Keep it long, treasure it long.

Tracing history

One of the interesting things about antiques and vintage items is that the design reveals the historical background and gives a glimpse of the technology and culture of the time. At antique markets and markets, objects that have been cherished for a long time and handed over to the next person have a certain appearance that modern new items do not have, and welcoming them into your life can enrich your feelings. In Europe, which has a longer history than Japan, there is a culture of inheriting and cherishing old objects in particular, and I share this sense of values.

The bargain item introduced here is a vintage piece from a ceramics manufacturer who had a kiln in Stoke-on-Trent, which is said to be the holy land of ceramics in the UK. （It is USED, not new.) It has been in the hands of people over the years and has been cherished by someone somewhere for nearly 50 years. There is a reason why they have been loved and used, such as being durable, convenient or cute at the time, and they have arrived at this point in time. They make us think about the importance of taking good care of things, and we want to treasure them until the time when they may be passed on to someone else somewhere else.



Ornament Series

Many British antiques and vintage pieces are as gorgeous as Kutani or Arita porcelain in Japan. In the heyday of production, a wide variety of ceramic figurines were produced, and it seems that lovely pottery was placed in various places in the home, including the garden. In Japan, too, if you pass by a garden or entrance area of a house where people are gardening and you feel their eyes on you from somewhere, you will see a pottery figurine placed there. They don't have to be there, but if they are, they are very comforting.

small dog is from CROWN DEVON, founded in 1870, a manufacturer that was more famous for female figurines and animal figures than tableware. The figurines were used as gifts for the upper classes, with many painted items such as gorgeous rose patterns from the heyday of Art Nouveau, and we found a very common dog figure.

The pig figurine (pepper container) is thought to be one of the Three Little Pigs. Ceramic kitchenware used as daily necessities is subject to breakage due to the material it is made of, so multiple sets of items rarely remain together, and it is a figurine that I hope is cherished by its other siblings somewhere in the world. The carefree smiling pig seems to be a good choice to display around the kitchen, where you can see it every day.

Pie Bird

Baked herring in a pie. This oven-baked pie is the pie you've always dreamed of in films with scenes of baking in a large oven. To actually bake it crisp and tasty, a tool called a pie funnel is inserted into the pie crust to release the air while baking the pie. The bird shape we found was called a 'pie-bird', which has a penetration from the base to the beak, through which the air escapes. It was manufactured by Midwinter, which was established in Stoke-on-Trent in 1910. Designers at the time included Terez Conran, and the brand was representative of the mid-century era, when modern and innovative designs attracted attention.

Cup & Saucer

The modern cup and saucer is Denby, with a comfortable handle, and dates from the 1970s. The handle, drinking spout and weight are as easy to use in the past as the mugs manufactured today. The saucers are carefully made and moulded to fit the cup.

The retro ones are a trio from HORNSEA. A 'trio' is a cup and saucer with another plate; British teacups of the late 19th century were usually produced with a cake plate. It is clear that it was absolutely essential to enjoy afternoon tea in a relaxed way with bread and baked goods.

Egg case

The large chicken container is vintage Price & Kensington, circa 1960s. Although tin egg baskets and similar items can be found in British vintage, eggs may also have been stored in this type of pottery, which appears to have originated as a china brand founded by the Price brothers in 1896, but later specialising in brown betty teapots. It belongs to a long-established company that has been making products for four generations to the present day, while merging with Kensington Potteries Ltd.

Bee hive honey pot

The brown glaze and lovely shape are reminiscent of sweet honey. This is thought to have been made as cottageware. Cottage ware was sold mainly as a gift and was displayed indoors in many homes.

Cottageware is a term used to describe tableware that resembles a house in rural England, and in the mid-20th century it was actively produced and exported in Staffordshire, where it was well received overseas for its prettiness. Various cottage ware seems to have been produced in Stoke-on-Trent and elsewhere.

Beware of bargains

This is a vintage treasure series dug-out pottery from nearly 50 years ago and is not new. As such, they may have penetrations, scratches and pattern rubs. As each piece is a one-off antique, it has not been inspected as food dishware in accordance with the Japanese Food Sanitation Law, so please enjoy it as an ornament.