Saturday's Mystery Box

There's nothing more exciting than a cardboard box and crumpled up newspaper hiding treasures beyond belief.... Well, velvet boxes with pearls are more exciting, but we're talking bargain basement excitement, not 'Breakfast At Tiffany's' excitement!

I love to stop by a favorite shop with no expectations and find old dinnerware; something that has been loved and appreciated in another era. Due to time, death, relocation, downsizing, economics, lack of appreciation, or something shinier and newer, things tend to get cast off. It's a shame, really, but it's also my gain.

My latest treasure is a set of yellow teacups and saucers. Boldly and delicately yellow with graceful swirls and shapely handles. Eight each, which isn't as usual as you would think. Lovely. The plates and bowls? Long gone, maybe, as they were the dishes that were used most often. Teacups were stacked on the top shelf and hardly ever used. Somewhere along the way we moved from the polite teacup into mug territory. I think that's a metaphor for our society!

These lovely teacups are by Franciscan. I haven't done any research on time yet, so I don't know the pattern.

Another find is a cute lil Lefton wall-hangy-doodad; the kind of which people don't really hang on their walls anymore. Well, some grandmama someplace might, but I have a sneaking suspicion that most of them have been tossed in the attic. The yellow flowers made me happy and I had a theme going on so I went with it.

The completion of the theme were four Mount Clemens plates. Roses. My favorite theme. These plates are in great condition and like the teacups and saucers, I don't yet know the pattern.