Tea in the Turret Tablescape

"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the ceremony known as afternoon tea" ~ Henry James.

The table is set for Tea in the Turret, where the colors and patterns are pastels and florals.  What a contrast to the stark winter reality of last weekend when I took these pictures.  Warmer temperatures have arrived this week, the snow is starting to melt, and it won't be much longer before spring is here for good.

For the centerpiece I used a pink depression era glass Cambridge Draped Lady Flower Frog.  It is sitting in a glass console bowl from the same era.  Mirrors are a nice way to set off glassware displays, and I like to use simple mirror squares underneath focal points.  I was a frequent visitor at antique stores and depression era glass shows in the 1990s, which is when and where I obtained most of my furniture and collectibles.  I am still, and always will be, a collector at heart.

The rose patterned china tea service was a bargain find at an antique store that was going out of business.  The pattern is Lady Margaret by Queen Anne (England).  It included 8 of these plates.

And 8 of these cups and saucers.

The pink swan is also Cambridge depression era glass.  Swans are one of the most collected of all items produced by the Cambridge Glass Company. Cambridge introduced the swans in 1928, and they remained in production until the final plant closing in 1958.  The goblet is the New Martinsville/Viking Prelude pattern.

One of the tidbits of information I learned when I started collecting depression era glass is that there is a difference between elegant glass and depression glass.  To quote Wikipedia, "Elegant Glass is high quality glassware created in the United States during the Depression Era.  It was sold for high prices in department stores and given as wedding gifts.  When new, Elegant Glass would cost more than its oft-confused counterpart, Depression Glass, because it was at least partially handmade, had a cleaner finish, and more vibrant colors.  From the 1920s through the 1950s, Elegant Glass was an alternative to fine china.  Most of the Elegant Glassware manufacturers closed by the end of the 1950s."  The Cambridge and New Martinsville/Viking patterns that I collect are Elegant Glass.

The tea service came with this coffee pot, but not a tea pot.  One day, I hope to get a tea pot to complete the set.  It is currently available at Replacements.com, but pricey.  Maybe I'll eventually find one on ebay, and if not, bite the bullet and go for what Replacements.com has to offer.

The creamer and sugar.

I do love vintage things, including hats.  Mike made the hat stands for me at the local cabinet shop.  He made 2 sets of 3 stands in various heights.  One set was made from oak and the other set was made from mahogany.  It was a Christmas gift, which I thoroughly appreciated, but his real motivation was to hang out with the boys, and the hat stands were just a by product LOL.

The pewter rose napkin rings were a recent ebay find.  They have 1987 stamped on the inside.  Finding vintage 1960s, 70s, and 80s tableware items is my latest collectible obsession.  I was born and raised in those decades, and having them classified as vintage makes me realize I'm getting old.  Folding cloth napkins is a new thing for me, and I'm learning by doing google searches. 

This vintage green glass plate was also a recent ebay find, shipped all the way from Australia.

I haven't actually made afternoon tea yet, but am finding plenty of inspiration in this beautifully illustrated cookbook from Tea Time Magazine.

Afternoon Tea

Table Details:

Rose patterned china Tea Service:
     Queen Anne (England) Lady Margaret (Manufacturer status unknown)
Pink glass Flower Frog:
     Cambridge Draped Lady, Type II Base, (smooth), 8 1/2", 10 Holes, Item #518 (Discontinued Actual: 1927-29, 1930-34, 1940, 1949-53)
Pink glass Swans:
     Cambridge 3" swan, individual mint/nut (Discontinued Actual: Type I 1928-33, Type II 1933-39, Type III 1939-58)
Clear Elegant Depression Era glass Goblets:
     New Martinsville/Viking Prelude (Discontinued Actual: 1940-1986)
Rose patterned Green glass Vintage Plate:
     ebay, pattern unknown
Placemats and Napkins:
     Kohls, pattern unknown
Pewter Rose Napkin Rings:
     ebay, marked 1987, pattern unknown

Participating in Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps On The Porch