About Me

Ever since I was a little girl I have loved looking at fine china and some of my prominent childhood memories are about the beautiful patterns on the china tableware in the homes we would visit!

 

As a teenager, I daydreamed about what china patterns I would one day use in my home. When I was a university student, I went into a famous local China and Tea Shop (Murchies in Vancouver, BC); they had a contest to guess the number of cups an enormous china coffee pot held. I did some quick thinking and – at the last minute – added my age to the number I came up with. Months later, I received a phone call and won my first china set (Villeroy & Boch, Riviera).

 

I completed my degree in music, was married and began a teaching career – but one thing I always loved was serving friends tea, collecting cups & saucers, visiting tea shops, and hosting large tea events. Imagine my delight and surprise a few years later when my husband decided to do a PhD in Great Britain – the land where it all originated!

We’ve been living here in Great Britain for 13 years

and I have visited nearly every china factory and lingered in every museum and visitor centre, learning abut the fascinating history of British china and the development of so many beautiful patterns. I’ve also been privileged to have tea in some unforgettable tearooms. My first experiences in buying vintage china happened quite naturally with friends asking me to look for certain pieces – or suggest patterns they might like. This led, eventually, to a small business of buying and selling vintage china.

Over the years I have put aside my most beautiful tea sets and accessories – and this website is the next part of the dream. I hope you enjoy looking around, lingering over the patterns, imagining how to add beauty and elegance to your next tea event.