October 29, 2006
Confessions of a Collectoholic
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Hello. My name is Karen and I’m a Collectoholic.
It all started when I was a child, collecting stamps and the labels off wine bottles and anything else that caught my eye. But in recent years it’s progressed to a more serious condition and I’m currently supporting 14 collections of ‘stuff’. I mostly collect stuff from the early to mid 20th century but that’s not a definite boundary.
I thought it might be cathartic to write about some of my collections in this blog. Of course there’s a danger that this might have the reverse effect and encourage me to start even more collections, but that’s a risk I’ll have to take.
So first cab off the rank is Teapots.
I inherited a collection of novelty teapots from my mother (see it’s her fault, not mine). I’ll talk about those in a later post. But as a subset I have a small collection of Victorian and Edwardian porcelain teapots, three of which are pictured below.
I really love these old ones. There is such an air of elegance about them. Most teapots from this era came with a matching teapot stand, but typically this is one of the first things that get damaged so many teapots don’t have the stand.
I don’t have a lot of information about them and the makers’ marks are not helpful. I’m particularly curious about the one with the red roses and gorgeous gilt work. It has a mark of crossed anchors (not crossed swords) on the bottom and I’m advised that it’s of European manufacture (late 19thC). But this mark does not appear on any list of porcelain markings that I’ve seen. If anyone knows anything about a crossed anchor mark I’d really appreciate you getting in touch with me.
The tiny one is probably the oldest of the three and the gilt has rubbed off in a number of places. And the greenish coloured teapot is probably Edwardian, around 1910-20.
Stumble it!
25 Responses to “Confessions of a Collectoholic”
I’d be interested in hearing what you find out about them. I have a set of china which I am looking for replacements but can’t find the maker’s mark online either.
By Tink on Oct 30, 2006
Your teapots look lovely. I can’t wait to hear what your 13 other collections are!! I do have a soft spot for teapots myself, I bought one (small Chinese looking one) about 20 years ago with the thought of collecting some, but never went any further with it! (short attention span perhaps??)
By Heather on Nov 1, 2006
Tink, I have a 1930s dinner set made by Burleigh which doesn’t have a name. I found its catalog number at Replacements.com and they advise me on any pieces in my pattern that they come across. Perhaps it may be of help to you.
By Karen on Nov 6, 2006
Thanks for coming over to my blog.
I love the teapots! I have a collection of cups and saucers (english bone china only, please) that is overflowing my curio cabinet. Both my grandmothers got me collecting those.
Roses are my favorite. I think your teapots are gorgeous…it makes me think of how lovely a cup of nice tea is.
By hazasaem on Nov 14, 2006
Oh My, this looks like the twelve step program I need.
Hi, my name is Rae and I AM a ceramicaholic. It’s ridiculous.
I have limited my collecting to American made pieces, so that helps a little!
I have teapots, dinnerware, white ware & more. I might be able to help some with questions, as I have acquired quite a bit of useless pottery information over the years.
By Rae on Jan 27, 2007
Oh, I almost forgot, can I see a picture of the mystery mark & the mystery pattern?
By Rae on Jan 27, 2007
Thanks Rae. I’m sending you a pic of the mark and if you can identify it I will be very grateful.
Meanwhile repeat after me, ” I do not need to collect things. I do not need to collect things.”
Nope, it’s not working for me either.
By Karen on Jan 29, 2007
Hey Karen,
With all due respect… but don’t you think you might need to get a little help?
My brother’s room is totally and fully stuffed with …ehm old stuff and he just doesn’t throw it away.
This is collectaholism, right? My mother doesn’t know what to do with him…! I’m right now surfing on the net trying to get some help for my brother with his problem. What do you think? Since you can call yourself a collectaholic, could you tell me how collactaholics think?? I hope everything’s okay with you… Well…later byebye! …almost 17year old hopeless girl
By mo on Mar 23, 2007
hm… well I surely can’t help my bro but maybe I can help you a little by saying:
You don’t need to collect things… Try to find some outdoor activities (hm I should do that too) The problem with collecting is that the place you live in gets so full of it that you can hardly breathe and it’s always in the back of your head that you have so many things… It’s so heavy! I feel a lot better everytime I can get rid of something in my room. You bytheway don’t need a lot of furniture because you’ll choke. Just get all the things you need into your place and don’t try to buy too many things extra! I think it’s more healthy to have contact with the right people then to have to communicate with collectors items (lol)
Hm… I hope the story helped a little… I’m just very concerned about collectors….
Thanks for reading!
Byebye! mo…
By mo on Mar 23, 2007
Well I’m not entirely sure where you’re coming from Mo. You seem to be offering me rehabilitation advice,but that assumes I actually want to be rehabilitated. I’m actually quite happy to be a collectaholic but I’ll definitely keep your words in mind if I find it taking over my life.
By Karen on Mar 25, 2007
Hi Karen,
we have some china bearing the crossed anchors mark which you describe. We have five cups, six saucers, milk jug, sugar bowl, 1 large plate and about 18 side plates. These were bought for us as a present and ever since we have been trying to find out something about them without success. Yours is the first reference to this mark which we have found.
I have some photos of the items which I could e-mail to you if you would be interested to see them.
Best wishes
Dave & Dot
By Dave on Mar 26, 2007
Thanks, I didn’t mean to hurt you or anything and I’m not saying you are a total nutcase or anything
but yeah… I was just warning because I know how stuffed our house was a while ago…
But I appreciate that you read all of my blablabla’s
Kind regards and all the best,
mo
btw: oh my I just read my piece… ?!
By mo on Mar 30, 2007
oh and Karen,
( 3 model BMW’s and 3 cat-cards and two cat-figures ehm…)
It’s great that you are happy the way you are…
That’s what most important isn’t it??
I guess I didn’t think far enough
btw: I first collected turtles and I like cat-things and small model BMWcars
So yeah , call me a hypocrite
It’s just that I don’t have a lot of it
Well, gotta go!
mo
By mo on Mar 30, 2007
I have a white bowl on foot, 7 1/4 inches diameter and 6 3.4″ High
It has a raised pattern of scrolls and flowers around the body, and a simpler pattern on the foot.
All the raised patterns are gilt, as is the body of all the flower heads.
This has the crossed anchors on the base in green.
I have no history, and would like to know more.
Jerry
By Jerry on May 6, 2007
I too have some pieces with the crossed anchor marks so would be very helpful with replies as I have tried to find some information about them, but so far I have been unsuccessful. They are of the same design as the teapot, ( Blue gilt with roses ) in the picture that was earlier posted.
By Lynn on Jul 23, 2007
Hi Lynn
It’s very exciting to hear that someone else has porcelain with this mark. Do you have any photos? I would love to see them if you do.
By karooch on Jul 24, 2007
hi
I have a set of china with crossed green swords and am trying to find out anything I can about them, they were given to me by a lady who’s mother had given it to her so I presume they are quite old. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
fiona
By fionaa on Aug 9, 2007
sorry that last one should have said crossed green anchors not swords
By fionaa on Aug 9, 2007
Hi, I have a teapot and sugar bowl white with gold trim and pink roses, on the bottom of both pieces
are green crossed anchors can you tell me anything about them. The pieces were given to my Mum by her sister in Ireland years and years ago.
By Katherine Collins on Aug 9, 2007
Hi Fiona and Katherine
I’d love to be able to tell you more about your crossed green anchors but I’m still searching for information myself. A few people have commented here that they have porcelain with this mark on it so I’m hopeful that someone will be able to give me more info some day. Stay tuned.
By karooch on Aug 10, 2007