My daughter, Carolyn Julia is named after my Memo (Mildred Carolyn) and Jim's grandmother (Julia). I love this link she has to her great-grandmothers! Both of them were very touched when we told them her name. Jim's grandmother passed away only a couple of months after Carolyn was born and I was so happy that we had honored her this way and that she knew about it before she died.
This is Grandma Monti's china.
Jim's mom wanted Carolyn to have it so we packed it up at Christmas and my parents brought it to her when they came last week.
What a special gift for a special girl!
And there is so much of it! 96 pieces to be exact. I wish I knew the story behind it. Did she inherit it? Did she hate it but didn't want to offend the person who gave it to her? Or did she pick it out and register for it when she was a blushing bride in 1933?
Was it something she chose later in life to replace something not as nice? Unfortunately, we'll never know.
I didn't even know the name of the pattern. The back is stamped Treasure Chest, Bavaria Germany. I tried to research it on the internet, but could only find a few patterns from this manufacturer, none of which matched. Until I came upon the site Replacements, Ltd. that researches the pattern for you free of charge. I sent them a photo and they checked their inventory for a match. I received an email from them yesterday (only 2 days after I contacted them!) and the pattern is ALOHA. Don't you love that?
I bought china storage boxes and Carolyn and I began packing it to store safely in the basement until she is a "big girl". She is very excited about receiving it. I think we will have to use it on some of her special days as I don't think either one of us can wait until she is big!
9 comments:
That is beautiful! What a great story! Does she have any sisters/cousins/friends that might know anything? Princess's first name is after Craig's grandmother, and her middle name is my grandmother's maiden name.
It was 1933! You know, the last depression before this one. I think they registered for bread and soup. Anyway, I think they got it sometime when my mom was little after my grandfather got home from the war (the big one).
My mom's and aunt's china sets match. How awesome is it that my mother in law's set almost matches as well? One day I'm gonna have a matching china set bigger than Carolyn's! Love this pattern and that you found a place to identify it....you continue to amaze me!
A..I love replacements Ltd. They e-mail me monthly and let me know if they have any pieces of the pattern I buy for my sister-in-law, Shannon. Everything I have bought has been in great condition and packaged VERY well.
that is very cool. I love the linkages through generations. Both my grandmothers were named "Mary" so that would make it easy to honor both ;)
What you may not know is I love dishes. While you and I share the Desert Rose pattern I have several other sets as I am sure you do too. Replacements is an awesome site (I have it in my favorites)
That reminds me of my Great-Grandmother's pattern that my mom uses currently for major meals (Easter, Christmas, and sometimes Thanksgiving). My sister is going to get it eventually and she will pass it down to my niece. Mom also has my Great-Grandmother's silver tea set and silver serving pieces. We don't know what happened to the rest of the silver flatware...
How gorgeous!!!
I just love stories like this! And wow, that bridal portrait is fantastic. I have my grandmother's china and wouldnt trade it for anything!
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