Popular today as it was many years ago.
Is Blue Willow dishware.
Beautiful blue and white with two Love Birds flying face to face in the pattern.
As the story goes, there once lived a monarch
who kept his daughter captive in their home away from her love.
Somehow the couple managed to run away together
and board a waiting boat that was to take them away to live happily ever after.
As they sailed away, a terrible storm happened at sea and the couple was never seen again. But high in the sky flew a pair of Love Birds thought to be the loving couple.
The pattern is the same on all the vintage to reproduction dishes,
but how you can tell a repro from a vintage, is the birds.
New plates have thin birds where as the vintage plates have plump full birds.
The same is true for the additional pieces like cups, saucers, bowls and such.
I have a combination of two sets of these dishes,
handed down from my grandmother to my mother and then on to me.
I will always love setting a table with them as they remind me of many wonderful memories and happy dinners through the years with family and friends.
When out antiquing, I can say that Blue Willow
is still very collectible and sought after by collectors and dishaholics like myself.
The table design below is my antique kitchen table I hand painted about 15 years ago
with a Tuscan design of fruit on a crackle aged background.
Since this photo, I have re-painted it creamy off white for my new kitchen design.
I do miss this design at times, but hey, it's only paint
and I can paint it again if I choose.
Whether the story is true or not,
The romance of the birds is charming, don't you think?
Wishing you a wonderful weekend.
Be Blessed and Southern DayDreams
Celestina Marie
41 comments:
What a lovely story and beautiful dishes. I love that they have so much meaning for you.
I love Blue Willow dishware, my 94 year old grandmother has a lovely collection. I've never heard this story about the dishes, I shall have to share the story with my grandmother.
Your kitchen table is extraordinary!
I always loved the Blue Willow pattern. You are so right it is a classic.
Thank you for sharing the Blue Willow love story!
I love the Blue Willow Story...and the dishes!
Good morning beautiful one...how LOVELY is this blue surprise! This is the color of heaven, I am SURE OF IT! Well, at least for my imagination! The coolness but also the warmth of the cobalt hue is so satisfying! I hope you are enjoying your weekend?I AM! Reading and writing are all I'm doing today, and with my husband. Tomorrow, I am going to COMMON GROUND bookstore, whose proprietor is Garrison Keller from the Prairie Home Companion. Well, BILLY COLLINS, my favorite living poet is doing a reading there tomorrow at 2:00. I am getting there at 11:00 to beat the crowd!
Well my friend, much love to you and enjoy your weekend, Anita
I never even considered there was a story behind one of my favorite dish patterns! Thanks for sharing!
Interesting! I wonder why they changed the birds?
I have to agree with Sola Scriptura in the comment at the top. That IS an extraordinary table!
i've never heard of it before but i like any type of asian art!
Celeste what beautiful dishes and story. I must live under a rock. I never knew the story. Have a great weekend
Cindy
Beautiful, we used to have those at home, too! Hugs, Valerie
HI Celeste! Oh, I do love Blue Willow and have a nice set myself. How nice yours were passed down through your family. My mom and dad gave me mine in the 1980s and I pick up a piece each time I can.
Have a great weekend.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)
What a lovely story! I love things with history, as you know ;)
xo
One of my classic favorites. However, I do not own any. Your table looked so pretty with the Blue Willow!
I love that beautiful blue dishware too! It's gorgeous and a classic!
I had never heard the story, so sweet and the dishes are timeless for sure, I remember growing up with them too! Your painted table is stunning, as all your hand painted items are. ~Diane
There's certainly something charming, and kind of nostalgic, about willow pattern. Dishaholic?!
It is such a classic. I don't own any but have often checked it out. I just visited an antique store today and saw a bit of it. I don't know or remember what dishes my grandmother had- with her four daughters things got disbursed. I like the story that goes with the pattern- gotta love a story about love and passion! Have a wonderful weekend!
How delightful the story is about the Blue Willow. It is great that you have yours from your grandma to mother and then you. Wonderful memories.
There is a wonderful restaurant, old Southern Mansion in Social Circle, GA called the Blue Willow. It is all buffet style = and the food all southern. Fried green tomatoes, mashed potatoes with wonderful delish gravy, green beans, fried chicken, biscuits, just to name a few of the dishes they serve. They have Blue Willow dishes when I was there about 8 years ago. The desserts, omg they are to die for. So if you are ever in GA and close to Atlanta, try this wonderful restaurant and you will feel that Scarlet and Rhett will be coming down the stair case.
Have a wonderful week.
Mary
It is a good story! I still love my blue!!
warmly,
deb
Oh but of course it is true dear Celeste... I believe... and I too treasure my vintage Blue Willow that belonged to my mama... it sits in my corner hutch in my breakfast nook where I can see it every day... and I still have my tea in one of my mamas cups... I think it is just about the loveliest china there is... yours is beautiful and full of so many precious memories for you... xoxo... Julie Marie
I, too, love Blue Willow. I have a nice sized set of the repro kind with a couple of vintage pieces sprinkled in. The look is timeless.
Hello Celeste,
Your Blue Willow dishware is beautiful. My grandmother had a complete set. I believe it was passed on to one of my brothers. I was given her pink depression glass.
Your table is amazing, my friend. You possess such a special gift.
Hugs to you and warm wishes for a wonderful remainder to your weekend.
Dear Celestina Marie,
Blue Willow pattern has always been a favourite of mine too.
When I first started working my first pay went on a blue willow pattern set.
Love your pretty pieces and the story to go behind it.
Hope you are having a lovely weekend
hugs
Carolyn
Your blue willow is so pretty, Celestina! I think it will always be popular, it really is timeless. So neat to learn some of the history, I had no idea about the birds and how to tell reproductions. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
What a charming story, my friend, one I had no heard until now.
I agree with the others, your table is extraordinary :) Hugs, love, and blessings to you!
I do love blue and white and these dishes are classic. The story of the Love Birds is sweet and good comes from tragedy. Weekend Bliss...
Love the story and the dishes!!
~Cindy
Such pretty dishes, Celeste, and I love that they have a story behind the pattern. I love your table, too. It reminds me of our current round dining table (my kitchen table in our former home). Although, I didn't hand paint mine, I bought it that way.
A lovely, but also sad story dear Celestine Marie , and oh so beautiful is the Blue Willow , Here they are also now and then to be found , and I love them, too. For you it is even more special, that you have them from your grandmother and mother!!
Your table as it looked before, is wonderful, but I`m sure I would love it newpainted and offwhite, too.
Hugs,Dorthe
What a delightful story! Thank you for sharing it. Your place setting is lovely and such a treasure that it has been handed down throughout the years! Your table is fabulous; you have created a masterpiece!
Thanks so much for sharing that story about the love birds. It just so happens that my mother's pattern of everyday dishes was blue willow which were handed down to me and I still use them to this day each and every day. My children grew up with blue willow as well. I wonder if they will eventually want some of the pieces for themselves.
What a lovely story!Your dishes are just gorgeous and your table too. I love especially the meaning for you.
Kisses
Alessandra
Celestina, You are teaching me so much today. I have pieces of Blue Willow from my mom and some that I have picked up here and there and didn't know how to tell them apart or the story of the love birds. The pieces from my Mom have the fatter birds and mine have a little of both. Your table was beautiful when you painted it as I'm sure it is now..Happy Tuesday..Judy
I never knew that the birds were different on older Blue Willow. Now I'll have to check my dishes!
My grandmother also had blue willow. I have a very old creamer from my grandmother's old blue willow. Fun memories.
Sheila @ mykentuckyliving
Oh Celeste, I would have had a hard time painting over that beautiful design you originally did on the table. It is stunning, but I'm sure it looks pretty with the white top too. I love Blue Willow, and I love the story of it, but I never knew that the birds were plump on the newer pieces. I'll be more aware of that now.
Loving your Blue Willow dishware, Celestina. Blue in the home is so pretty. I think blue china is the most lovely of all. You have set a beautiful table, and what a treasure that it was handed down to you by your grandmother.
love, ~Sheri
What a lovely story! The dishes are so pretty and make an absolutely gorgeous table setting! I have to say that I love the way you painted that table! If must have been a little scary covering that beautiful design. But you are right! If is just paint! How blessed you are to have such a talent. You work never ceases to amaze me!
Hugs,
Linda
Awww! What a cute love story! Pretty dishes and I didn't know about the bird size. I'll definitely be looking now.
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