Here is the story of this china, in Mom's words:
Grandma Henrietta had a china cabinet filled with her china and other special dishes that I would just gaze at. When she set her table with her china and silver for special occasions, I was so thrilled.
The Sooper Dooper Market was right across the street from Grandma's. A few months before our wedding the store offered the most beautiful china as a premium, Johann Haviland Bavarian Germany Fine China. When you spent so much on groceries, you would get a stamp and once the card was full, you received the set of china. Each week serving pieces were also offered. Lucky for me, Mom, Grandma and other relatives helped us save them so that I had a complete set of 12.
Many years later, Grandma Jean found some of the same dishes at an antique store and bought them for me. I had more than I would ever need so I shipped some to my sister, Michele, as she had a just a few of the same pattern.
Our lifestyle is a bit more casual so I don't use them very often. But they are very, very special to me.
We were able to get silverware from Betty Crocker. Their cake mixes had coupons that you could cut off the box and send in for place settings when you had enough.
I think grocery stores should offer that again, maybe this time through Facebook or their blog. A little bit of nostalgia using modern means.
This china is fancy without being too fancy. It also looks really delicate but is pretty sturdy. Not like my Family Heirloom Haviland china set, which is paper thin.
Did you see my little place cards? Mom has these simple and elegant place card holders.
The soup tureen is my favorite piece in this set.
I hope you enjoyed Mom's Super Market China!
Don't forget it's tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch!
Jenny, what an elegant table...beautiful pattern. Your centerpiece is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteI got my Staffordshire Liberty Blue from the supermarket back in 1975-76, service for 24.
Eveything is so nice espeacially china, the white lovely roses ( i smell them from Turkey ). Every detail is so lovely. Thanks for your photos.
ReplyDeleteThe china is very pretty! My Ma Collected a blue/white/silver set from the Penn Fruit years ago too! Your centerpiece is stunning-enjoy!
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to see my china again....brings back lots of great memories of dinner parties and holidays.
ReplyDeleteThe table is beautiful and your arrangement is very professional looking. Nice job, Jen.
With love and thanks, mom
Soooo pretty... love this tablescape Jen!!! Love Thursdays!! : )
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, Henrietta, I have the same set!! I was married in '83 and my uncle gave me a place setting for 4 with all the extras as a wedding gift. I've always loved it! Your table looks exquisite, funny thing is I was just thinking of doing something very similar! Love it!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! I bought this for my daughter's hope chest in 1995 through as a super market premium, too! It was so much fun to collect each of the pieces. We, too ... see it in antique stores and buy more pieces. It sets a beautiful table! Thanks so much for sharing your story.
ReplyDeleteMay I just say that this is one of the prettiest tables I've seen this week? I love that pattern. It looks like a million bucks, and she got it from the grocery store!!
ReplyDeleteI also love it with the linens that you chose too.
A simply LOVELY table!!!
Forgot to also say that I love the flatware and am looking for something like that! Love the mix of gold and silver.
ReplyDeleteWow, the "good" china at my house is from my mom and grandmother using green stamps too (although not as pretty as yours)! You've done a fabulous job with your tabletop, please come over and take a sneak peak at mine if you can. Becky at Petite Rabbit Vintage.
ReplyDeleteLove what you've done with this set. I picked up a full set for ten people (plus the other pieces left from two broken up place settings) at an estate sale. Then a few months ago I found some more at another estate sale. The first set was made in Bavaria. The second in China. You can really tell the difference in the quality. But still beautiful. Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteSuch a pretty table! That china is so special knowing that relatives helped your mom get it! I love your centerpiece, too, with the candles and flower bowl all in one.
ReplyDeleteI've also been told by a Haviland dealer that at some point, the Blue Garland was also available inside of laundry detergent boxes. I love the very American slant of the story on Johann's Blue Garland...lovely things as a give away. Your table is magnificent, and those white roses put a smile on my face! Thank you for sharing your charming story and design. Cherry Kay
ReplyDeleteLove your pretty tablescape. Your table is lovely.
ReplyDeleteThe Blue Garland dishes are a favorite of mine.
I have some and have never tired of them...I bought mine at a Kansas Safeway Grocery Store about 198oish.
Each week a different item was featured at a discounted price if you bought so many groceries.
So glad you have posted about these pretties.
God bless,
d from homehaven
What a beautiful table! I love the Blue Garland china. I got my "good" china from the Savings and Loan when I got married in 1967. Even my fiance was making deposits to help me get all the dishes! I like yours much better than mine.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful story! I know you treasure your pretty dishes all the more, knowing the story behind them. Your table is just lovely, and your elegant centerpiece makes me want to pull out my sadly tarnished silver piece and polish it!
ReplyDeleteHey, Jen,
ReplyDeleteI've been looking at alot of your "sister" blogs. I have to say that your recent tablescape was one of the loveliest, but then again, it was, after all, my wedding china. It was so heartwarming to know that so many other ladies also collected super market premiums to begin their heirloom china collection. It is the simple things in life, not the most expensive, that make us happy.
Jenny, got mixed up and called you Henrietta last time--sorry about that--lol, anyway, I was in the local Goodwill store this week and found 35 more pieces of this china to add to my collection, all for $28! I was thrilled, especially after seeing your beautiful setting, the centerpiece and tablecloth are so perfect!! Keep up the good work!
ReplyDelete