Custard Jugs & Bread & Butter Plates

My blog seems to be turning into a utility china blog as of late but I really love the stuff. Mind you so does everyone else…which is good because there seems to be more of it around. But bad because more people want to buy it :/

 

Luckily I outbid a person or 2 & won a custard jug on eBay, also a steal at £4.50. *woot* I didn’t really realise how big the jug was going to be, it’s pretty big so we reckon it must be a custard jug, but it is so lovely.

 

Also secured on eBay was a bread & butter plate. It is some more Johnson Brothers Greydawn, it seems the most common of utility china, but this delicate plate is just pretty!

In the wild….

Well I kinda stopped with the blogging there. Must say I missed it but sometimes life just gets in the way!

 

Recently I went on a wee trip to the UK with my mum & sister. It was a lovely weekend, just hanging out & giggling our way through the days. We visited lots of lovely villages, one of which was Haslington. And in this lovely village I found my first piece of  ’In the wild’ ironstone.

 

I found a lovely Johnson Brothers Greydawn sandwich tray. It was also a steal at on 99p! *win*

 

It has a little chip on the back but it is perfect on the serving side.

Super pretty & super delighted I found it!

 

Brocante Market Ironstone

Driving through the city we were at a loss as to what to do. We had been told of a Brocante Market in Dublin 8′s Food Co-Op but it was late in the afternoon. Thinking it wouldn’t still be on we thought we would skip it but upon arriving we figured since here we may as well go in.

It was lovely getting there later in the afternoon. Much more quiet & less mayhem. Pottering around there was lots of china- cups, saucers & plates galore. But no ironstone :/

Walking through my eagle eyes spot Johnson Brother’s Greydawn Blue… Could it be? Yes, yes it was!

A tiny Greydawn jug & (my first) bowl. Woot! *excitement*

Well the little dusty dirty jug was €3.50 & the bowl €2. Now the bowl is chipped & more for show than use. But I couldn’t leave it behind ;)

What is even more promising is the fact that the lady who ran the stall told me she had more pieces & would root some out for the next Brocante Market for me. Squeeee!

I am now excited for this market… Only 3 more weeks, lol.

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Utility China

Last year I decided to start collecting utility china. Yet another thing to collect in our house that is slowly running out of space :/ So… what is utility china? It is awesome & pretty that is what it is. But here is some more informative info. During the second world war many potteries where forced to close in the UK & only potteries exporting china where allowed to remain open. Exported china was always highly colourful & ornately decorated. (In my opinion not very nice, but then again I am a bit of a non fuss simple plain Jane.) British families & war brides had to make do with the plain simplistic china.  And with limited colours all the china are pastel shades of blue, yellow, pink & green. I think it is all so lovely & pretty. I only wish I lived in the UK to collect it as it appears that it is quite frequently found in thrift shops & charity stores across the UK (or at least that is what some blogs will have you believe), not so much here in Ireland. *sniff*  EBay is great for it but it can sometimes end up expensive when you get into a bidding war! Utility china is made by the following potteries -

  • Johnson Brothers :  Rose Dawn, Grey Dawn, Golden Cloud & Green Dawn
  • Woods Ware: Iris, Jasmine and Beryl.
  • J & G Meakin: Glamour Rosa, Celeste & Sunshine.
  • Langley
  • Grindley: Petalware & Lupin
  • Swinnertons: Chelsea Blue
  • Barratts: Delphatic Blue
  • Conway: Lavender Blue

(list is from Utility China) Now that you know a bit about Utility China let me tell you about the most thoughtful present I received over Christmas. Fin’s awesome brother & wife got me some utility china. *squeeeeeeee* I already have  a Johnson Brothers Grey Dawn sugar bowl & jug & now thanks to my lovely in-laws I now have 4 cups & saucers. I have a wee set! And I use them as I type this I am drinking some Belfast Brew tea from my lovely cup & saucer. It really is so very pretty. And thank you sooooooo much!

 

 

Johnson Brothers Greydawn

So following on from my previous post about my new desire to collect Utility China- I got more :)

I won on eBay a Greydawn Johnson Brothers sugar bowl all for the grand price of £2.50.

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Must say I am delighted with myself. It matches my Greydawn milk jug.

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Both are safely locked inside the china cabinet to protect them from both Red & my OH.

Now no more till the new year. Unless an amazing bargain comes up. Hehehehee

Utility China

Oooooooooooooooook.

So I have a new thing to collect. I know my OH will be delighted to read this as I already collect teapots, bags, shoes, books, general nik naks & all sorts of stuff that I just want really buuuuuuuutttttt….

This is Utility China.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/utilitychina/

 

And thanks to eBay I have finally got some utility china in my china cabinet.

I won me a Johnson Brothers Greydawn Jug

 

Super pretty! *excitement*

I am so delighted with myself & my first piece of utility china :D