23 March 2011

X-tra Special Art Deco Table



Today I am so lucky! I have been able to set an X-tra special table. It is x-tra special because the tablecloth belongs to my friend Elaine @ Dishing with CaraFaye and she has loaned it to me. Elaine and I are IRL friends as well as online friends. We first met several years ago on our favourite dish board and have been friends ever since. Last month when my sister, my DDs and I went on our girls' trip to Virgina, we stopped by to visit Elaine. Her house, dishes and tablecloths are TDF. I had seen photos of this tablecloth and asked her if I could borrow it for a Harlequin table. She graciously agreed and I brought it home with me then. Now I am so excited to see how my favourite art deco dishes look with it.

Doesn't the tablecloth have the greatest deco jazz design? I love the musicians, cocktails, etc.






Harlequin was introduced by Homer Laughlin in 1937 as a less expensive counterpart to Fiesta and it was sold through Woolworths. Originally there were four glaze colours: maroon, Harlequin blue, Harlequin yellow, and spruce. Today I am using two of those colours - maroon and Harlequin blue. And as I have used Harlequin blue several times lately, this time the main colour is maroon. I'm also using a few pieces of ivory Fiesta and Riviera as accents.



While Fiesta has iconic rings, Harlequin has this iconic cone shape.


Sugar bowl and novelty creamer on a Fiesta utility tray. The regular creamer is cone-shaped, but the novelty creamer is a round ball like the service water pitcher.


The Harlequin ball jug, aka service water pitcher. This particular one is the first one I ever purchased. My Mom and I found it at a flea market in Louisiana many years ago and I remember us both being so excited! (She collects Harlequin, also.)


The butter dish that was used with Harlequin was the Jade shape. Ivory is not a standard Harlequin colour, but several of these ivory glazed butter dishes are around. Many have decals, but as this one was just the plain glaze I picked it up when I saw it. It holds two sticks (one-half pound) of butter.


Nut dishes were copied from a Japanese piece and glazed in Harlequin colours. I like to use them for salt cellars or soy sauce. The original Japanese dishes had a floral design embossed in the clay, but when the bowl was reproduced for Harlequin, they only kept the basketweave pattern.


To me the Deauville flatware is just perfect to use with Harlequin.


My wedding crystal: Eternal by Lenox. Lenox no longer makes this original Eternal pattern. The current one is called Eternal Gold. The stems on the original were hand cut and production costs became prohibitive. It rings beautifully.


Thanks to all for stopping by. I am linking this to Jenny @ off on my tanget for Alphabe-Thursday where Today's Letter is "X" - X is for "X-tra Special" and Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.

On today's table:
Harlequin: Harlequin blue plates, deep plates and nut dishes; Maroon plates, deep plates, nut dishes, ball jug, novelty creamer, sugar, shakers, platter and oval vegetable bowl; ivory half pound butter dish
Fiesta: ivory utility tray
Riviera: Harlequin blue handled mugs, ivory handled mugs
Flatware: Deauville silverplate by Oneida
Ivory napkins have been around a long time and I don't remember from whence they came.
Silverplate napkin rings
Goblets - Eternal by Lenox (no longer produced)



namasté,
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26 comments:

deb said...

Love this...and especially (as always for me!) the S&P's...thanks for sharing!!

Southerncook said...

Becky, What a gorgeous post and your friend is something Special to loan you her tablecloth. I can see why you love it on so many levels, it's adorable. I thoroughly enjoyed this post.

Carolyn/A Southerners Notebook

Lola said...

Great shots!

LOLA:)

Btw Alphabe-Thursday

EG CameraGirl said...

SO festive!

debi said...

Ooooh! I love it! The colors are amazing...what a great table setting!

Also, wanted to let you know, your blog is being featured on the Bloggerette Sorority blog.

Ames said...

Very nice! I wish I could afford to collect it. ~Ames

Simply Debbie said...

Hi Becky,
I have come over from the Bloggerette Sorority Blog where Debi has so graciously featured you and I am here to find out something about you that she didn't list and then go back to the blog and post it.
I love your post, the pictures you take make everything come alive.
Dishes and tablecloth very pretty.
Have a Sugar Sweet Day
Simply Debbie

Rocky Mountain Woman said...

Beautiful and colorful...

I need you to come and help me with my sad white plates and plain old white tablecloths..

I need some color!

Becs said...

Hi Becky, I am a Becky too. I am mostly IRish and the other 1/3 is melting pot...LOL I love all your collections of table clothes they are so cool. Where do you keep all your dishes? Most of mine are in storage right now as I am living with my sister and Brother in law....Glad I stopped in. Take care of yourself. BEcs

Daphne said...

X-tra special indeed, Becky! I've always loved that tablecloth, and you've chosen the perfect dishes and accessories to show it to it's best advantage. Bravo!

Unknown said...

What wonderful colors!

Claudette Vassey said...

Love it all. you are soo.....creative. I have the same question as the "Other Becky", where do you store all those dishes? Hope life is good for you.
Warmest Regards,
Mollybud

Martha said...

Your tables are always so clever. And what a dear friend to loan you that cloth. It is TDF!

saltbox
treasures
said...

Hi. Visiting from Naps on the Porch. Jazzy indeed. All goes well with your solid color dishes. And it's always fun to use wedding crystal. Thanks for sharing.
~ Julie

Diane said...

What a fun table setting.....and what a nice friend to lend her tablecloth...I just lent a yellow damask shamrock one last week for St Patty's...so pretty!!

Pattie @ Olla-Podrida said...

Great colors. The table cloth is wonderful and I love all of your dinnerware. I'm not familiar with Harlequin, but I love how it complements the Fiestaware so beautifully. I'm a fairly new Fiesta collector, so I'm going to have to do more investigating. I see so much I want!

Craig Miyamoto said...

This is all so beautiful, Becky. Thanks for sharing!

xoxox Craig

Lynn said...

Such a festive table! Lovin' the fun tablecloth:@)

Jenny said...

What a festive tablescape compliments of a wonderful friend. I have no idea where you all find such cool linens. They look so fun and happy.

Did you actually serve a meal on the cloth? I would be too worried to actually do that!

Thanks for linking.

This was an X-cellent post.

A+

Donnie said...

Everything look lovely.

Lisa H. said...

I love how festive it looks.

Jo said...

oh that looks so festive!

jo said...

Ha ha I think your Maroon Harlequin would go very well with my table this week!! Love it!

Jo

Mid-Atlantic Martha said...

What a fun tablecloth! Your pretty dishes are a great compliment.

Unknown said...

That's a pretty fun tablecloth! That's so great that you were able to borrow it from your friend :) Such great colors and the characters on it are so much fun to look at! Love the festive look to the whole table!

Entertaining Women said...

I'm always so taken with how drawn I am to art deco design. I often choose items, not even realizing that I've bought something that can be atributed to art deco. Great tablecloth...it is the perfect anchor for your marvelous Harlequin dinnerware. Thank you for sharing your wonderful design. Cherry Kay