Dinnerware Diary

Terrific Holiday Tableware!

Lenox Holiday (Dimension) is classic cream-colored porcelain featuring a design of vibrant green holly sprigs and iridescent red berries with wide gold trim. Number two on the list of the twenty best-selling holiday patterns at Replacements, Ltd., Holiday (Dimension) offers a wide range of place setting, serving, and accessory pieces. It's one of the most festive and versatile patterns in our inventory. Lenox China is a great American success story. It was founded in 1889 by Walter Scott Lenox as "The Lenox Ceramic Pottery Company." By 1897, examples of the company's work were displayed at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. In 1918, President and Mrs. Woodrow Wilson commissioned a set of Lenox for the White House, making it the first American china to grace a U.S. president's table.

Produced from 1965 to 1977, Lenox Crystal Georgetown (Gold Encrusted) features a multisided stem, a round foot, and a wide band of gold trim on a squarish bowl that flares at the top. This dazzling, gold encrusted crystal perfectly complements the Lenox Holiday china and Kelly Gold flatware patterns. Since the 1950s, about half the china set on dinner tables in this country has borne the Lenox backstamp.  Responding to consumer demand, Lenox introduced a line of hand-blown crystal to complement its china in 1966.  In 1991, again responding to consumers, Lenox began to produce silver flatware, making it the first company in America to offer the complete tabletop.

Kelly Gold by Lenox Flatware is an 18/8 stainless flatware pattern (18/8 represents the ratio of chromium and nickel used in the stainless steel, which adds luster and durability to the pieces) featuring a glossy finish with gold accents and a whimsical, graceful design. Born in 1859, the founder of Lenox, Walter Scott Lenox, was named for the nineteenth-century Scottish writer, Sir Walter Scott. Lenox grew up in Trenton, NJ, the "Staffordshire of America" of its time. With excellent transportation and good sources of fuel and clay, the state capital of New Jersey became the nation's leading center for ceramics production. Lenox first organized his company as an art studio, producing one-of-a-kind pieces for a select market. By 1906 the company was producing complete sets of dinnerware, and Lenox tableware and gifts remain hugely popular today, more than 120 years after the company's inception!

Exquisite Thanksgiving Tableware Design

His Majesty by Johnson Brothers is high-quality, rimmed, scallop-shaped earthenware, with a regal tom turkey spreading his plumage in the center of the plate, and an embossed rim strewn with nuts, fruits, berries, and vegetables, all colored  in lush earth tones. The outside rim features a thin, painted cable design. Designed from an original engraving, the tom turkey on His Majesty made his first appearance as an accent plate in the tremendously popular Johnson Brothers Friendly Village multi-motif pattern. Demand for the accent plate was so great that Johnson Brothers introduced His Majesty just two years later. Customers have enjoyed the quality and durability of Johnson Brothers china since 1882.

Fostoria Jamestown-Amber is amber, pressed glass with a concave, squarish bowl that features swirling, spiral panels on the side. The twist stem echoes the shapes of the panels on the bowl, and the foot is round. Even with its square shape, the curves in this pattern are organic and graceful. Founded in Fostoria, OH, in 1887, the Fostoria company relocated to Moundsville, WV, shortly thereafter, because of that region's abundant natural resources. Jamestown-Amber was one of four colors in the Jamestown pattern to be released in 1958 - green, amber, blue, and clear - additions to a line of popular colored-glass stemware introduced by Fostoria in the 1920s. After meeting decades of stiff foreign competition with classic designs and innovative glass-making methods, Fostoria operations were shut down by its parent company, Lancaster Colony, in 1983. Fostoria glass is highly sought-after by collectors today.

First produced in 1940, International Silver Joan of Arc is an alluring sterling flatware pattern with an elegant and flowing scroll design. International Silver started as a combination of America's greatest silver manufacturers. During the American Colonial period, New England was home to many artisans producing high-quality pewter, sterling, and silverplate, primarily in Connecticut. Around 1808, Ashbile Griswold opened a pewter shop in Meriden, Connecticut. Through mergers with regional companies, Griswold's original shop grew to comprise fourteen silver manufacturers, including Holmes and Edwards (Bridgeport), Meriden Britannia (Meriden), and Rogers Brothers (Hartford). In 1898, the International Silver Company became truly "international," establishing offices in England and Canada. Throughout the years, International Silver products have remained immensely popular.

Charming Thanksgiving Tableware Designs

His Majesty by Johnson Brothers is high-quality, rimmed, scallop-shaped earthenware, with a regal tom turkey spreading his plumage in the center of the plate, and an embossed rim strewn with nuts, fruits, berries, and vegetables, all colored  in lush earth tones. The outside rim features a thin, painted cable design. Designed from an original engraving, the tom turkey on His Majesty made his first appearance as an accent plate in the tremendously popular Johnson Brothers Friendly Village multi-motif pattern. Demand for the accent plate was so great that Johnson Brothers introduced His Majesty just two years later. Customers have enjoyed the quality and durability of Johnson Brothers china since 1882.

Gorham Crystal produced the dazzling Cherrywood-Clear pattern from 1960 to 1999 - a testament to its timeless appeal! Cherrywood-Clear features crisscross and fan cuts in a bowl that flares at the top, a multi-sided stem, and round foot. Gorham, originally known for its high-quality sterling silver, was founded in 1831 on Steeple Street in Providence, RI. Over the 180 years the company has been in business, it has produced a multitude of silver patterns, most notably, Chantilly, a household name, and the best-selling flatware pattern ever produced. In recent years, Gorham has moved into other tableware areas, including the production of exquisite crystal, like Cherrywood-Clear, and high-quality china.

Introduced in 1970 and still in production today, Towle Queen Elizabeth I sterling showcases classical scroll and plume design that perfectly complements the His Majesty china and Cherrywood-Clear crystal patterns. The history of Towle Silver is rooted in the Moulton family of England. The company is founded on the craftsmanship and artistry of the Moulton family of England, who over six generations of silver making, raised their artisanship to a high art. A young man named Anthony Towle would join William Moulton IV as an apprentice. When Moulton retired, Towle and a partner, William Jones, bought the Moulton family stock and formed Towle & Jones in 1857. With such a long history and distinguished tradition, Towle's Queen Elizabeth I is a pattern that resonates with skill and pride in craft.

Splendid Patterns For A Glorious Table!

Rothschild Bird by Herend is one of the most admired multi-motif patterns in the world. It features a scalloped shape with gold trim, along with an embossed, ribbed, and fluted swirl design on the rim and verge of the plate. For the center design of the pieces a variety of intricate bird designs are available, with a scattering of gloriously colored butterflies adding a perfect chromatic touch. Established in Hungary by Vince Stingl in 1826, Herend has long been renowned for the quality of its porcelain. By the middle of the 19th century, the company's wares had been recognized at international exhibitions in Paris, Vienna, and New York, and many of its early designs were named for the nobility purchasing the patterns, as with the famous Rothschild Bird.

In the magnificent Strawberry, Diamond & Fan crystal pattern by Hawkes, the goblet flares at the top, has straight sides, with dramatic, polished criss-cross hatch cuts on the bowl in small strawberry and diamond shapes, topped by a fan shape, and a wafer stem and square foot. The many facets in the crystal cuts in this pattern make for a most dazzling table! Thomas G. Hawkes was one of the founding partners in Steuben Glass Works, organized in 1903. Hawkes owned a large glass cutting factory in Corning, NY, but was dependent on outside sources for his designs. When he joined forces with Fredrick C. Carder, an enterprising Englishman who was a glass designer, Hawkes with Steuben Glass Works at last had formed the self-contained design house that had been his goal.

Tiffany & Co.'s sterling silver pattern, English King, features a scalloped shape, with an outlined, beveled edge, with clusters of honeysuckle leaves and an intricate shell design at the end of the handle. Patented and introduced in 1885, this sophisticated design remained in production until 1955, with only a brief suspension of manufacturing in the war years 1942-1943. English King is a prominent jewel in the crown of Tiffany & Co.'s design excellence. A wide array of place and serving pieces are available in this classic pattern from one of the most storied silver makers of all time.

Resplendent Autumnal Tableware

Spode Woodland is a gorgeous multi-motif pattern that includes magnificently depicted illustrations of various woodland animals in pastoral scenes. A vivid, warm palette of autumn colors is used to create lifelike images of birds, deer, rabbits, bison, hunting dogs, and more (the featured Woodland dinner plate showcases two beautifully plumed pheasants). Perfectly balanced with layers of scrolls and geometric latticework, the floral border of each Woodland piece is a unique trim design that was borrowed from an earlier Spode pattern, originally produced in 1828! Spode founder Josiah Spode opened the doors of his porcelain factory in 1780. Under his guidance, the factory introduced two important breakthroughs in the development of English ceramics. Using bone ash, Spode was the first English china maker to achieve higher firing temperatures, resulting in impressively detailed, longer-lasting china. The company's second important achievement was perfecting "underglaze" decorating. Intricate designs could be applied to china that would last for years without chipping, scratching, or fading, at prices affordable to England's burgeoning middle class.

Featuring a dazzling variety of polished cuts, a multisided stem, and a starburst cut on a round foot, Clare crystal by Waterford is an exquisite pattern. With its elaborate, eye-catching design, Clare is an especially fine accompaniment to Woodland china and Burgundy flatware. Waterford Crystal dates back to the Flint Glass Works, founded in 1783 on the quay in the port town of Waterford when George and William Penrose opened the Flint Glass Works. In 1788, Waterford produced a glassware service as a gift to her Majesty, Charlotte Sophia, wife to King George III. The King and Queen were so charmed by the crystal service that they ordered the set to be displayed at Cheltenham castle. Today "Waterford" is synonymous with fine crystal, and is found in households around the world.

Exquisite Reed & Barton's Burgundy features a scalloped tip, a superbly sculpted scroll, leaf, and flower design, and a glossy finish. This classic pattern, first produced in 1949, was immediately popular, and has understandably remained so since. Burgundy is emblematic of its maker, Reed & Barton of Taunton, MA, a company that traces its origins to a jewelry store founded by Isaac Babbitt in 1822. Now well into its second century of operation, Reed & Barton is a leader in finely crafted sterling silver and stainless steel. With the Reed & Barton Burgundy sterling pattern on your table, you'll enjoy the alluring, unique design and high quality silver that customers have praised for nearly 200 years!

Royal Winton Tartans Bread & Butter Plate

This colorful bread & butter plate in the Tartans pattern (number 4514) by Royal Winton showcases a variety of different overlapping tartan designs. Tartans was produced in the late 1930s, around the same time as Quilt, a similar Royal Winton pattern (number 4515). Known best for their chintz designs, Royal Winton utilized a specialized transfer printing process to affordably produce bold, elaborate patterns like Tartans.

Defined by stripes of alternating widths and colors, the tartan design has become closely associated with Scotland. The word "tartan" is believed to be derived from the French word "tiretaine," meaning a "strong, coarse fabric." Although there is no official record of different tartan designs, there are believed to be as many as 14,000 different designs (known as "setts"). Although it is commonly believed that tartan designs were developed as a form of Scottish clan identification, the idea of each clan claiming its own tartan design didn't begin until around the start of the nineteenth century. Before then, tartan colors were more specific to region than clan, since weavers depended on local, regional plants for the dyes they used in their designs.

Following the Jacobite rebellion of 1745, the wearing of tartans was banned by British law in an attempt to assimilate the Highland clans and prevent further rebellion. The act was repealed in 1782, and tartan designs became a more universal symbol of Scottish heritage. The use of tartans as a symbol of national pride gained additional momentum when King George IV visited Scotland in 1822, becoming the first reigning monarch to visit Scotland in more than 170 years. Sir Walter Scott was a key figure in planning a grand festival to prepare for his arrival, which included crowds of tartan-clad citizens. "Tartanwear," which incorporated tartan designs on a vast array of items, became very popular in the Victorian era. Tartanwear items ranged from thimble holders to letter openers, and included tableware pieces like the bread & butter plate featured here.

Although the Tartans pattern isn't a traditional chintz design, its creator, Royal Winton, has become inexorably linked with chintz dinnerware. The story of Royal Winton begins when Leonard Grimwade and his brother Sydney began a small pottery trade in Stoke-on-Trent in 1885. Two inventions of Leonard Grimwade's, duplex lithographic transferring, and the Climax kiln, would forever change how chintz was produced, and also had a significant impact on the dinnerware industry as a whole.

Duplex lithographs were designs printed on thin tissues, with detachable backs. Pattern prints were applied to the paper, and then transferred to the ceramic piece by removing the detachable backing. This new process allowed chintz patterns to be produced quickly and efficiently. To complement the pattern application process, Leonard created the Climax kiln. Unlike traditional kilns that had to be loaded, heated, cooled, then unloaded, the Climax Kiln operated continuously, and ceramics were moved in and out with carts on wheels. Ceramics, and in particular chintz patterns, could now be mass-produced. Royal Winton's first chintz design, Marguerite, was an immediate success upon its introduction in 1928. The company followed this success with another chintz pattern, Delphinium, three years later. Over the next 30 years, Royal Winton would release more than 50 chintz designs, including popular patterns like Summertime, Old Cottage Chintz, Welbeck, Sweet Pea, and Cheadle.  Royal Winton patterns remain highly collectible.

Vibrant Color, Eye-Catching Design

Antique-Ruby by Cris d'Arques/Durand is a beautiful pressed glass pattern featuring an exquisite design of arches and ornate, decorative cutting.  The intricate and elegant design of Antique-Ruby perfectly complements the bowl design of the accompanying Antique-Ruby glassware and the flowing handle design of Camden flatware. Antique-Ruby is produced by J.G. Durand, which is the world's largest manufacturer of lead crystal. Cris d'Arques is a Durand line made in the city of Arques, France.  As a French company, J.G. Durand is known for exhibiting great national pride via the expression of the grand architectural and artistic heritage of France.  For that reason, many Cris d'Arques patterns, like Tuilleries/Villandry and Versailles, are named after castles and chateaus throughout the country.

Showcasing the same gorgeous design of arches and decorative cutting, Antique-Ruby glassware by Cris d'Arques/Durand also features a clear, multisided stem and round foot that provides a superb contrast to the vibrant ruby color of the bowl. Ruby-colored glass was first made by glassmakers during the Roman Empire, but the method for producing ruby glass was lost sometime during the Dark Ages. It wasn't until the late seventeenth century, when Swedish chemist Johann Kunckel developed a process for making ruby glass by adding gold chloride during the normal glass-making process that ruby-colored glass began to be produced again. Using Kunckel's method, glassmakers in Europe continued producing ruby glass throughout the eighteenth century, but the skill and extra labor required to produce the proper color made ruby-colored pieces rare and expensive during this time. Ruby glass found its way to the American market in the mid eighteenth century, arriving with craftsmen who emigrated from Europe. In the early twentieth century, a process of producing ruby glass using selenium in place of gold was developed, making the color easier and cheaper to produce in mold-blown or hand-pressed glass. (Gold was still used to create the lighter red color known as cranberry glass, and in the production of blown wares). When glass manufacturers started pressing ruby glass during the Great Depression, the selenium formula proved unsatisfactory, and the ruby color was created using copper instead.

Wallace Silver's Camden is a delightful stainless steel flatware pattern featuring a graceful handle design with floral elements and a glossy finish - Camden is an eye-catching pattern! Wallace Silver, established in Connecticut nearly two centuries ago, has long been recognized for excellence in tableware craftsmanship. The founder of the company, Robert Wallace, was born in 1815 into a family of silversmiths who had immigrated to New England from Scotland. Apprenticed to William Mix, a renowned Connecticut spoon maker, Wallace, after mastering his trade, purchased a dilapidated grist mill and began to produce his own silver flatware in 1833. Camden is just one of many examples of Wallace Silver's high-quality work.