card number 300

For many years I have been dreaming of acquiring some china.

For the record, I have never been a china lover. (All that potential breakage! Let's go with stoneware, ok?)

But even more since we moved into the our old stone home, (which gave us a real dining room, for goodness sake!) I have been scouting the local auctions & thrift shops for a humble set of china to pull out when company comes a-calling.

I also dreamed for a setting for twelve. Call me crazy.

Now be it known that this crazy so-not-in-love-with-china girl lugged home 4 boxes full of the stuff this past Saturday.

I just love Blanchard's auction house. And although I arrived quite fashionably late on Saturday afternoon, it only took ten minutes for me to wave my card wildly in the air.

Sold for $70 to number.....300.

Then my resident muscle (the LOTM and Clever Tommy) brought in my inherited china closet, which has been residing in the barn since our move. Luckily, there was one small wall left that could house such an item.

The facts: around 120 pieces of Carlsbad china, place settings for 12 with only a few missing pieces, manufactured in Austria (actually Bohemia -where my grandparents emigrated from!) in the late 19th century. Cream background with gold-rim and dark brown design. Who knows what its worth --but it fits our dining room decor perfectly!

-And we will share many a happy meal in its company.