Gary and I have moved about five times during our marriage and each time we move I've had to part with one collection or another. I'm a collector, sometimes I just can't pass things up. Some of the partings were easy and others not so easy. Some of the things I parted with I later regretted. This tray is one item I've never let go. It's been in several yard sales, but for some reason no one wanted it or if they picked it up I always said it wasn't for sale. That's what I said today.
The edge of the tray is pewter and the tray itself is porcelain, perhaps metal coated porcelain. I love the design with the leaves and seed pods. I'm not sure how it was made or how old it is but I really like it. It has a number on the reverse but no signature. Since I've lived in California most of my life, I always thought the leaves were buckeye, but now I think they may be chestnut leaves and seed pods. If you know any thing about the tray please let me know.
Hi Linda,
ReplyDeleteI don't know anything about buckeye leaves, but I do know something about Horse Chestnuts and those do look like horse chestnut leaves and seeds to me. We used to play conkers with the chestnut seeds (or conkers) at school For those who are not familiar with the game, you drill a hole through a conker and thread a string through it, and put a knot on one end of the string to stop the conker falling off. You hold the other end of the string and engage in a very ritualized form of combat. The combat involves hitting a conker that is solemnly dangled on the end of a length of string by your opponent. You take turns to bash each other's conker until one of them breaks or falls off the string. Your conker gains points with each victory, including the points of the vanquished opponent. There are several variations on the rules of the game. We used to soak our conkers in vinegar to harden them up.
It is a really fine tray. Do hang onto it, I am sure you would miss it if you sold it.
Getting rid of the stuff- it is so hard to do.
ReplyDeleteSome days i would get rid of it all- other days.......
Hi Peter, what a great story about the game of Conkers, reminds me of some of those medieval games the gladiators used to do.
ReplyDeleteHi Meredith, sometimes I'd like to get rid of it all too. I'd keep just the photos and the clothes on my back.
The tray is a keeper!
ReplyDeleteThanks Patricia, I feeling a bit nostalgic lately going through all our packing and stored items.
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