The Rose Tea Pitcher & Glasses

The very same day I found my "Shabby Chic Teapot" last month, and in the very same antique shop, I found what I think is the prettiest tea pitcher and glasses I've ever seen. I had been on the lookout for more glasses with roses on them for when my family comes to tea, since they are more "iced tea people" than "hot tea people." But vintage beverage glasses seem to keep going up in price, and I wasn't willing to pay the prices I'd been seeing. I had actually stooped down to look through a basket of costume jewelry (anyone else love costume jewelry?) when, just past the basket I was plundering through, I spotted what I thought was a rose design near the shadowy bottom row of a bookshelf. You antiquers know the feeling: "Is that a rose I'm seeing under there? Yes! Some rose glasses! Oh my goodness, it's six of them! Oh dear, I hope that doesn't mean they want $25 or $30 since there's a complete set. But what's that next to it? Oh my goodness, a matching tea pitcher!"

I had never seen a tea pitcher and glasses this pretty before, and I'm sure I must have held my breath as I reached for the little hanging tag. Frankly, I was expecting it to be anywhere in the $60+ range, and I was almost disappointed at finding the lovely pitcher because I thought the set would no doubt be more than I wished to pay. Reader, it was $20 for the whole kit and kaboodle! I couldn't get to that cashier fast enough. There was even a vintage paper label inside one of the glasses revealing that these were made in West Virginia. And I hope you can see this as the glasses sit in the kitchen cabinet (top photo), but they are washed in a sort of iridescent "luster" finish. Lovely AND a bargain!

A friend recently gave me this cute package of raspberry iced tea mix, and it was as delicious as it was pretty, served up in a pitcher and glass this particular rose-loving friend would no doubt approve of. If I don't find another great bargain this year, I don't think I can complain!