Tuesday 4 September 2012

A Little of What You Fancy Does You Good


Here are our recent indulgences.  This is quite an early piece of Torquay pottery with a raised hand-painted decoration of Cockington Forge (writing is on the reverse).  No back stamp to say which pottery produced it, and I have yet to track it down as for date etc on the Internet.  Probably first decade of 1900s.  This cost me £4.


A photo showing my entire collection on the shelf above the sink.  I haven't specialized yet - just collecting various pieces and I will decide on which to keep long term at a later date as I learn more about them. 


My husband and I also like Doulton's huntsman design stoneware pieces because they don't pretend to be anything other than utalitarian pieces for country kitchens.  The mug has a large crack behind out of sight (£2) and the teapot has a broken spout (£4).  We can live with them until we can afford undamaged pieces.


Most of our collection lives in the kitchen.  There are a couple of pieces too large to fit on the shelf so they live elsewhere.


The "copper pointy thing" we bought recently, which is in fact a late Georgian/early Victorian copper and brass ale/cider warmer.  It would have been put into the fire, pointy side down, to provide a warm drink for chilled travellers.

I have been thinking, now it has been packed away for the past three years, perhaps I could live without the Portmeirion pieces we had as wedding presents.  I far prefer the wide selection of Torquay pieces, which tie me to my Devon roots. . .

8 comments:

  1. I do like the Cockington Forge jug. Your two collections look so much at home in your traditional farmhouse kitchen.

    If you do decide to sell your Portmerion, you should get good prices as it is very collectable.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I really love the Torquay jug with the Cockington Forge painting. Your collection looks very impressive and I am envious of the thought of your Portmeirion!

    Thanks so much for following my blog and I am especially pleased that it has led me to your lovely blog :)

    Best wishes Caroline

    ReplyDelete
  3. Its funny how one's tastes changte isn't it? I have a lot of Portmeirion and loved it when I collected it - not particularly enjoying it now though. And I have a large collection of Minton Haddon Hall which I used to be mad about but now I prefer stuff which is a bit more chunky. Love your jugs.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Vey nice. Not all to my taste but wouldn't it be a sad place if we were all the same?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ah I remember Cockington Forge.
    My adoptive father painted it once.

    ReplyDelete
  6. A wonderful selection of new additions! I'm especially fond I must say of the ale/cider warmer ~ it sets the imagination afire as to what stories and history it holds... If only objects could tell their tales, their history in word and gesture as we sat and soaked up the history. Drat and bother that they can't :-(

    Hugs,
    Issy

    ReplyDelete
  7. Loved the colours on your Cockington jug, made me feel quite homesick for your kitchen seeing the pottery above the window ;)

    ReplyDelete
  8. My mum had a Doulton jug just like that when I was growing up. She's since gone very minimalist and got rid of almost everything. I managed to salvage a few pieces but not that one!

    ReplyDelete