Dinnerware Diary

"Spirits"

There is much to be said about the drinking of "spirits," e.g. adult beverages.  Whether you are a pairing a carefully chosen wine with a roasted duck l'orange or you are hosting a college "kegger," Replacements, Ltd. offers a variety of barware pieces to meet your needs.  And, see, there you were thinking that we only offered high-end, fancy, stemware!

One of my favorite collections is called "Di Vino" by Rosenthal Crystal.  This pattern offers a wide variety of stemware and flat pieces to meet your beverage consumption needs.  Additionally, it is made by the fine artists at Rosenthal Crystal - the same people who translate Versace's timeless designs into dinnerware.

Another great pattern is "Aurum" by Bormioli Rocco.  This classic stemware design has an understated elegance that is paired with modern organic modern shapes.  The carafe from this pattern is nothing less than stunning.  If ever you need help with picking a stemware (or barware) that is right for you, then email me or give me call.  You can reach me at 1-800-737-5223 x2537 or garon.anders@replacements.com.

Buying Alert - Manufacturer Overstocks

If you're one of these readers who keeps up with most of my posts, then you're probably used to clicking around and finding yourself at www.replacements.com.  After all, I work in Online Marketing and anything that drives those internet revenue numbers up is a good thing.  This time, however, I have decided only to share with you images of the pattern of which I'm talking.  Maybe one of the best kept secrets of Replacements, Ltd. is the "Manufacturers Overstock" area in our showroom. 

You never know what you will find in this area.  This morning, I took a stroll through the showroom and found a great pattern at unbelievable prices, Wedgwood's "Illusion."  This pattern features a matte gray border that is accented with simple platinum trim.  Designed by Vera Wang, this bone china is sure to impress all of your guests.  This is just one of the many that you will find in manufacturer overstocks and inventory is ever changing!.  You can find directions to our facilities by clicking here.

"Illusion" by Wedgwood China

• Cup with Saucer - $14.99 (81% off the MSRP of $43.00)
• Dinner Plate - $9.99 (64% off the MSRP of $28.00)
• Salad Plate - $7.99 (65% off the MSRP of $23.00)
• Creamer - $14.99 (81% off the MSRP of $80.00)
• Sugar Bowl - $24.99 (76% off the MSRP of $105.00)
• Oval Vegetable - $19.99 (93% off the MSRP of $275.00)

Lighthouses and More...

The Replacements, Ltd. newsletter on which I am currently working is about our "Christmas in July" specials in our showroom.  Also, I will be writing about some of our more popular Christmas patterns - including the ever-famous "Top 10 Christmas Pattern by Sales."  This got me to thinking about my own Christmas experience.  I come from a large family and all the members really, really enjoy decorating for Christmas.

While almost everyone in my family has a traditional Christmas tree, just as many have trees that feature themes.  Each year my Grandmother does several trees in various themes.  One features nothing but birds, another features nothing but pink cut crystal, another features a Piedmont Italian theme and is done in grapes and baby's breath.

My aunt always does a Christmas tree in a Star Trek theme.  My cousins and uncle are trekkies and over the years, she has collected ornaments and toys that are specifically related to Star Trek.  In my family, we had a hot air balloon Christmas tree.  So, I'm starting to wonder what kind of Christmas tree Jeremy and I should have this year.

As I was walking through our showroom, it hit me.  What if we did a tree decorated entirely with lighthouses.  They are perfect! Tall, slender, colorful, and abundantly available - lighthouses are a great collectors item and Replacements, Ltd. has a variety of these pieces from which to choose.  I came across three patterns which featured lighthouse ornaments.  The first is by "Merck's Family Old World Christmas."  The second pattern is available only in our showroom but is made by Christmas Merchandise of Midwest Cannon Falls.  I found another in the ever-popular Slavic Treasures line called "By The Seashore."

If you need help picking a theme for your Christmas tree then email me or give me a call. I will be glad to help.  You can reach me at garon.anders@replacements.com.

Spode's "Judaic Collection"

Many of you may be familiar with Spode's "Blue Room Collection."  This multi-motif collection of dinnerware and giftware features transferware designs on durable earthenware bodies.  The various images are crisp, however, the deep blues featured in the pattern are reminescent of the flow blue patterns of days gone by.

The "Judaic Collection" is especially interesting.  When I found this collection of giftware, I had to researh a few of the pieces.  While many of us, not of the Jewish faith, may be familiar with the menorah, how many us are familiar with a mazuzah case?  Because the collection is so cool, I have decided to feature some of the items in this blog post.

A mezuzah is a small case that contains a small roll of parchment on which scripture is inscribed.  Mezuzot are generally placed on the doorway of a home, the gate of a home, the door of a Jewish business, or a synagogue.  There are several customs associated with the preparation of the scroll, the writing of the Hebrew text, and the placement of the mazuzah.  A wonderful rendering of an earthenware mezuzah is seen here.

Another interesting piece from Spode's "Blue Room Judaic Collection" is the 17 3/8" challah tray with wood insert.  The word "challah" means small piece of dough.  Challah bread is generally eaten at the beginning of Shabbat meals or in conjunction with other Jewish holidays - with the exception of passover, when leavened bread is forbidden.  In the United States, challah is generally braided and blessed at the beginning of the meal. 

Replacements, Ltd.  also carries a beautiful bread knife meant for the cutting of challah.  This is the perfect complement to the 17 3/8" earthenware tray and insert. 

These and many other pieces are available for purchase by simply clicking this link.  Replacements.com's online ordering form is simple, safe, and secure.  Go ahead and buy a piece for yourself today (or buy one for a friend).  These pieces are sure to make anyone very, very happy.

Weekend Fun!

Like everyone else, I enjoy escaping from work on the weekends.  Although, I'm never entirely away from Replacements, Ltd.  You see, some of my closest friends are coworkers.  This weekend, we decided to do the "downtown scene" in Greensboro.  Jeremy and I met up with Micheal and Jason Smith for dinner and dessert.  Ironically, Jeremy works in HR for a local company.  Jason works in HR at Replacements. 

You may remember Jason and Micheal from their "Featured Pet (and Pet Owner!) photograph with Vinnie and Tanner.  Micheal is one of my closest friends and works right here in the Online Marketing Office of Replacements, Ltd.  So, while the boys are talking HR, Micheal and I are talking Marketing.  Micheal happens to be an Internet Marketing Specialist and does a great job. 

Why does my drink match my shirt in this picture???  Anyhow, I imagine that there are many employees who can't wait to escape the work-week and their fellow employees.  I can honestly say that I enjoy working at Replacements and visiting with my coworkers outside of the company.  I've grown to love it so much here that I cannot imagine starting over somewhere else.  One of the many compliments that Replacements, Ltd. receives when people visit is, "Everyone here is so friendly..." I must say that I agree!

Buying Alert - Chargers

Ok, we all know that I love to use a charger.  In many cases, they are expensive, hard-to-find, or too ornate to serve the purpose at hand.  Replacements, Ltd. placed an order for various colored chargers from Johnson Brothers.  These simple plates have a pattern that resembles the concentric rings that comprise Homer Laughlin's "Fiesta."  Simply click here to browse and purchase from this great selection of chargers.                                                         

Look for more "Buying Alerts" going forward.  You never know when YOUR deal is going to pop up (and I would hate for you to miss it)!  "Buying Alerts" are a great way for you to get insider information on the pieces about which you might not otherwise have knowledge.  If there is something specific that you would like for me "keep an eye open" for, then email me at garon.anders@replacements.com.  It would be my pleasure to do so.

High Value

As you well know, Replacements, Ltd. has a number of costly items in our showroom and warehouse.  We simply refer to the items as "high value."  Sometimes they are kept under lock and key and other times, they are left in the open because, after all,  they are just dishes.  Today, I took a stroll through out showroom and put together a list of high value items.  If you have a taste for luxury, you are sure to appreciate the list that follows.

"Columbia-Powder Blue" by Wedgwood China is a delictable bone china that features whiteware shapes that are further refined with gold trim and embossed gold griffins.  To say that the pattern is regal is a bit of an understatement.  Cobalt blue has always been representative of wealth and power and so is gold.  The 13 1/2" chop plate imaged here is currently available for $1,399.00.

The scalloped borders of each piece in this bone china are accented with precious gold.  Spode's "Stafford Flowers" is an exceptional pattern that relies on crisp images of blooming flowers, Spode's high pedigree of dinnerware, and vibrant color.  The tea pot pictured here can be yours for a mere $699.95.

Rosenthal of Germany decided to translate the amazing designs of the late Gianni Versace into classic dinnerware.  What happened with this co-marketing agreement was truly amazing!  Both Rosenthal and Versace were known to be innovative.  However, the shapes of Versace's china were unlike anythign seen before.  Handles were sculpted like wings and neo-classical shapes were used.  An excellent example of Versace's dinnerware design is seen in "Barocco."  The tureen pictured here currently retails for $599.95.

If you are looking for something whose luxurious appeal is over-the-top, consider "Gold Aves" by Royal Crown Derby.  The use of gold in this pattern is so extravagent, that use of this nature is rarely seen outside of certain Byzantine churchs.  The pattern features and extraordinary bird pattern that is accented with various flowers.  The centerpiece/bowl that is imaged here retails for $1,999.00.

I found 22 items of high value on a single table in our showroom.  I believe I will write a series.  Stay tuned for more!

Vera Wang and Wedgwood

It's true!  Vera Wang has paired with the Wedgwood Group to design wedding china, stemware, giftware, serving, and accessory pieces.  This is probably the most innovative thing to happen to the modern bride since the Las Vegas wedding chapel. 

Born to an affluent family, Wang spent her youth traveling the world and visiting the great museums of France, Germany, and the United States.  She attended both the Chapin School and the Sorbonne of Paris.  She trained for the US Olympic figure skating team but failed to make the cut.  She then turned to designing costumes for figure skaters and eventually came to work for Vogue Magazine and Ralph Lauren.

At my house, it's the eternal argument.  Whereas I am a Mies van der Rohe early-20th-century modernist, preferring clean surfaces, sleek lines, symmetry, and repeating geometric forms, Jeremy's tastes are a marriage of Imperialist, Baroque, Rococo and Greco-Roman styling.  My style is steeped in the architectural tradition birthed at Bauhaus, leaving one asking, "Aside from too little is there a unifying theme here?"  Jeremy's use of bric-a-brac, whatnots, and tchotchkes is rivaled only by the Rococo palaces of Bavaria.  I am a square, polished-nickel table with nothing on it and Jeremy is an imperial tapestry flanked by Corinthian columns, oversized vases, and a penchant for gild that has no limits.  Our home is sort of the embodiment of Thomas Chippendale decorates for Peter Eisenman.

Aside from contacting one of those reality TV home decorating shows for guidance, what is a couple to do?  At least with dinnerware, Vera Wang and Wedgwood have the answer.  Consider Vera's "Imperial Scroll." This pattern features bold, modern shapes that are accented with thin bands of platinum, and an empire scroll.  Clustered, busy decor cast against ample white space in this no nonsense bone china is the perfect resolution to the Stolid Modernist v. the Passionate Traditionalist debate.  The gilded scroll pacifies the traditionalist's need for decor, while the contemporary whiteware shapes and slim lines embodies the essnce of modernity.

Another classic design from Vera Wang "Le Cirque."  This heavy lead crystal pattern marries oversized bowls to squat stems and square feet.  A single etched band encircles each piece in this timeless stemware design.  For some, this may still be too modern.  In that case, "Blanc sur Blanc" is an excellent compromise.  Traditional stemware shapes are accented with an etched helix.  Slender, liquid-form, organic stems add a rather dramatic touch to any cocktail party when the simple lines of this pattern catch the fire of candlelight (or a 40 watt bulb).

Vera Wang is known throughout the world for her stunning array of designs, including conventional wedding gowns, to home decor, to tableware.  So compelling are her creations that they can act as mediator between an urban modernist and staunch traditionalist.

Glass Eye Studios

This feature is sure to blow you away!  This month in our newsletter, we are showcasing a variety of vases, figurines, ornaments, and paperweights from Glass Eye Studios.  These exceptional giftware pieces are hand-made in the United States.  Glass Eye Studios takes a unique approach to glassware design.  They rely on input from customers, glassware designers, sales employees, and even the blowers themselves. 

This distinct approach to glassware design has resulted in some truly distinguished designs.  Consider the “Harvest Yellow” figurine from the “Perfect Pumpkins” line.  Playful use of color against the yellow form of a pumpkin is accented with a gold colored twirled stem.  One of their more eye-catching designs comes from the “Annual Limited Edition Ornament.”  “Green Latticino Cane” is a round ball ornament that has alternating panels.  These panels change between solid green panels and clear panels that have a double helix design.  This ornament is sure to make quite a statement cast against the twinkling lights of a Christmas tree. Glass Eye Studios also make a line of classic ball ornaments.  These spherical ornaments are captivating because of the spontaneous use of color.  Regardless of your tastes you are sure to find an ornament that is an aesthetic complement to your Christmas tree.  In fact, you can enjoy these illustrious designs throughout the year by placing them on an ornament hanger. 

By far, my favorite line is the “Celestial Series” paperweight collection.  Here you will find glassware renderings of Saturn and its rings, the Milky Way, and the Big Dipper.  If we haven’t piqued your interest yet, consider our entire solar system being captured in an amber colored sphere resting atop a lighted base!  This distinct piece is sure to enchant your imagination.  If you are a glassware collector (or know of someone who is) and would like to have something that stands out in your home or office, you cannot go wrong with Glass Eye Studios.  This and many other creations by Glass Eye Studios are available for purchase by clicking the link below.  Give one as a gift or buy one for yourself today!

Breathtaking Hungarian Porcelain

Some of the most sought after collectibles at Replacements are splendid figurines from Herend.  Each of these amazing porcelain figurines are painstakingly hand-decorated in the trademark Herend fishnet design with rich gold trim. These pieces radiate the design sophistication and quality for which the Herend Company has become known.  We currently carry over 30 designs in this line (many at substantial savings vs. MSRP), including “Panda”, “Pair Of Bunnies”, “Mallard”, “Mare and Foal” and many others.

The development of the Herend Company is tied to the broader history of Hungarian porcelain.  Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, the demand for fine tableware and figurines was almost entirely dependent on royal requests, with oriental imports providing most of the supply.  Following the French Revolution, the market for courtly porcelain sharply declined and many smaller manufacturers went out of business.  The manufactory of Herend was established in Hungary by Vince Stingl in 1826.  The factory originally focused on the production of stoneware while experimenting with various methods for producing high-quality porcelain.  In 1839, ownership of Herend was transferred to Mor Fischer, whose goal was to grow the porcelain industry in Hungary.  In a short period of time, Fischer was hard at work producing many of the popular patterns of the time that were being imported from the Orient.  Fischer’s efforts did not go unnoticed, as throughout the 1840’s and 1850’s, the company’s products were recognized at a number of exhibitions including the first Hungarian Art Exhibition, the Vienna Exhibition of 1845, the New York World Exhibition in 1853, and the Paris Exhibition of 1855.  Many of Herend’s early dinnerware designs were named for the royal family or gentry who purchase the pieces, with one example being the  “Rothschild Bird” pattern. The production of the figurines for which Herend is known today came as a result of the Great Depression.  The company wanted to offer a line of affordable items for the average consumer as Europe worked to recover from the economic calamity of the 1930s.  During this time, Herend released a porcelain figural collection that included designs of over 150 birds and 200 animals.  The company faced further setbacks during the Second World War, as wartime made it impossible to import the necessary raw materials needed to produce quality porcelain.  The end of the war brought little prosperity to Herend.  The Iron Curtain fell across Eastern Europe and Herend was nationalized under Communist rule.  Although the company experimented with several domestic clays to produce the wares for which it had become so famous, the resulting products were deemed suitable for domestic markets only.  Eventually a deal was reached with Communist authorities, and Herend was able to import the famous clay of Limoges.  Herend was privatized in 1993 after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of Communism.  Since that time, 75% of the company is owned by its employees. 

Today, Herend is world renowned for its luxury dinnerware and it amazing figurines, featured here.  As mentioned above, Replacements, Ltd. carries a number of these striking figurines, including the redoubtable “Tiger.”  This lifelike sculpture features amazing detail in the form of the tiger’s muscles, teeth, and eyes.  The figurine is covered in an intricate cobalt blue fishnet design and features glittering gold trim. Another great figurine in this line is the “Regal Camel.”  This black and white figurine is accented with contrasting gold trim.  Herend artists have painstakingly detailed every feature of this magnificent animal.  From its eyes to its kneeling pose – this piece is amazing.  Start here to browse and order in these great pieces.  Start an heirloom collection of these pieces for a child or grandchild, or purchase them as exquisite accent pieces for home or office!