Nothing is more utilitarian than a dish. It serves the meal, holds your food, and fills the
kitchen sink with its peers after the meal is over. Prosaic, practical, down to
earth. That is, unless the dish is an antique, a collectible, a family heirloom. A
piece of eye candy, that causes the observer to take a second look, breathe deeply
and smile. Plates on a plate rail, a set of Wedgwood dishes on a prominent shelf. A
chafing dish artlessly gracing a countertop. The sole purpose of these dishes is to
please. To remind the viewer of gentler (or tougher?) days gone by. To bring back
memories of loved ones as some antique dishes have been handed down from generation
to generation within a family, or a group of friends, or a community. This is the
unmatched beauty of antique dishes. What is cheerier than a fistful of daffodils in
a Blue Calico pitcher? Why not plant your geranium in an Ironstone urn painted with
enamelled daisies? A series of round-faced grinning Royal Doulton Toby mugs hanging
about your mantel lighten even the heaviest mood. A mismatched smattering of
flowered teacups and saucers say “welcome!” to visitors who might be
enticed to stay for tea. A Sylvan wash bowl and pitcher set might sit on your
bathroom counter, or a dressing table in your bedroom. There is a type of antique
dish for every nuance. The primitive, the stoneware dishes, fit well in a cabin or a
home with rough-hewn wood beams. The elegance of porcelain and fine china bespeak
polished mahogany woodwork, and lace curtains. The English cottage envelops the more
ornate look of flowered porcelain Victorian teapots and creamers, and matching (or
more likely for English cottage, not matching) cups and saucers. Unless of course
you are going for a more eclectic style. If that’s the case, the only considerations
are your taste, your mood, and your whim. Bring more than one time period together.
Embrace more eras of history as you do so. Once you have hunted out the pieces you
want, and have laid them out as it suits you, it’s time to sit back and enjoy the
ambiance you have created in your home. And, if you choose to do so, you can always
be utilitarian with your Victorian teapot and cups, and savor it all with a cup of
tea.