Moving is a time to reflect and remember as you pack up family heirlooms. I moved late last summer, so packing was a part of my schedule for weeks. For me, this piece of china, part of a small set that belonged to my grandmother has always meant a lot to me, and I finally made time to do some research.
Led by the somewhat faded stamp on the back, I quickly learned this is Dixie Dogwood china, and this particular piece of Dixie Dogwood, by Joni, was manufactured by Stetson China Company. The information was actually found on the website of a pottery club of a competing company (Blue Ridge), which manufactured a similar dogwood pattern. According to the site, Stetson China Company traces its history to the Illinois China Company, which had copyrights dating back to 1933. The name was changed to Stetson in 1946, and 1955 they claimed to be the largest manufacturer of hand painted ceramics in the United States. In 1965 they changed their name Lincoln China Company, but just one year later they stopped manufacturing.
A look around the internet will find many of the plates available, for both the collector and the curious, along with platters, cups, saucers, bowls, glasses and other pieces I was surprised to see. While I remember my grandmother had a platter and gravy boat/creamer, I had no idea so many items were a part of the set, and I certainly didn’t know the pattern was so popular, especially today.
Elsewhere online I found clarification of the stamp on the back of the plate (see below):
“The legend of Dogwoods dates back to the Crucifixion. Early lore likens the dogwood petals, shaped like a cross and stained with red, to the Cross of Calvary.”
Dogwood tree blossoms are among my favorite spring flowers, so it is obvious why these plates are among my favorite, and the story behind the dogwood design may explain why I associate the plates with Easter Sunday dinners.
0 Comentarios