Gentle Rattle of China

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Gentle Rattle of China

vintage and antique tea sets

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New website!

Posted on February 6, 2018 by willa
Reading time less than 1 minute
Antiques

Cabaret set from 1893 – so very desired

Posted on June 22, 2017 by willa
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Antiques

English buttercups the Chinese way – Wileman 1893

Posted on June 20, 2017 by willa
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Antiques

Pristine white – Wileman Tea for Two 1889

Posted on June 17, 2017 by willa
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Vintage

Art Deco Tiger Lilies – Royal Winton 1930

Posted on June 15, 2017 by willa
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Antiques

Lavish dinner – Ridgway 1825

Posted on June 13, 2017 by willa
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Antiques Vintage

Beautiful Imari of an unknown maker, late 1800s

Posted on June 12, 2017 by willa
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Antiques

Sweetness in a teacup – Wileman 1893

Posted on June 11, 2017 by willa
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Vintage

Let’s go for a ride! Sadler 1940s

Posted on June 10, 2017 by willa
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Antiques

Turquoise Petunias – Wileman 1900

Posted on June 9, 2017 by willa
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About

"The sound of the gentle rattle of china cup on china saucer drives away all demons, a little-known fact.” – Terry Pratchett

I have always loved beautiful things. I also love to find out about their history and what they tell us about who and where we are now.

It started early, when my grandmother would often serve me tea in a different cup each time I came to visit. I would return wet and cold from my ramblings in the countryside, and she put me by the fire with her reassuring brew and tell me stories about the cup she’d chosen that day – it might have belonged to some beloved great-aunt. Or she might point to a marking in some inexplicable script, and explain that she had purchased it during the war, when chinaware was scarce and traders put their reserves up for sale. I marvelled at the intricate landscapes with willows and bridges on Barratt cups, or the delicate flowers dancing over a Wileman cup.

Fast-forward several decades, and I found myself one morning contemplating life. I had recently left a job and career that had always given me much joy and satisfaction, but that had been demanding everything from me and, after many years of ceaseless work, commuting and pressure, left me feeling burned out. I had decided to push the pause button to see what would happen.

When depositing some old clothes to my local Salvation Army shop the previous afternoon, I had seen a gorgeous teaset. It was simple and elegant and I absolutely adored it. I didn’t need a teaset and I didn’t want anything, so I went home without buying anything. But that teaset didn’t leave me - my old love for art, history and all things beautiful was kindled.

The next morning I woke up with a fully formed plan. I clearly knew that my business was the joy and passion that I rediscovered that afternoon in the Salvation Army shop. My curiosity about the history of those humble cups, my thrill about their beauty, and an enterprising streak that I had forgotten I possessed quickly had the better of me, and 48 hours later I had my shop running online. From there, I have never looked back.

At first, I opened a shop to share my love for beauty. But soon it became two shops:

VINTAGE (hosted on Etsy)

ANTIQUES (hosted on Ruby Lane)

You might be looking for a special gift for a dear friend. You might be an antique porcelain collector. Or perhaps you just want to honour that precious moment of your morning tea when you contemplate the goodness of life.

I offer small gifts, extensive teasets, or valuable pieces of fine bone china. And if you decide to buy something I provide the story with each one on a nicely printed sheet.

Enjoy your object of beauty, and let the china rattle!

Recent Posts

  • New website! February 6, 2018
  • Cabaret set from 1893 – so very desired June 22, 2017
  • English buttercups the Chinese way – Wileman 1893 June 20, 2017
  • Pristine white – Wileman Tea for Two 1889 June 17, 2017
  • Art Deco Tiger Lilies – Royal Winton 1930 June 15, 2017
  • Lavish dinner – Ridgway 1825 June 13, 2017
  • Beautiful Imari of an unknown maker, late 1800s June 12, 2017
  • Sweetness in a teacup – Wileman 1893 June 11, 2017
  • Let’s go for a ride! Sadler 1940s June 10, 2017
  • Turquoise Petunias – Wileman 1900 June 9, 2017
  • Shelley Blue Syringa – demitasse cups from 1932 June 7, 2017
  • Dolly Varden in blue – Wileman, 1887 June 6, 2017
  • The grace of post-war bell-shaped teacups – Paragon 1960s June 5, 2017
  • Too much on your plate? H&R Daniel ca 1825 June 4, 2017
  • Blue Rock Shelley demitasse set June 3, 2017
  • Odd colours can turn out amazing – H&R Daniel ca 1825 June 1, 2017
  • How Art Deco quietly conquered sophisticated tradition – Radford 1930s May 31, 2017
  • The many ways of Imari – Wileman 1890 May 30, 2017
  • Sadler Trellis teapot – this time with maroon flower May 29, 2017
  • Henry Daniel’s roses – coffeecup from 1822 May 28, 2017
  • Warm red from Worcester – 1938 May 27, 2017
  • The cups an industrial pioneer drank from – Royal Crown Derby, 1800-1825 May 26, 2017
  • Wild Flowers from Shelley May 25, 2017
  • Pierced plate from Ridgway, ca 1850 May 24, 2017
  • More Sadler trellis – this time blue May 23, 2017
  • Mother & child – Ridgway, 1812 May 21, 2017
  • Art Deco at its best – Sadler 1930s May 19, 2017
  • The bird becomes central – Aesthetic Movement plate, 1880 May 18, 2017
  • Maroon coffeecups – Paragon, 1920s May 17, 2017
  • Beige and gold – Brown-Westhead & Moore, 1864 May 16, 2017
  • Same shape, new era – Paragon 1940s May 14, 2017
  • Magnolias from Minton – 1830 May 13, 2017
  • Freesias from Sadler, 1930s May 12, 2017
  • The many imari patterns of Wileman – 1899 May 11, 2017
  • For those who are in autumn – Sadler 1950s May 10, 2017
  • Orange, rust, pumpkin – Wileman 1901 May 9, 2017
  • A new member of the Arcopal family! May 8, 2017
  • Spectacular tea time – Wileman 1893 May 7, 2017
  • Never tired of blue and white – Sadler brigadoon teapot 1970s May 6, 2017
  • How many birds can you get onto a teacup? Royal Worcester, ca 1868 May 5, 2017
  • More teapots – Sadler, 1940s May 4, 2017
  • Elegant Victorian – Samuel Johnson, 1890s May 2, 2017
  • Arcopal in many shades – 1960s May 1, 2017
  • Daisies on daisies – Wileman teacups from 1890 April 30, 2017
  • Beautiful Aynsley with plums and forest fruit – 1940s April 29, 2017
  • Teacups with a story – made in the Foley Works ca 1900 April 28, 2017
  • Acacia blossoms – Shelley Art Deco April 27, 2017
  • Making a cameo – Wileman 1896 April 26, 2017
  • Bands and Lines – Shelley 1933 April 25, 2017
  • This will make you blush – Wileman 1893 April 24, 2017
  • Wonderful Trellis from Sadler, 1950s April 23, 2017
  • Stunning Belleek Tridacna, 1891-1926 April 22, 2017
  • Royal Albert is not always Old Country Roses! April 21, 2017
  • Daisies, daisies – Wileman 1890 April 20, 2017
  • Art Deco with Fuchsias – Wetley China 1930s April 19, 2017
  • Using your antiques? of course! Davenport tea & coffee set, ca 1830 April 18, 2017
  • Bring in the butterflies – Grosvener China Art Deco, 1920s April 17, 2017
  • Coffee from the Rococo Revival – Samuel Alcock, ca 1835 April 16, 2017
  • Dancing muses for Easter – Shelley, 1924 April 15, 2017
  • Wonderful green – H&R Daniel, ca 1840 April 14, 2017
  • Blue Syringa flowers – Shelley 1938 April 13, 2017
  • Antique ferns for the Empress – Wileman 1893 April 11, 2017
  • Another beautiful Art Deco cup – Paragon ca 1920 April 10, 2017
  • Spring Romance – Wileman 1895 April 9, 2017
  • Adorable demitasse coffee set, Shelley April 8, 2017
  • Delicate Victorian lilac, 1880s April 7, 2017
  • Art Deco beauty – Carlton China ca 1930 April 6, 2017
  • Gorgeous Japanese pattern – Shelley 1912 April 5, 2017
  • French grace in a teacup – Arcopal, 1960s April 4, 2017
  • A sweet little coffee for the Monday morning – Wileman demitasse, 1880s April 3, 2017
  • Have some plums! Shieling teacup, 1950s April 2, 2017
  • Magnificent Irish grace – Belleek, turn of the Century April 1, 2017
  • From gilt to sunny orange – Shelley Art Deco 1940 March 31, 2017
  • Gilt splendour – Ridgway ca 1813 March 30, 2017
  • More small coffeecups! Shelley Art Deco, 1933 March 28, 2017
  • Japanese Grove demitasse cup, ca 1880 March 27, 2017
  • A wonderful vintage Imari tea set for 4 – 1920s March 26, 2017
  • True Victorian style – Royal Crown Derby cups from 1898 March 25, 2017
  • It’s time for dinner parties! Adderley plates, 1960s March 24, 2017
  • A very sweet coffee set – Wileman demitasse cup and milk jug from 1893 March 23, 2017
  • Let’s have strawberries! German plate, 1920s March 22, 2017
  • More spring flowers – H&R Daniel 1830 March 21, 2017
  • Coffee for the spring – Plant Tuscan, 1930s March 19, 2017
  • Wild flowers – Coalport 1825 March 18, 2017
  • Royal Albert, but not as we know it – ca 1930 March 17, 2017
  • Two cups sharing a saucer – Coalport 1815 March 16, 2017
  • A teacup that is a flower – Art Deco 1930s March 15, 2017
  • The perfect wedding gift – Wileman tea set for 6, Empire shape 1893 March 14, 2017
  • Spring! Art Deco cake plate from the 1930s March 12, 2017
  • Stunning H&R Daniel – ca 1830 March 11, 2017
  • More blue: Shelley Phlox teacups, 1933 March 10, 2017
  • And it’s all over now, baby blue – Wileman 1889 March 9, 2017
  • Wisteria and hollihocks – ca 1950 March 8, 2017
  • Lilac and mint green bliss from Wileman, 1899 March 7, 2017
  • Pinkie – a popular figure from the 1940s March 6, 2017
  • Japan in Staffordshire – 1890 March 5, 2017
  • Art Nouveau at its best March 4, 2017
  • Timeless elegance – Wedgwood Jasperware March 3, 2017
  • Tobacco without smoking – Spode 1911 March 2, 2017
  • H&R Daniel, the colour wizards, ca 1840 March 1, 2017

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