Monday, April 8, 2013

The story of my Welbeck

Nothing says "spring" to me quite like my Royal Winton Welbeck dishes, and over the years many of you have commented that you, too, fell in love with this pattern when you first saw it in Victoria magazine. Over the weekend I looked back at my old Victorias and came across a photo of the Welbeck teapot in the July 1998 issue, and it was then I realized it's been almost 15 years since my Welbeck passion began!

I cannot think of Welbeck without thinking of a dear friend whom I'll call "Emma" (not her real name), who was my partner in crime in attaining these cherished teawares. Now the teapot was $150 when it was first reproduced and appeared in Victoria. Oh, how I longed for it, but I didn't have $150 to blow on a teapot back then. (Still don't, now that I think about it!) Emma found one for herself at a slight discount on a shopping channel on television, as I recall, but then one magical spring she began to find a few pieces of Welbeck at our local T.J. Maxx store. Thanks to her excellent scouting efforts, I soon owned the teapot and the enormous serving tray, both for something like $19.99, I believe, at any rate a fraction of the retail price. Emma had found some teacups for her own collection, but I had not. My mom and I hit every T.J. Maxx in the metro Atlanta area in search of more Welbeck, and though I found other Royal Winton chintz teapots (which I dearly wish I had purchased!), I didn't find the teacups. Emma was great about "hiding" chintz in other spots in the local store until I could get there after work and check things out, calling up with precise details about exactly where in the store I should go to look. I have said before that if we didn't love collecting teawares so much, we would have made great drug dealers.

"Patience, Grasshopper," someone should have told me. While I burned gallons of gas in my eagerness to get my greedy little hands on more chintz, Emma quietly, steadily kept an eye on the local T.J. Maxx for me. One day she called to report she had spotted four Welbeck teacups and saucers sitting on the "Hold" shelf at the store. She asked the salesclerk if those were scheduled for pick-up. Yes, the person said, but they were overdue for pick-up and if they weren't claimed by 9 p.m. that night, they would be restocked. Well, it *happened* to be my birthday, and I *happened* to be there waiting at 9 p.m. that night and got those teacups! Oh, the fun of that spring of chintz collecting!

I was writing a column about teatime in the newspaper back then, but I told Emma I would never use the word chintz, and I did not. I would write about my "English teawares" or my "cheerful yellow teacups" or my "sunny spring dishes," and though SHE knew exactly what I was talking about, I didn't want one other woman out there looking for chintz. Victoria had already created a collecting frenzy, and I was not about to add to that! I eventually added luncheon plates and a sugar and creamer to my set, and when my mother and I found matching fabric at JoAnn one day, she offered to make these cloth napkins to go with my teawares. Love them!

And so now, dear friends, when you see my little tea trolley set with Welbeck chintz, you know that this is way more than just a tea set to me. It's a 15-year-old memory of a fun collecting passion shared with a dear friend!

24 comments:

  1. oh, I have one of those cups and love it. My cousin had a tea party wedding shower for her daughter and everyone got a bone china teacup as a favor. Loving yellow, I picked this one. (unfortunately, half way through the shower there was a torrential downpour which then became a terrble storm, with lawns being washed out. But the bride is still happily married after 6 yrs so it was all ok.)
    Of course, tonite I now have to make a run to TJMaxx after work to see what they have for "pretties'.
    Enjoy your lovely set.

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  2. loved this post. what we (and our friends) will do for tea items! yeehaw!

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  3. What a FABULOUS story, Angela! No wonder you love TJ Maxx stores. Your Welbeck tea set is beautiful and a real treasure.

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  4. That's what fun about collecting or buy "vintage" or antiques. It's the STORIES behind everything. It's not, oh, yes, I got this three years ago at Macy's, it's going to TJ Maxx just before 9 pm and waiting for that item to be restocked because Emma found out for you so you could be there!

    Love your chintz and I do remember seeing it at TJ Maxx!

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  5. And treasured all the more-because of the way in which you acquired the set, piece by piece. It's just lovely!

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  6. What a gorgeous set!! I remember that beautiful Victoria magazine, and wish they were still as pretty, but that set of chintz is so gorgeous. I am so excited for you that you have a collection of memories to add to the china! Love the story!! Thanks so much for letting us in on the details!
    Blessings,
    Doni

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  7. Great stories, Angela. I was one of those people who fell in head over heels love with that china but I also had a young family and not the means to splurge. I wasn't as lucky as you. I found one plate in TJ Maxx but that's all. You had such a great partner in "crime".
    I love seeing yours. It sure makes one happy!!!
    Have a sunny day, Ruthie from Lady B's

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  8. Oh, Angela! What a FUN POST!!

    You had me smiling and giggling the entire time I was reading this.....

    I thought I would spew my sip of tea when I saw you wrote:

    "I have said before that if we didn't love collecting tea wares so much, we would have made great drug dealers."

    HAHAHAHA, too funny and entirely too true.

    You're the best, and I adore this china - and I remember that Victoria post!!!

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  9. Well, to start with, those are just beautiful! But the story of how you came to collect the set is even more wonderful. What fun you and Emma must have had and what special memories these pieces engender! And then to find the matching fabric, is the icing on the teacake.

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  10. What a wonderful collection! I remember when they debuted in Victoria too and couldn't afford them. But we had no TJMaxx close...still don't! I am always amazed what treasures folks find there! What a fabulous collection. How nice you were able to collect a whole set!
    Ruth

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  11. An absolutely delightful post! I love your tea set, but even better is your story! You know you have a very good friend when they'll hide china in unusual places in a store so that they'll still be there when you go to find them. It reminds me of a treasure hunt! And your friend "drew" the map so well.

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  12. Oh so Lovely! What a wonderful story of you and your partner in crime! They say you are lucky around your birthday, I say you are lucky all the time. We must all have the same taste in all things tea. I have the same tea cart, tiered tray and chintz set. My set is the Royal Winton 'Julia'pattern. Also, with a story of memories.

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  13. What a hilarious story! :o) that's what I love so much about real treasures. the stories just make them so much more special.

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  14. This is a incredible stash - I just passed up the teapot for $150.00 feeling I couldn't spend that. I am caught by your cart - is that a Paalman tea cart? Look in the drawer for the label from Grand Rapids, Mich and then see what we did to mine on my blog today!

    Your your stash of glorious Welbeck.

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  15. Love this story and tea set. I am also glad to know that I am not the only one who hides things!

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  16. Such a fun story... and proof that all good things come to those that wait... especially if there is a friend waiting and watching with you!

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  17. You have a wonderful collection and a great story to go with it!

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  18. Angela:
    I have thought about this all day - do you think they sold all the surplus pieces to TJ Max when Victoria shut down the first time? Just thinking - maybe that is how they disposed of the inventory at that time......did you look in the tea cart drawer yet???

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  19. Don't you just love walking down memory lane? I was fortunate enough to find a cup, saucer, and dinner plate on the clearance table at Marshalls several years ago. Even though my husband was with me I bought all three pieces and didn't even bother to explain. I knew if I left them there I'd kick myself for all eternity.

    I think I have that same fabric somewhere but had forgotten all about it. Thanks for the lovely photos and for jogging my memory. Looks like I'll be going on a "treasure hunt" inside my own closet now to find that fabric.

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  20. How lucky that your Mom found the fabric. I remember when there was a whole line of china fabric. I have some Old Country Roses fabric that I should use.

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  21. What a great post, Angela - you made me laugh so much! And the photo of your tea cart, with matching napkins, is adorable. Perfect tea set for spring. Cheers, Joanie

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  22. My husband surprised me with that very same teapot from Victoria. Yes, he paid the full price and later added a teacup and square serving plate to my very small collection. It is still one of my favorite teapots.

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  23. My mum started collecting Royal Winton back in the fifties just after she got married.

    She had enough for a teaset, no teapot. Unfortunately her mum in law said that was a waste of money and she stopped collecting it.

    But I do have most of what she collected with some missing because of breakages.

    I too collected some pieces around the same time period from T. J. Maxx, of the Royal Winton genre.

    Thank you for the lovely story.

    Christy

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  24. I just discovered this blog. I was looking for this teapot! And I found you! Anyway, I was wondering....Where can I buy this lovely teapot. I checked out Replacements and it sells for about $1,500. I was shocked. Did Victoria Magazine sell this Welbeck teapot. I remember seeing it years ago but I cannot remember?? It has been too too long.

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