Monday, January 21, 2013

tea cup and its owner

With vintage or antique tea cups, I often wonder about their history with their previous owners. The cup I am sharing today seems to have a story or had witnessed the story of its owner.







When I was admiring this cup the first time it arrived at my home, I got a feeling that this is the cup that does not have the happy vibes. I made tea as usual and poured tea in it anyway. As I was sipping the tea, the feeling came to me. I felt that the cup once belonged to the wife of a medical doctor(or a profession). As a doctor, husband was always busy and focused on his patients.








 Thinking that the wife would like to have jewelry, he often took her to jewelry shops and once they picked up this cup from the jewelry shop. The wife felt the lack of emotional exchange with her husband but did not voice her own feelings so the husband kept giving her material things as to keep her happy(because that's what he thought would make her happy OR he did that to make it up to her out of his own guilt). 

Many times she was sipping tea while waiting for her husband to come home but often her day ended in disappointment. He often came home after the tea had gone cold. The lack of something was presented in the cup.





To be honest, the cup also carries this vibe. I tried many times to drink tea from it but as soon as the tea was poured into this cup, the tea went a bit tasteless. I tried a stronger tea assuming that it likes stronger tea but it's in vain. The cup changed the taste of the tea instead.




Bit by bit, I was having a second thought of drinking from this cup again as I have no idea which type of tea she was looking for. Plus, after drinking from it the first time I had a stomachache(I did clean it before I used it).



I guess in any relationship, emotional exchange is very important and voicing our feelings or opinions is aqually important as well. Even the people closest to us might not be able to guess what we want sometimes. Reaching out is the first step, building the emotional bridge is the next. Each of us has a busy life but it does not mean that we have no time for our families or friends. It all depend on our willingness.




It might be too late if the cup has been upsetted. Every moment is the time for making connections with families and friends. Why wait?


Note: The cup was manufactured by Mintons for Birks. Birks as in Henry Birks and Sons Jewelry workshop opened in 1879 in Canada. Now Birks has merged with Mayors and named Birks and Mayors which has shops in both the US and Canada. It is said that Birks for Canadians is what Tiffany's is for Americans. Both are well established jewelry companies. Minton has made tea cups for Birks as well as for Tiffany's. The cup I present today carries the backstamp used between 1890--1920(correct me if I am wrong).

I like the ribbon bows all around the cup. It's very elegant and feminine. It's a bit of a shame that it does not carry tea so well as tea becomes tasteless or completely different taste when it's in the cup. I do pray that the former owner had a peace of mind under the wings of God.

Until my next post. Thanks for visiting!

11 comments:

  1. Oh, Felicity, what an adorable cup you present to us here! And by Mintons!
    I loved to read the fanciful story and also the information about the Canadian company which sold this cup and saucer. I had never heard of it and now I know it was at Tiffany's level!
    So the cup is about 100 years old, a real treasure!
    Thanks for the lovely post!
    Hugs from Portugal

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  2. The teacup is lovely especially the way the design is *blocked* off with the single rose bouquets. Too bad the feel of the cup doesn't make the looks! I learned something this morning -- about Birks and Tiffany. I often wonder about the history of a cup. I have one that has a saucer that was broken and lovingly mended by a previous owner. Someone loved it very much and now I get to continue lovingly caring for the teacup.

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  3. Hello Felicity, I am so glad to stop by today : )
    Your cup here is indeed lovely. The shape and design is gorgeous. I have had jewelry from Birks 30 years ago, and yes, it is the quality of Tiffany's here in the states. So I am sure your cup cost a pretty penny back in the day. It may be valuable now.
    I am thrilled to read your impressions of this cup. I have always wondered about my cups. Last week I mailed a vintage English tea cup back to England where it had originally came from...to a blogging friend who won it as my giveaway. I couldn't help but wonder how it got to northern Canada (where I purchased it) in the first place. It is a well traveled cup!
    Thanks so much for joining in Tea Cup Tuesday!
    Hugs,
    Terri

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  4. Hello Felicity,
    Nomen est Omen, you had luck to find such a treasure. I love the feminine design and the sweet shape. So sorry that tea will not taste properly from this beauty. Is it just a feeling or could the glaze content something harmful? Anyway the cup is beautiful and you gave the cup an interesting story. I had a look on the former tea posts. You are really creative and you have a nice collection of ancient tea cups. Thank you for sharing and for your visit with the sweet comment. I am a new follower of your blog.
    Best greetings, Johanna

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    1. Hi Johanna,
      Thanks for your visit.
      I have thought of whether the glaze contains harmful ingredients but judging from the quality of the piece, I doubt it. The tea tastes a bit of metal when it passed the edge of cup so I am guessing if the gold on cup is the 14K gold?

      Some cups really send out the happy vibes and I use them again and again but some dont.

      Felicity

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  5. The cup is really pretty. I have a belief that if things had a sad beginning in life, we can make them happy again... I recently bought English china from a woman who had a very modern flat... And I knew the dishes did not belong there, but hopefully they are better now at the Little White House. Thanks for visiting! Your newest follower, Magali

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  6. Hi: I have never read a post like yours. A feeling in a tea cup! Thank you so much for sharing it today. I will think of my tea cups differently from now on because of you. Have a great week. Blessings, Martha

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  7. Oh wow, your experience with this gorgeous teacup is amazing! I so enjoyed reading it and about the teacup as well. Thanks for sharing this story. Thank you for your lovely and kind visit. Come on again!
    FABBY

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  8. Hi Felicity, that's a marvelous story. Poor little cup. My friend tends to put her crystals and anything else which has bad vibes or has picked up negative energy in a salt water bath and then on a window ledge over night to be clensed by moonlight. No idea if that works or not, but isn't that an intersting experiment? Lovely little cup. Visiting thru Artful Affirmations.

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    1. Hi Veronica, oh I have never thought of cleansing the cup and getting rid of the unpleasant vibe this way, it's a good idea i might have to try it. I soaped myself under moonlight twice when it shined through the window of my room at night. I like the moon.

      I think I am sensitive to energy and sometimes pick up the emotions of others that do not belong to me and I am a bit burdened by it.

      Thanks for your suggestions and your visit!

      Felicity

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  9. Another wonderful post, I love the way you think, thanks so much for sharing this...

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