Haviland Trading Co., New York, embarked with his wife, Mary, and son, Charles, for France. Their destination was Limoges, a city 200 miles southeast of Paris, world-renowned for its production of fine porcelain. The region was rich in kaolin, cream-colored clay that yielded superior porcelain. Haviland, intent on producing the world's finest china, obtained permits from the French government to build a state-of-the-art china factory in 1853. Haviland refused to send his pottery to Paris for decoration as most other potters did at the time; instead, he decorated his own creations. Within two years, Haviland's keen business sense and ingenuity had aided him in establishing one of the most advanced china producing facilities of its time.

Elaine-Clear crystal by Cambridge flares at the top, with a graceful, cascading floral design etched on the concave bowl. The stem of the glass is ornate, with a textured, molded design, and a round foot. This shapely, intricate pattern is the epitome of elegance! The Cambridge Glass Company was founded in 1873, when a group of businessmen from the town of Cambridge, Ohio chartered a glass producing facility.  Most of the company's early designs were heavy, pressed-glass patterns. The company achieved steady growth during the early part of the twentieth century, and during the 1920s, 30s, and 40s the company released its most successful shapes, colors, and etchings. In 1931, the company debuted its very successful Rose Point etching, as well as the popular Nude Stems collection.  Many of the company's most famous colors were developed during this period, including "Carmen," "Crown Tuscan," "Royal Blue," and "Heatherbloom."  Soon after the end of World War II, the company began to experience declining sales. In 1958, the company closed its doors, and Imperial Glass acquired all of Cambridge's molds and equipment.  While the Cambridge company is now closed, its legacy lives on at Replacements.

Produced from 1958 to 1997, Rose Elegance is a gorgeous sterling pattern by Lunt Silver.  Rose Elegance features a beautiful rose design that adorns a handle with a scrolled edge. The floral design elements of Rose Elegance make it the perfect flatware accompaniment for the Delaware (New York) and Elaine-Clear patterns above. Lunt was founded as the A. F. Towle & Son Mfg. Co. in 1880 in Newburyport, MA. Towle and his son left the company and built a new factory in Newburyport under the name A.F. Towle & Son Company. After moving to Greenfield, MA, in 1890, the firm went into automobile manufacturing and produced one of the first "horseless carriages" in America. Lack of financing caused the endeavor to fail, and George C. Lunt, who had been apprenticed to Towle, established Rogers, Lunt & Bowlen Company in 1902. Since 1935, the company has used the trade name Lunt Silversmiths. The company's Embassy Scroll pattern has been selected by the U.S. government as the official tableware for all U.S. consulates and embassies.

Herend "Rothschild Bird" Shell Plate

This gorgeous shell dish in the renowned "Rothschild Bird" pattern by Herend features beautifully rendered birds and vibrantly colored insects, complemented on this dish by magnificent gold trim. But perhaps the most interesting element of the "Rothschild Bird" design is the tree containing a gracefully draped pearl necklace - an element included specifically for the famous Rothschild family.

The Rothschilds rose to power via their European banking and finance houses in the late eighteenth century. During the nineteenth century, the Rothschild family amassed the largest private fortune in the world. The "Rothschild Bird" pattern was created for the family by Herend in 1850, and illustrates an interesting bit of Rothschild family lore. As one version of the story goes, Baroness Rothschild couldn't find her pearl necklace after losing it in the garden one day. Several days later, her gardener noticed a pair of birds playing with something shiny in a tree, and, upon further investigation, discovered it was the Baroness's pearl necklace! "Rothschild Bird" remains in production today, and stands as a testimony to Herend's tremendous artistic standards.

The original Herend factory was established in Hungary by Vince Stingl in 1826. The firm focused primarily on the production of stoneware, but Stingl also (unsuccessfully) experimented with methods to produce fine porcelain. By 1839, Stingl was bankrupt, and ownership of Herend transferred to Mor Fischer. Fischer planned to revitalize the factory by producing replacement and completion pieces for other fine china patterns that had ceased production. But first, Fischer had to find a successful formula for producing high-quality porcelain that would rival fine porcelain from regions like Sevres, Meissen, Vienna, and the Far East. After much experimentation, Fischer was successful, and by the first Hungarian industrial exhibition in 1842, Herend products were described as capable of "satisfying the demands of any princely table." Herend porcelain continued to garner praise, and the company's products were recognized for their excellence at the Vienna Exhibition of 1845, the Great Exhibition in London in 1851, the New York World Exhibition in 1853, and the Paris Exhibition of 1855. With such high acclaim, Herend porcelain was soon gracing the tables of Europe's royal families and aristocracy. (After seeing a Herend display at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851, Queen Victoria ordered a Herend table service for Windsor Castle - this pattern continues to bear her name.)

In addition to its popular dinnerware patterns, Herend also became known for their exquisite figurines adorned with a now-iconic "fishnet" design. Herend figurines were first produced in 1858, but became most popular following the Great Depression, when Herend increased production as a way to offer affordable ornamental items for the average consumer. During this period, Herend created a porcelain figural collection that included designs of more than 150 birds and 200 animals, in a variety of sizes, to accommodate most budgets.

The company faced more challenges during WWII, when the conflict made it impossible to import the raw materials needed to produce high-quality porcelain. When the Iron Curtain descended over Eastern Europe at the end of the war, Herend was nationalized by the Communist government. In 1993, Herend was once again privatized, with 75% of the company's ownership transferred to its management and workers. Today, Herend is the biggest porcelain manufacturer in Europe.

Ornate Rose Designs, Outstanding Craftsmanship

Queen's Bouquet by Rosenthal/Continental is rimmed, scallop-shaped cream-colored china showcasing vibrant sprays of flowers on the center and rim. The verge (the verge area is where the well of the plate merges with the rim) features an exquisite gold trim that also frames the floral bouquets around the rim. This gorgeous pattern is nothing short of regal in look and design! Phillip Rosenthal began his business in 1884 by purchasing white ware and applying designs hand painted by his wife Maria, then selling them door to door. In 1891, he established a factory in Asch, Bohemia and began production of white ware for use in his workshop. From 1897 to 1936, Rosenthal acquired several factories in Germany, and the popularity of patterns like Moss Rose helped the business grow rapidly; by WWII, Rosenthal employed over 5,000 people. When WWII ended, Rosenthal's son, Phillip, returned to Germany where he modernized out of date factories and reestablished lost markets. Phillip quickly rebuilt the business by reaching new customers interested in the modern shapes and artistry of his dinnerware. To this day, Rosenthal continues to work with leaders in fashion and design to create unique and striking tabletop designs.

Featuring a knobbed, multi-sided stem, convex cut bowl, and round foot, the enchanting design of Royal Leerdam Carola crystal beautifully complements the more intricate Queen's Bouquet china and Rose sterling patterns. Royal Leerdam was founded as a bottle factory in 1765 in the Dutch city of Leerdam. In 1878, the company expanded to facilitate the production of pressed and blown glass. In 1915, a team of architects and designers that included K. P. C. de Bazel, Cornelis de Lorm, and Andries Dirk Copier was commissioned to design Royal Leerdam glassware. Gilde glass, a line designed by Copier, featured an understated elegance that has made it one of the most popular Royal Leerdam patterns to date. After World War II, Royal Leerdam continued to produce distinctive and stylish patterns under the leadership of chief designer Floris Meydam, who worked at Leerdam from 1944 to 1986. Royal Leerdam is currently part of the American glassware company, Libbey, Inc., and its products continue to be highly sought by collectors worldwide.

First produced in 1898, Rose (Sterling) by Wallace Silver features a narrow waist that broadens into an ornate handle adorned with a stunning rose bouquet. Wallace Silver, established in Connecticut nearly two centuries ago, has long been recognized for excellence in tableware craftsmanship. The founder of the company, Robert Wallace, was born in 1815 into a family of silversmiths who had emigrated to New England from Scotland. Apprenticed to William Mix, a renowned Connecticut spoon maker, Wallace purchased a dilapidated grist mill after mastering his trade, and began to produce his own silver flatware in 1833. Rose is just one of many examples of Wallace Silver's high-quality work.

Superlative French Tableware Design

The exquisite Kouan Ti-Celadon pattern by Ceralene is adorned with a variety of exotic floral and tree designs in blue, green, red, and yellow hues, with gold accents gracefully incorporated into the design. Produced by Raynaud, Ceralene is "continental" china, the hardest of three primary types of china produced today. Fired at nearly 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit, Ceralene's thin body is perfectly white and translucent (before decoration) with a fine, clear "ring" when tapped. Raynaud, a manufacturer known and recognized since 1894 as a leader in applied art in tableware design, was established in Limoges, France, a city renowned for its artistry in fine porcelain. According to Ceralene company literature, Ceralene china "... is different from any other Limoges marketed today in both quality and styling. Many patterns are exact reproductions or adaptations of museum pieces of the 18th century. They constitute a truly distinctive china in the best French table tradition." The featured Kouan Ti-Celadon pattern is a wonderful example of Ceralene's dedication to artistry and quality in applied ceramic arts.

Baccarat Manon crystal features a clean, streamlined shape with gold trim on the bowl and foot. With its round foot and notched stem, Manon is a magnificent example of European crystal making with strong Modern influence! In 1764, King Louis XV of France granted the Bishop Montmorency-Laval of Metz rights to build a glassworks in the town of Baccarat. By the 1830s the company was producing crystal glassware, candelabras, and banisters for palaces and manor houses in England and across Europe - even crystal hookahs for Constantinople! By the end of the nineteenth century, Baccarat crystal was known throughout the world. In 1885, orders poured in from India, the United States, England, Mexico, and Brazil. Baccarat crystal has graced the tables of King Louis XVIII, King Charles X, Emperor Napoleon III, and many French presidents.

Percier by Puiforcat Silver features a glossy finish and a narrow waist that broadens into an ornate handle adorned with geometric designs and a delicate plume at the tip. With its graceful design, Percier sterling flatware serves as an ideal complement to the more opulent Kouan Ti-Celadon china and Manon crystal. French silversmith Jean Puiforcat is widely considered to be one of the foremost silver designers of the twentieth century. Descended from generations of silversmiths, Puiforcat entered the family business in 1920. Puiforcat's early works drew inspiration from early nineteenth-century English silver designs and incorporated natural elements, keeping with the art nouveau style popular at the time. As Puiforcat's career progressed, however, his pieces began exhibiting less ornamentation, and moved toward a more streamlined, Art Deco aesthetic. It was around this time that Puiforcat began to develop a profound interest in mathematics. In a 1927 article, Puiforcat stated, "The weakness of certain of my pieces, that I am the first to recognize, comes from my incomplete education in numbers. My evolution follows my studies in geometry, in trigonometry." Puiforcat's fascination with mathematics influenced many of his silver designs; he was especially interested in employing the golden ratio to guide the proportions of his works. Although Puiforcat employed precise calculations in his pieces, he did so while maintaining a warm, sensual aesthetic. His legacy is one of a silversmith who created functional silver that continues to provide a "poetic sense to geometry."

Exquisite Artistry, Stunning Floral Motifs

 
Lorraine #S561 by Minton China is fine bone china produced from approximately 1945 to 1970. Featuring spectacular floral designs scattered asymmetrically around the plate and circling the verge, with embossed, swirled flutes on the rim, and gold trim on the outside, this colorful pattern is a gorgeous representation of Minton China's exquisite artistry. Minton is one of England's oldest china makers. The company was founded in 1793 at Stoke-on-Trent, in the heart of England's Staffordshire china-producing region, by Thomas Minton, William Pownall, and Joseph Poulson. Along with the rise of the middle class in nineteenth-century industrial England - with greater attention to household finery and more discretionary income - came the rise of Minton. The company introduced patterns and manufacturing processes that made their high-quality china more attractive and affordable to the English middle class. They continue producing luxurious dinnerware and remain leaders in the market of tableware production and design. Other exquisite Minton patterns include Haddon Hall (their most popular pattern), Bellemeade, Ancestral, and Jasmine.

Produced from 1937 to 1955, Rosalie by Heisey features ornate floral designs etched into a concave bowl with a flared top, a round foot, and an attached multisided stem with ball and knob elements. The intricate designs of the Rosalie and Lorraine patterns work well with the relative simplicity of the floral motif found in Gorham Lancaster silver. A. H. Heisey and Company was founded in 1896 in Newark, OH. By the late 1890s, Heisey's colonial patterns featuring flute, scallop, and panel design elements were immediately popular. Heisey began producing brightly colored glassware in the 1920s and 1930s in hues of emerald, ivorina verde (custard), opal, and canary, among others. After the Prohibition Act was repealed in 1930, Heisey released an extensive line of barware, which helped the company survive the economic turmoil of the Great Depression. The company's sales remained high throughout World War II, and in 1940 the company released its most successful pattern, Orchid. It was around this time that Heisey began producing a line of popular glass figurines in addition to their barware and stemware patterns. When elegant stemware became less favored by the American public in the years following World War II, Heisey struggled, and was eventually forced to close their factory in 1957. In 1958, Heisey sold all of its assets to the Imperial Glass Company of Bellaire, OH. After Imperial Glass filed for bankruptcy in 1984, Heisey's original molds were acquired by the Heisey Collectors of America.

The elegant and popular Lancaster sterling pattern was produced by Gorham Silver from 1897 to 1991. Lancaster showcases an unblocked, elegant floral design with an open rose at the tip, a beaded edge, and a glossy finish. Gorham Silver's founder, Jabez Gorham, was born into a family of eight, and apprenticed to eighteenth-century New England silver patriarch Nehemiah Dodge at a very early age. After his apprenticeship, Gorham founded his own company in 1831 in Providence, RI. He quickly became known for creating distinctive hand-crafted silver of the highest quality. Since then, Gorham silversmiths have developed a reputation as uncompromising artists, and have gained fame for producing a multitude of exquisite patterns, including Chantilly, Strasbourg, Buttercup, Fairfax, Melrose, and hundreds more. Chantilly, the world's best-selling flatware pattern, helped Gorham become a household name. More recently, Gorham has expanded its product range to include fine china and crystal, and Gorham's reputation for excellence endures today.

Blossoms For Spring!

Chelsea Garden by Spode is a gorgeous bone china pattern produced from 1952 to 1988. Chelsea Garden has a rimmed, scalloped design adorned with beautiful, asymmetrical floral sprays and a warm mustard-colored trim. Spode founder Josiah Spode opened the doors of his porcelain factory in 1780. Under his guidance, the factory introduced two important breakthroughs in the development of English ceramics. Using bone ash, Spode was the first English china maker to achieve higher firing temperatures, resulting in beautifully detailed, longer-lasting china. The company's second important achievement was perfecting "underglaze" decorating. Intricate designs could be applied to china that would last for decades and were much more resistant to chipping, scratching, or fading, at prices affordable to England's burgeoning middle class.

Wildflower-Clear crystal by Cambridge flares at the top, with a delicate, cascading floral design etched on the concave bowl. The stem of the glass is ornate, with a textured, molded design, and a round foot. This shapely, intricate pattern is the very epitome of elegance! The Cambridge Glass Company was founded in 1873, when a group of businessmen from the town of Cambridge, Ohio chartered a glass producing facility.  Most of the company's early designs were heavy, pressed-glass patterns. The company achieved steady growth during the early part of the twentieth century, and during the 1920s, 30s, and 40s the company released its most successful shapes, colors, and etchings. In 1931, the company debuted its very successful Rose Point etching, as well as the popular Nude Stems collection.  Many of the company's most famous colors were developed during this period, including "Carmen," "Crown Tuscan," "Royal Blue," and "Heatherbloom."  Soon after the end of World War II, the company began to experience declining sales. In 1958, the company closed its doors, and Imperial Glass acquired all of Cambridge's molds and equipment.

Produced from 1903 to 1974, International Silver Frontenac is an enchanting sterling flatware pattern with an exquisite floral design that perfectly complements Chelsea Garden china by Spode and Wildflower-Clear crystal by Cambridge. International Silver started as a combination of America's greatest silver manufacturers. During the American Colonial period, New England was home to many artisans producing high-quality pewter, sterling, and silverplate, primarily in Connecticut. Around 1808, Ashbile Griswold opened a pewter shop in Meriden, Connecticut. Through mergers with regional companies, Griswold's original shop grew to comprise fourteen silver manufacturers, including Holmes and Edwards (Bridgeport), Meriden Britannia (Meriden), and Rogers Brothers (Hartford). In 1898, the International Silver Company became truly "international," establishing offices in England and Canada. Throughout the years, International Silver products have remained immensely popular.

Imperial Glass "Cape Cod" Decanter

Widely popular, Cape Cod was one of the patterns that enabled the Imperial Glass Company to weather the Great Depression. Cape Cod was first produced in 1932, and continued until the company's close in 1984. The pattern was created when then-president Earl Newton secured a contract with the Quaker Oats company for Cape Cod items to be included as "premiums" in Quaker Oats products. (To stay competitive during the Great Depression, many companies began offering free items included with the purchase of a product. China and glassware were popular premium items offered by many companies.) There were more than 300 piece types produced in Cape Cod during the course of its run (including the brilliant ruby decanter featured here), in colors as diverse as fern green, black, purple slag, yellow, and many others.

The term "decanter" was coined around 1715, but decanters have been in use for more than 2,000 years. Decanters were designed as vessels used to separate wine from any sediment that was a by-product of the older bottle-aged wine process. Most modern wine-making processes don't produce the amount of sediments that were present in older wines, and decanting now is done mostly to allow wines to breathe (although the effectiveness of this is a topic for debate), and also as a way to show off the color of the wine. The ancient Romans were the first to use glass decanters, but as the production of glass declined following the fall of the Roman Empire, decanters began to be made of gold, silver, and clay. Decanter shapes in the 1600s were largely based on wine bottles of the time: squat, with short necks. In the mid-eighteenth century, decanters started becoming narrower and taller, and were produced in a variety of shapes, featuring cut decorations and loose-fitting stoppers. The history of the Imperial Glass Company, spanning eight decades, begins in 1901, when Edward Muhleman, a riverboat captain and financier, ended his relationship with the National Glass Company of Pittsburgh, PA. National Glass Company, a conglomerate, had purchased Muhleman's Crystal Glass Company of Bellaire, OH, in 1899, along with eighteen other glass-making plants.  An able businessman, relatively young at age 55, wealthy, and evidently still fascinated with the glassware industry, Muhleman contacted the Bellaire Board of Trade, a group of businessmen seeking to attract industry to their city on the banks of the Ohio River. Muhleman struck a deal with Bellaire investors to construct what would be billed at the time as "the largest factory in this part of the Ohio Valley."

For a variety of reasons construction lagged. It was not until 1904 that the huge Imperial Glass Company plant began production.  According to the "Imperial Glass Encyclopedia, Volume I," the company's first catalog was more than sixty pages long - "In addition to all manner of bottles, tumblers, and electric and gas shades, the catalog listed no fewer than fifteen lines of tableware, an impressive beginning indeed."  Over the years, the company would go on to produce a fantastic array of clear, colored, acid-etched, deep-etched, iridescent, gold, silver, or burnished tumblers, vases, pitchers, figurines, platters, relish dishes, ash trays, cake stands, candlesticks, goblets, perfume bottles, bells, hurricane lamps, punch bowls, salt and pepper shakers, candy boxes, and more, in an amazing variety of shapes and designs, many of them sold in the leading department stores of the day.

In 1973 the Imperial Glass Company was purchased by Lenox, and over time, the company's emphasis on glassware changed to giftware.  Competition was keen in this product area, and the company's market share dwindled. Ultimately, the Imperial Glass Company was forced into bankruptcy. Its last full catalog was released to the trade in January 1982. 

Breathtaking Tableware Designs

Cockatrice-Pink by Minton is a fabulous bone china pattern featuring a gorgeous pink color palette and exotic design elements. Cockatrice-Pink's central decorative element is a cockatrice - a legendary creature with the body of a dragon and the head of a rooster, whose origins can be traced back to the twelfth century. Minton is one of England's oldest china makers. The company was founded in 1793 at Stoke-on-Trent, in the heart of England's Staffordshire china-producing region, by Thomas Minton, William Pownall, and Joseph Poulson. Along with the rise of the middle class in nineteenth-century industrial England - with greater attention to household finery and more discretionary income - came the rise of Minton. The company introduced patterns and manufacturing processes that made their high-quality china more attractive and affordable to the English middle class. They continue producing luxurious dinnerware and remain leaders in the market of tableware production and design. Replacements, Ltd. carries a number of Minton's patterns, including Haddon Hall (their most popular pattern), Bellemeade, Ancestral, and Jasmine.

Persian Pheasant (Optic) by Tiffin/Franciscan is a crystal pattern of subtle beauty. Two pheasants are perched in the foliage of a flower-filled urn on the bowl of the glass, which also has a straight-line optic design. The stem of the glass is knobbed and ribbed, with a round, clear foot.  The pheasant etching is highly ornate, reminiscent of the intricate Persian designs we often associate with the magnificent carpets of the region (now Iran).  The Persian pheasant, often called the ring-necked pheasant, was introduced to the North American continent in the 1880s, and would have been familiar to outdoorsmen in Ohio, where Tiffin Glass Company was located. Tiffin/Franciscan, in its heyday one of the largest glass makers in its region, was long noted for the high quality of its crystal.  Shimmering, delicate Persian Pheasant (Optic) is a masterwork.

Kirk Stieff Silver Rose is an exquisite sterling pattern first produced in 1937. With its intricate rose-themed design, Rose serves as the perfect complement to the Cockatrice-Pink china and Persian Pheasant (Optic) crystal featured here. The company Kirk Stieff Silver represents the culmination of two great Baltimore, MD, traditions. Charles Stieff founded Stieff Silver in 1892; the Stieff Rose pattern was introduced that same year. Samuel Kirk founded his firm much earlier, in 1815 (Kirk's firm is acknowledged as the oldest silversmith company in America). The companies were combined in 1979. From their inception, both were recognized for innovative design and master craftsmanship. Just before World War II, Stieff began to produce silver for Colonial Williamsburg that replicated American Colonial pieces.