This is an old book, a little wormy, which has my father's name written in the front and which I remember reading from when I was a little girl. It has travelled across oceans and back again. I love the old plates and think this is a 1930's edition.
Instead of putting the dormouse into the teapot, I am putting flowers in the sugar basin! This is a little pewter teapot, sugar basin, and milk jug trio. I had to rush Mr S to get it down from the loft, get it polished, and madly go into the garden in the rain to pick the blooms!
Flowers this week are Blue and White, I always used to see Alice as wearing a Blue Dress and white pinny, even in the black and white pictures, so White Centaurea,
Blue Aster frikartii Monch
White Agapanthus
and a little of my new clover
Trifolium repens Dragon's Blood
I have liked Pewter for some time now, I even prefer it to silver! For many years I had wondered if I could use it as I thought it contained lead..but what a wonderful thing the internet is:
This what the Pewter society says:
Towards the end of the 18th century a new alloy called Britannia metal was discovered which could be used for large scale manufacture of teapots, tankards and the like through its ability to be rolled pressed and worked on wooden formers and cold stamped. Up to then pewter had been cast in expensive moulds. This change in tooling with Britannia metal gave resurgence to the industry and new centres were created in Sheffield and Birmingham.
As Britannia metal is an alloy of tin, antimony and copper there are no restrictions on its use for drinking. All pewter of modern manufacture meets the same standard.
I had thought that I may be poisoning myself if I used this, and would end up as Mad as the Hatter though his poisoning would have been from mercury. If sometimes I am a little mad, a little skittish, it's not on account of having a tea caddy made of pewter!
Cathy has gone all red this week, so please go and visit our hostesse's site.
Cathy has gone all red this week, so please go and visit our hostesse's site.
That's a lovely arrangement Noelle. And you went to a lot of trouble with your vase too. Don't let your husband see my post or he'll be eating all the jam so he doesn't have to go back into the loft!
ReplyDeleteMr S is a bit of a jam monster, and I like to feed his habits. However we are both on a bit of a cutback, but that has not stopped me jamming! Next on the preserving list is Elderberry cordial. As well all my jam jars etc have a couple of dedicated cupboards in the utility room. I think I shall have to sort out all my vases too, they are scattered around!
DeleteIf your celebration of "Alice in Wonderland" has led you down a rabbit hole, Noelle, I'm glad to accompany you. Your pretty blue and white arrangement offers a wonderful testimonial to Alice.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kris, I keep dipping into the book and finding it full of quotes!
DeleteOh not guilty, but I have my suspicions! What a great post it has made though, Noelle - great idea, lovely blooms and a bit of literature and social history thrown in. Thanks so much for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteTell me who you think it is...I want to thank them! I love reading what other people have posted, but then their ideas get 'burried' and come out much later...should I take notes?
DeleteTell me who you think it is...I want to thank them! I love reading what other people have posted, but then their ideas get 'burried' and come out much later...should I take notes?
DeleteWell it wasn't me mentioning Alice, but what a wonderful arrangement in pewter....and I agree Alice is in blue and white so your Alice teapot is perfect!
ReplyDeleteWhat a charming old illustration, it looks older than the Alice I'm familiar with. The pewter goes so well with your blue and white flowers, I could picture them at the Mad Hatter's Tea Party.
ReplyDeleteThey are my oldest teapot things I now have, probably as old as the book. But they look the part don't they. Thanks for your comments.
DeleteI must have been going mad, and you lot are too polite to mention it...the flowers were in the sugar basin, and the white flower an agapanthus. I have updated the post!
ReplyDeleteA perfect tribute to all things Alice and what other colours could you have used! Lewis Carroll was born in a little village about five miles away from where we live Noelle. The village church has some beautiful stained glass windows, which depict some of the 'Alice in Wonderland' characters, including the doormouse complete with teapot :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Anna, I looked up the Church and the Lewis Carroll Centre. We are travelling up the country some time this month and skimming Daresbury, so a visit there will make an ideal interlude. I shall aim to reread the book in the meantime.
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