It's such a pleasure to hear from old friends I haven't seen in years. One of them, Delana, was a girlhood friend that I went to church with for many years, and several months ago, we reconnected on Facebook, and she suggested we meet at the Gone With the Wind Museum in Marietta and then have lunch on the Square. Delana is the girlfriend who spent the night with me before Charles and Diana's wedding so that we could wake up early and watch it together the next morning, so I think that shows you how far we go back!
I've been to the GWTW Museum before, but not in its new home at Brumby Hall, so I enjoyed seeing the new space as well as some new items from their collection. Delana's wedding dress was a recreation of the white dress Scarlett O'Hara wore in the movie's opening scene (replica at upper right), so it was fun to see her checking out all the gowns.
But what caught my eye this time? A demitasse set that belonged to Ann Rutherford, the movie's Careen O'Hara!
Here's what the letter accompanying this set says: "Dearest Chris, Your birthday gift is not only woefully late, but it is a puzzlement. Even Herb Brooks hasn't ever heard of one of these demi tasse sets of service for twelve, he has only tracked down one of eight! I'm sure I received it in about 1952 and it was probably a gift from Atlanta's mayor. I'm not even sure of that. I do know that many of the cups have a historic reference, which is the reason I stuck a card around those so you don't have to read the bottom of the cups to see what that cup is honoring. There is one little girl on a cup. Her last name is 'Lumpkin.' I was so happy it wasn't 'Marietta.' Anyway, I trust everything arrived as whole as they were sent. Looking forward to Kent State and you. Big love to your mom and Paul, and more love to you on your extra special day. Ask for more meatloaf! XOXOXO Ann."
I'm guessing the aforementioned little girl is the one pictured behind this teacup, right? (I didn't fully read the letter until I got home and enlarged the photo on the computer. If I'd read it before leaving, I would have been on a mission to track down the "little girl cup.")
I love that Atlanta's mayor "maybe" gave this set to Ann Rutherford all those years ago, and I quite enjoyed seeing it at the Marietta Gone With the Wind Museum. And because I'm including a GWTW reference in all of my "Junkin' Jewelry" mysteries, this visit also served as research for my future books!
You know, although I grew up in Marietta, I've never been to the GTTW museum! I read the book several times over, and saw the movie once, and I knew where the museum was on the Square - and know where it is now - but I never visited it! After seeing your pictures and reading about it, I may need to change that. I'm glad you enjoyed your visit.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know the GWTW museum had moved to Brumby Hall! My three sisters and I went to it a few years ago, in its old location on the Square, and we enjoyed it very much. Now we'll have to go see it at its new place (if we can manage to coordinate, since one of us lives in DC, one in North Carolina, one in Tennessee, and one in Georgia). We'll definitely look for that interesting demitasse set!
ReplyDeleteThank You for sharing your visit to the "Gone With The Wind" museum.
ReplyDeleteMarilyn
That demitasse teaset is precious! There's a GWTW museum not too far away from us in Jefferson, Texas. Every time we go to their historic home tour, I say I want to come back and tour the museum. I really must do it!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your visit with us.
ReplyDeleteHow gorgeous that demitasse teaset is!Hugs!
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