Jul 26, 2010

HOW MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH CUPS BEGAN!


Hi Ladies! I have very special tea cups to show you this week. This is our 21st Tea Cup Tuesday. "A Love Affair to Remember!" That's is all I can say about the very first tea cup that started this collection. It was given to my by a very dear friend. It has gone through earthquakes, kitchen remodeling and husband and is still as lovely as the day it was given to me. It is this beautiful cream and blue trio made in Bavaria. This trio was given to me about 28 years ago on my birthday. I was young and dumb and did not know a thing about tea cups or that I would one day amass such a large collection. Notice the pedestal shape and the ornate angular handle. It was love at first sight!





Exactly one year later, I received the second cup, from the same friend. It is a Haviland, Limoges. Demitasse cup. A fluted and molded cup and saucer with a handle shaped like a ribbon. It has beautiful floral and gilt decorations. Can you see why I just love Limoges? No body does it better! So my love affair with tea cups began!




Cup number 3 is also a Haviland, Limoges. Demitasse as well. It is a round cup with a looped handle in a beautiful teal color. This was one of the first cups that I added to my collection. My collection began to take off from here.





Last, but not least in any way, is this blue Lusterware from Bavaria. Most Lusterware was made in Japan, so this one is unique. It is a shallow cup with a slightly angular handle. It was an Estate sale purchase. I hope to show you some of my Mustache cups next week, so I wanted this week's cups to be very dainty.




This last picture is of a beautiful gift sent to me by a dear blogger friend, Susie. The art work is original. I have been looking for a frame for the pink one. She is a great artist, http://itch2stitchdotcom.blogspot.com/. If you get a chance, please visit her and tell her I said "Hi!". She does amazing work.



The tea pot is an Aynsley. I think it is beautiful! Well, ladies, you know what to do with Mr. Linky. Join early or late, just join and spread the word. Don't forget to visit my dear friend Terri http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/, my partner in this party. I could not do it without her! Send her a special blessing when you visit! Lots of hugs and love, Martha

59 comments:

  1. I totally understand your love affair!!! The cups this week are awesome!!!
    Hugs, Lisa

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  2. So we can blame your friend for this huh? I don't think so...That first teacup is so beautiful and delicate looking. Hope you and la familia are doing well and enjoying this mild summer we're having...I'm still waiting for our get together...muuuaahhh!

    bunny

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  3. What a wonderful "hobby" your friend started for you. And what wonderful taste she has. I especially like the second one she gave you. That is a very unique shape.

    Oh, and the teacup drawing...too cute!!

    Have a wonderful day,
    Patti

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  4. Hello Dear Martha,
    You have such a great collection of cups... it had to start somewhere didn't it? Blessings and hugs!:_)
    Gwen

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  5. Hi Martha :) Oh my, I've been swooning over the teacups you have shown us this week! I'm in love with all of them!! So lovely, delicate and so sweet :)

    Have a great Teacup Tuesday my friend!

    Warmest hugs, Brenda

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  6. Hello dear Martha,
    You have an amazing collection of teacups; so gorgeous, each one! I love the second teacup; it is darling! Thanks for sharing them with us and I hope you have a beautiful week, dear friend.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

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  7. Dear Martha, your tea cups are gorgeous. Your tea cups have awakened a new interest in me. I have loved cups and pots for a long while, but I have never seen the beauty of cups like yours! I need to find new places to "shop"! I am now looking with a new eye!

    Another hot day here and I spent the afternoon looking at my own cups and pots and etc. I am about out of cups to post, but I found some other tea cup related things that might be interesting.

    Now to start on this week's reading!!! Thank you!

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  8. Martha,

    I guess we have your friend to thank for Teacup Tuesday!!!!! Beautiful cups and saucers and the teapot.

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  9. I can never get enough of the beauty of the teacups you have. I love the way you treasure them and those that gave them to you.

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  10. Hello again Martha...
    i'm not a tea cup collector but i really enjoy your blog...your descriptions are very interesting and the way you display your beautiful cups and saucers with the L.O.V.E.L.Y. bling has me coming back...
    Have a great week :D

    ~victoria~

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  11. Martha! I just love how your collection got started. All the China is beautiful! I have to go to the China Closet or Cabinet, not sure where it is stored, but I think my husband has a bowl like your first set. Which was his Grandmother's. I love reading about your lovely China, I learn so much about all your lovely Treasures! I stopped and found the bowl in neither place it was in a wooden box under the sideboard. lol The bowl has the same flowers, colors, no marking. I am thinking it is the same pattern. How lovely it would to know what his Grandmother's bowl pattern name is!

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  12. Hi Martha,

    Im joining your teacup party for the very first time. I have been following your party for quite sometimes. Love your teacups so much. You have so many in your collection. How I wish I could have them too.

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  13. Thank you for hosting! This is my first time here, what a cute blog!!
    machelle

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  14. Dear Martha...It was so nice to read about how your teacup collection started. Oh, Martha....I MISS joining tea cup Tuesday but I don't have any more tea cups to display. Booo hooo. Whenever I get one, I'll join up. Loved looking at your gorgeous cups. How many do you think you have in your collection? Susan

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  15. Hi Martha,

    I can see how your love affair came about with getting a great start with these beautiful cups.
    They are all really gorgeous.
    Many blessings and have a great week

    Hugs
    Carolyn

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  16. Oh my word, those cups are just incredible. What a joy to see. Thanks so much.

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  18. Oh dear, I messed up my link and don't know how to fix it. If you can delete it I will repost the correct link. So sorry, Martha.

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  19. Happy Tea Cup Tuesday Martha! I was in love with tea cup two then I saw three and four and I am in love with all of them! Take care and thank you for hosting! Take care.

    Wanda

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  20. How beautiful!!! And I love the music...this is from one of my favorite movies! Hugs, Cindy

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  21. A true addiction begun! does your friend know what she started?! Happy Tea Cup Tuesday Martha and have a wonderful week!

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  22. I can see why you would want to collect with such lovely cups that were given to you, you can not go wrong if it is Limoge. The blue flower brooch is very pretty also as is all of the vintage jewelry you use. Thanks for hosting this fun event. BE BLESSED

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  23. Dear Martha,
    I can absolutely see why you fell in love - I love Limoges and Lusterware too! Your "starter cups" of a long-time love affair are exquisite. Thank you so much for sharing with us!
    <>< Concetta

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  24. Stunning as always I think the coffee pot is scrummy and Thank you for shareing how it all began gosh theas lots of collectngs sce isn't it as always thank you for sharing it's always nice to stop by.

    Oh I did e-mail for your home address but I stll haven't got it can you e-mail me it soon thank you

    Love Dawn xx

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  25. Does your friend truly appreciate what she started in you? Beautiful tea cups Martha, thank-you~

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  26. thanks so much for visiting my blog!! I am so glad to find a fellow lover of estate sales and tea cups etc. and all things vintage. It has been a pleasure just scrolling through your site seeing all the pretties. Love it.

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  27. Martha,
    I can see why you started to collect after you received such wonderful tea cup sets as gifts!!
    Such nice memories you have of a dear friend!!
    I have no idea why I started to collect tea cups. Nor do I remember what my first one was!
    My mother did not have any as she viewed everything as "dust catchers", I grew up without grandparents and there were no beautiful items passed down to me so I think I must have lived in this elegant Era in another life!! LOL!!

    Debbie

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  28. Hello Martha- I was out of town last week and missed coming to visit; the internet connection was rather bad. Thank you for hosting this tea party every week with Terri. Your collections are so lovely and I enjoy seeing everyone’s treasures and reading the stories that go with. Thank you and Take care.

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  29. What a lovely collection. I just found you. I also signed up to follow. I look forward to posting for Teacup Tuesday! Thanks for sharing your collection. I always tell my husband you can never have too many teacups or too many tea parties!


    Great music too.

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  30. Oh Martha, I love love love your Havilland teacup! I just have the saucers.. I got four of them but gave away one each to my mom and my dear aunt.. I hope to find some more with cups hopefully.. and yours are just beautiful!

    have a good week
    xo
    fitty

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  31. You have a great beautiful collection, I am learning a lot from you.
    Thanks…..
    Blessings,
    Virginia

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  32. I think I would love to come to tea at your house with all your beautiful teacups! I am blushing now Martha, you are kind! SUsie xxx

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  33. Hello Martha, I am a silly Newbie at this blog thing, so forgive me if I have already posted a comment here.......somehow, what I just wrote disappeared! So I am trying again! I love seeing your Tea Cup Tuesday posting and look forward to it each week. I have made my first Tea Cup posting today! Please come over for tea! Hugs, Laura

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  34. Hello dear Martha,

    Hope you are cool. It is a gorgeous day here in central NJ. Love the little petite teacup, so darling. thanks for hosting this great fun party for us sweetie!

    Debbie

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  35. Your china is always so wonderful! You have the most amazing collection I've ever seen. The ones you shared today are gorgeous...each one is so unique.
    Have a beautiful day!
    Denise

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  36. Hi Martha, I had to come back and take a much better look at the beautiful tea cups. They share that beautiful light and delicate turquoise/blue I love. Cup # 3 is especially pretty to me~

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  37. Beautiful Martha! I love every cup you showed. They are are just gorgeous in their own way. I especially love the last one from Bavaria. I love lusterware. And you are right, it usually come from Japan.
    Hugs,
    Terri

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  38. Beautiful cups Martha, I have always liked Limoges as did my grandmother, but the little Lusterware cup with the bird motif has go to be my favorite this week!
    Tina xo

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  39. Martha,
    what a stunning collection of pretty tea cups. I cannot decide which one I like best but I can totally understand your love for them.
    Greetings, Johanna

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  40. love your cups esp. #3 love the design. thanks for sharing your photos.

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  41. HI Martha...
    Oh my goodness, you have some lovely tea things..Wow, I was truly amazed. I LOVED all of them...the two that I especially liked were Cup #3..Haviland, Limges..I love that teal color with the pale pink..and the Bavarian Lustreware..that was beautiful too..and the square shape of the saucer with the rounded edges was unusual and really beautiful :) :) I just linked my Tuesday Tea to your blog :) :) Thank you. Have a great week Martha. Thanks for inviting me here for tea :) :) I had a lovely visit!!! Love and hugs from Oregon, Heather :)

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  42. What a lovely time I've had, reading your post and visiting so many others. Thank you for a delightful Tea Cup Tuesday! I'll have to tell my grandchildren. We all love to find fun and cute adult mismatched tea sets as well as cute childrens toy tea sets. The more the merrier when it comes to making fun family memories with a little boys or girls tea party! :) Have a lovely week.

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  43. hi martha! i love your vintage collection and am getting some learning tips! hope your week is going great. verbena cottage

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  44. Hi again Martha,

    Thanks so much for the information on the Prussia sugar bowl! I didn't know that. I bought it from a garage sale, and I just noticed yesterday it has a hairline crack in it. :( I'm not sure if it was there or I did it.

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  45. Uhmmm... I'll take one of EACH!!! Oh my gosh - your first tea cup is GORGEOUS!!!!

    Enjoy your Wednesday evening!!!
    ;-D robelyn

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  46. Oh my sweets, these are oh so beautiful!
    Hugs
    Olivia

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  47. these are truly beautiful! no wonder you started your collection!

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  48. Martha, these are exquisite! Just love how teacups are so beautiful and delicate - so inviting for tea!
    Beautiful,
    Kathy

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  49. Oh, your teacup collection is just wonderful!
    Thank you for sharing!
    Leticia

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  50. I don't know what I like better...your teacups or the jewelry pieces!
    Thanks for sharing!

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  51. I am SO happy your Dad-in-law is doing good. He looks like such a sweetheart. My Father in laws name was Al too, we lost him a few years ago and miss him Dearly. I still have my "Wonderful Dad&Mom" lucky me, and go through terrible scares of loosing them now and then,Mom is 86 and Dad is 85...
    I LOVE your teacups. I too am a HUGE fan of Limoges and have several too... I have never seen the ones you have posted. LOVE,LOVE,LOVE that first one, it is GORGEOUS, what is the name on the bottom??? Thank you for your wonderful blog, it is such fun to be here!
    I'm new to blogging and would LOVE a visit from you, hope to see you there, Donna

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  52. Martha, I agree with Bookie's comment on your teacups. Those are my thoughts exactly!

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I love hearing from you and I answer each and every comment! Hugs, Martha