A New Collection

I'm not sure why I'm so attracted to the blue and white combination, or the simplicity but perennial beauty of the uber popular Chinese Ginger Jars and Tea Jars, but I am. I really am, and I'm not alone. Designers throughout the country are using these porcelain beauties, once meant to be gifts to the 17th century kings and queens of Europe, directly exported from the artists in China.

From the halls of king's mansions to the tabletops of modern bungalows - blue and white wares have certainly maintained their popularity while travelling from pride to peasant and back again.

Over the past few months, I've collected my own blue and white pottery from stores, Brimfield, tag sales, and eBay a beginners collection. Pieces range from antique to new, nice to fantastic, and I spend hours almost daily searching for new outlets on where I can find the best stuff, cheap.


It didn't start out as a meaningful collection - simply a 19th century double happiness jar with a pierced wooden lid I found at an estate sale for $8. Worth more than $150, it was something I couldn't pass up - even though I really had nowhere to put it. Soon, I had a small collection, and started looking at blue fabric, blue art, blue blue blue ... I even started to pull blues into my bedroom, which was a profusion of reds. This picture spurred that move, and I've never been happier. Look forward to that post, soon.

Weather collected on table tops, dining room buffets; in cupboards, bookcases, or armoires; even displayed atop mantles, entry hall credenzas, and kitchen cabinets - the classic nature of the blue and white appeal to many, and have certainly grabbed hold of me.

So, count this as the lead in to my Tablescape Thursday post tomorrow, the picture above providing a bit of a hint. See you then!