Burns Night... January 25th

Hello! Just wanted to share the fun of annual Burns Night, January 25th, with you!

Tartan setting... Victoria magazine

January 25th, the birthday of Scotland's most famous author and poet Robert Burns born January 25, 1759.
 So I have a Scottish theme teacup to share. 

The teacup has a British royal connection as well, and definitely history attached about Royal Doulton, who made in in the 1930s.

The teacup is named Glamis Thistle, and as the dedication on the bottom states, was designed from thistles gathered by Royal Doulton artist Percy Curnow on a visit to Glamis Castle in Scotland in 1938.

Glamis Castle was the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mum, and Queen Elizabeth II, her daughter, spent much time there as well.

The artist had been a guest at Glamis, and had found Thistles to paint during a walk on the estate...

The teacup is hand colored on transferware, and beautiful! It also has a facsimile signature, P. Curnow, or Percy Curnow.

Percy Curnow was a prominent artist at Royal Doulton for 70 years. He retired in 1954.

What a career!

The Scottish Glamis Thistle teacup seemed so appropriate with it being Robert Burns birthday. Burns was born in Ayrshire on January 25, 1759 and lived in the cottage below....which is a popular destination. 

Burns Night, to commemorate The Immortal One, was first celebrated in 1801 at the cottage by friends who ate, drank, toasted, recited and read Burns' words, listened to the bagpipes, sang Auld Lang Syne and generally commemorated the poet.

There are loads of souvenirs, keepsakes, books and reminders of Robert Burns. Below is one of my favorite quotes...

The poem says:

Then let us pray that come what may

As come it will for a' that...

That man to man the world o'er,

Shall brothers be for a'that.

As a way to celebrate Robert Burns birthday, Burns Night is celebrated in many places where whiskey flows and haggis is eaten and generally both the poet and Scots ancestry is celebrated. 

So Happy Birthday to Robert Burns!

For more info, including a traditional order of what to expect at a Burns Night supper,

this is agreat link from the BBC:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/robertburns/burns_night_running_order.shtml

With a last word by MartyMouse...

I Heart Large Bone China Mugs! Middleport Pottery

I am just loving there large 12 ounce bone china mugs I found...

The square 12 ounce big mug is like the mug version of a breakfast sized cup and saucer...

And with Valentine's Day coming up... I love the red hearts with the green, blue and yelleow stripes...

They were made by Crown Trent, England in the late 1990s.

Crown Trent is another of the small, independent potteries that emerged in 1980 after the big guys were closed, moved of gobbled up.

I can only applaud the fact they are still producing in Longton, a district of Stoke-on-Trent.

These particular mugs were designed and decorated in England, but made in Roumania... apparently during a works reorganization. From what I hear, all items are now completely made in the UK since 2000.

Another pottery that is producing in England, is the Middleport Pottery, which celebrates it's 130th year this year in 2019.

Middleport is famous for being the home of Burleigh, who have had a resurggence in popularity with their Asiatic Pheasants and Calico ranges.

A few years ago, the pottery was renovated with grants and assistance from Prince Charles and his Princes Regeneration Foundation and Trust.

The old buildings were modernized and sections established as a museum, learning spaces, shop and cafe alongside the working pottery.

It has become a great success, which I am so pleased about!

A wonderful place to visit!

Hot Tea Day! Yesss!

January 12th is National Hot Tea Day... in Hot Tea Month!

Not that other days of the year aren't in this household!

And in my cup today to celebrate is Yorkshire Tea...

a Christmas gift I am finishing...
in a Shelley Duchess teacup in maroon in the Gainsborough shape....

Tea always tastes better in a pretty teacup, doesn't it?

So, enjoy your weekend, and have lots of tea!
We are having sun and unseasonably warm th for the next few days... which is nice!

12 Days Of Christmas, The Second Half, Epiphany, Twelfth Night

Hi and welcome back to the second half of my slightly unorthodox 12 Days Of Christmas...

Just making do with what I have inmy shop Antiques And Teacups... which is turning out to be quite fun! 

Again, I am posting them daily on my Facebook page for Antiques And Teacups...where I seem to be posting more on recently than the blog here.

To follow my Facebook page, click the Facebook symbol on the sidebar of click HERE

On the 7th Day Of Christmas, my true love gave to me... 7 Swans a'Swimming... 

well, actually only a few, but... Boxed Swan Tea Mug With Infuser And Coaster Birds Blue And White Blue And White Infuser Mug

On the 8th Day Of Christmas, my true love gave to me... 8 Maids a'milking... 

or at least a vintage Hammersley Grandmother's Rose milk pitcher...
Hammersley England Creamer Milk Jug Cream Pitcher Grandmother's Rose Bone China 1970s

And I found a 12 Days Of Christmas Cookie Project Maids a'Milking by SugarBelles. So cute!

Click the photo for more info on their website

On the 8th Day Of Christmas, my true love gave to me...

9 Ladies Dancing...

Rats! Fell short again! All I could find is a demitasse teacups with a dancing couple in 18th century dress... sigh...

BUT... I found this lovely graphic of the shy little ladies on Pinterest with no source given. Cute, aren't they?

On the 10th Day Of Christmas, my true love gave to me...

10 Lords a-Leaping...

well, this isn't getting any easier, is it??!

The closest I could find was a hunting scene on a blue transferware teapot...

Arrrrggghhh!!!

But... how about English Morris Dancers... will that do? 

I took this photo in Cork, Ireland...

Not sure if there are 10, but...
And this is a book from a great series by C.C. Benison featuring an English village parish priest named... really... Father Christmas.
This book, 3rd in the series is called
Ten Lords A'Leaping

Great book! The series is a great read. I have it on Kindle, but don't see that at the moment.

On the 11th Day Of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
11 Pipers Piping...
Okay, okay... not pipes, but horns anyway...
that's close, right???

Lots of  horns to blow on a vintage tea tin...

But I DID find this drawing of a 11 Day piper piping on Pinterest, signed by...I think...Kem Kimbnel, but nothing beyond that. But I love it!

And another book by C.C Benison in the Father Christmas series...

And, lastly, and none too soon....

On the 12th Day Of Christmas, my true love gave to me...

12 Drummers Drumming....

That must have made a racket!

And I only have one drum... from a set of 1950s Christmas cookie cutters...

Better than nothing I guess!

And the last of the C>C Benison books featuring Father Christmas...

actually this is the first one, then count back...

Whew! We did it!

The 12 Days of Christmas end on Epiphany or Twelfth Night, when the Magi or 3 Wise Men reached the manger of Jesus...

And I found this great graphic from the Business Insider.co.uk that gives current values for all the gifts given during the 12 Days Of Christmas with 2016 values...amazing!

Really makes me smile!

So...

And just a reminder...

Through January 9th we are having our SANTAFORGOT code 15% off sale at our shops...

Antiques And Teacups

Have a lovely week!

12 Days Of Christmas... the 1st 6 Days... Sorta...

Hi there... if you follow me on my Antiques And Teacups Facebook page, you have already seen my posts of the first 6 of the 12 Days Of Christmas...

sorta...

The Twelve Days of Christmas, celebrating the days from the birth of Jesus until the arrival of the Magi or Wise Men on Epiphany on January 5th or 6th...depending on tradition... since the middle ages.

The above is a set of felt ornaments of the 12 Days Of Christmas which may still be available for free HERE

Are you hearing the song in your mind yet???

So... I decided to do the 12 Days of Christmas from my shop, Antiques And Teacups, with interesting results...

On the First Day Of Christmas, my true love gave to me... A Partridge In A Pear Tree

well, I didn't have any partidges or pears, but found a wonderful collage of A Partridge In A Pear Tree by CollagesMyPassion on Facebook. Click HERE to visit her amazing creations...

On the 2nd Day Of Christmas, my true love gave to me... Two Turtle Doves...

 well, not 2 Turtle Doves, but lots of Woodland birds on a tea cozy!

On the 3rd Day Of Christmas, my true love gave to me... Three French Hens...

sigh... no French hens, but how about an English chick eggcup?

On the 4th Day Of Christmas, my true love gave to me... 4 Calling birds... 

well, if not, how about a Roy Kirham English Garden Birds Tea For One...

On the 5th Day Of Christmas, my true love gave to me... 5 Golden Rings... 

but, not jewelry, but a golden angel bell of fine English bone china by Hammersley that rings beautifully! 

On the 6th Day Of Christmas, my true love gave to me... 6 Geese a Laying... 

well, only 4 and they aren't laying, just laying around ready for your napkins... Napkin Rings Set Goose Swan 4 White Hand Painted Ceramic Figural Geese Birds

Whew! That's six out of 12!

Well, we'll see what I come up with for the rest!