The beauty of fine china

 

I've been deep in the research rabbit hole for a new series I'm writing. The first book will release in time for Christmas.

One of the things I spent considerable time looking at for this story was fine china. 

The story takes place in 1892 in a newly constructed mansion. The "lord of the manor" has very distinct tastes. After searching and searching for a china pattern I could envision him choosing, I gave up and described one from my imagination.

But it was still fun to look at pictures of antique dishes. 

I loved the pink flowers on these Limoges A. Lanterniern plates.

The rosebuds on this Aynsley China, England delicate bone china are so delicate and pretty, but not what my hero would have in his house.

He'd go for something blue.

This W H Grindley - England transferware china dish in the Teresa pattern wasn't exactly what I was looking for, even though it was blue.

The dishes that seemed the most like my hero aren't antique, although they certainly were designed to look that way. Andrea By Sadek created The Vanderbilt Service. It's so gorgeous. If the flourishes on this were silver instead of gold, and all the flowers were pink rosebuds, it would be exactly how I envision the china in the story. 

Do you have a favorite china pattern?

Just for fun, I hope you'll download this little gift I'm offering. It includes a sweet historical short story, a recipe and some other fun goodies. 

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield grew up on a farm where her childhood brimmed with sunshine, hay fever, and an ongoing supply of learning experiences.

Shanna creates character-driven romances with realistic heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”

When this award-winning author isn’t writing or testing out new recipes (she loves to bake!), Shanna hangs out at home in the Pacific Northwest with her beloved husband, better known as Captain Cavedweller.

Finding a Flue Cover

 

Last week, we began a long-awaited kitchen remodel. Kitchen demolition seems to be a more appropriate term at this point. Everything from the flooring to the soffits in the ceiling came out. 

Among the surprises we uncovered (like a chimney beneath three layers of dry wall and the fact our floor slopes) were one of the big lego pieces from when they first came out, and an amazing flue cover that I fell in love with the moment I saw it. 

Flue covers date back to the days when homes were heated with wood, oil, or coal-burning stoves. Vent pipes often went through the wall and if removed, left a gaping hole. The same is true for pipes that went to upper floors, carrying welcome heat in the winter. During warmer months, the pipes might be removed and cleaned, again leaving a hole. 

The Victorians, who loved their decorations, used flue covers to hide those unsightly holes. Some of them looked like metal grates, others appeared more to be fashioned from a metal pie tin. German and French printers churned out the decorative centers on these pieces that were generally in the 8-inch range of size. 

The flue covers often hung from a chain over the openings. Some of them are just beautiful!

I decided to look up the pattern from mine. 

It most commonly seems to be referred to as Southern Belle Lady in the Garden.

The pattern seems to have been quite popular in the 1940s and 1950s.

There was even a trash can with that pattern!

If you know anything about this pattern, I'd love to learn more. 

Have you ever found unexpected treasures? 

After spending her formative years on a farm in Eastern Oregon, hopeless romantic Shanna Hatfield turns her rural experiences into sweet historical and contemporary romances filled with hope, humor, and hunky heroes.

When this award-winning author isn’t writing or covertly seeking dark, decadent chocolate, Shanna hangs out with her beloved husband, Captain Cavedweller.

Shanna loves to hear from readers. Follow her online at: ShannaHatfield