I almost swooned! More Liberty Blue!
Update: I wrote this story a few years ago and now have no need to purchase anymore Liberty Blue. I also don’t know how to help you sell your collection other than to recommend ebay or a local antique store.Β
A little less than two weeks ago, when I (bored) told you about my collection of Liberty Blue Ironstone made by Staffordshire, I shared with you how I loved the dishes and the fun I’ve had searching for them. I never thought I would find more than one or two pieces at a time, but guess what happened . . .
This past week, I made a trip to Georgia, and on my way, stopped at a few (many, many) antique stores. The very first stop I made, I turned down the first aisle, and stopped in my tracks.
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This is what I saw . . .
An entire set of Liberty Blue dinnerware was on the table . . . at the lowest prices I’ve ever seen!
I now know with great certainty, that I have a medical condition related to tableware, because I literally started shaking. When I asked the store owners about the set, my voice was quivering as if I were going to cry.
Do you remember the scene where Aunt Pittypat faints when she sees Scarlett dancing with Rhett? (the nerve!) Well, I was near a full – out Pittypat – style swoon! I had to pull a (monogramed, of course) hankie from my pocketbook and dab my eyes so the store owners wouldn’t see tears spilling down my cheeks. It’s difficult to negotiate a deal when you are sobbing and spilling tears all over the merchandise.
Since I already had plenty of dinner plates, and don’t care to have the cups and saucers, I didn’t get all of the pieces, but I scooped up the covered casserole dish, teapot, and the very pieces I told you were so difficult to find β six luncheon plates! The soup tureen needs a lid, but for now, will do fine as a deep serving bowl. The gravy boat, two platters, a vegetable bowl and a few other choice pieces were also carefully placed in my car.
The rest of the trip, I drove like I was bringing a newborn baby home from the hospital. I dodged dicey Atlanta traffic like a prize fighter ducks a mean punch. The Liberty Blue is now safely home, freshly cleaned and ready for everyday use.
A Liberty Mutual Insurance advertisement says, ” It’s not about the things we have, but the memories we make with them.” This is the start of some very good memories of great meals with people I love.
What are the odds?
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In case you missed the excitement of my first story about Liberty Blue or just want to relive the moment . . . CLICK HERE.
I suffer from the same condition. The shakes, the quivers, the trembling…
Congratulations!
xo
Claudia
I think the only thing to help us is to keep buying more!
Sure wished you were closer, I am in British Columbia, Canada. I have 103 pieces, all with original boxes, that I am trying to sell. If you know of anywhere closer that would be interested could you notify me. Thank you. Just FYI,Have 8 place setting that includes dinner,luncheon,salad and bread plates;cereal and soup bowls;fruit nappies,cups and saucers[13 sets];oval veg bowl;veg bowl with lid;cream and sugar;salt and pepper[2sets]butter dish;water pitcher; tea pot; soup tureen;coasters;14″platter.
Oh my goodness! What a great set you have. I know serious collectors like to have the boxes, so I’m glad you saved them. Okay readers, if you know of anyone interested in Liberty Blue, contact Sandy!
Hi Sandy… Are you selling as a complete set or by piece? What are your prices?
Hi Wende… We are trying to sell this as a set. The going price seems to be around $2000.00 for these items.
Congratulations!! These dishes are beautiful and I’m so happy for you, it’s so exciting!
I smiled when I read your post. I can so relate. I am a confirmed chinaholic..in recovery. In 2008, I had 300 pieces of vintage Desert Rose by Fransician, 200 pieces of vintage Ivy by Fransician. 350 pieces of jadite. 500 pieces of depression glass. 30 crystal cake pedestals, numerous crystal and vintage glassware, over 100 blue and white platters..transferware, flow blue, spode, etc. 300 turn of the century German and Czech cannisters and probably over a 1000 more matched and unmatched pieces of china, pottery, stoneware, glassware and odds and ends. In 2008 , I sold it all to an antique dealer in Mobile. It took she and I both 3 days to wrap everything. Then I moved to Costa Rica. They aren’t really into old things there, so I mostly collected rocks from the beach. I moved back to the States and still haunt junk shops, but I have to be really careful. I truly belief the tendency to collect is in my DNA.
I think with dishes, there’s always some sort of story or memory there. Also, I just enjoy seeing the craftsmanship that went into the design – and hey . . . it’s also functional. Try to eat off a set of golf clubs!
Oh oh oh !!!! As a blue and white person … I wish I had been there with ” rescue remedy” … Girl ! You hit a
MotherLode !
Wow girl, you hit the jackpot! Such a lovely pattern and yes the odds are always low when we are looking for favorites. So happy you found such low prices. I wish I could find shops like that! Enjoy, and do a tablescape, it will be beautiful…………Hugs
What a lucky find! So beautiful too.
Bless your little Pitty-patty heart! What a find. Enjoy your loot! Curious, though — you got the teapot — why not the cups?
The cups and saucers are the older style that don’t hold all of our giant modern-day coffee drinks, so we never really used them. The ones I have are sitting unused in the cabinet. But the teapot can be used for beverages – or flowers!
Oh how awesome is that??? I love that story!!! Congrats on finding it. Now go buy a lotto ticket.
I would have got all the plates too…..accidents happen. ; )
That crossed my mind . . . I’ve already lost a few to chips and cracks, but don’t worry. Now, I have plenty!
You lucky girl!!!!!!!! Great find. It was meant to be. You couldn’t have just left them there all homeless and such.
That’s a great way to see it. I was “rescuing” them!
That is so exciting!!!! You are really going to treasure those gorgeous dishes now~ I once found 1 plate I needed to match some dinner plates and the man said, I can’t sell you that it’s a sample~ I said, OH YES YOU WILL, I don’t care what your manager says, this is going home with me! He is still shaking his head and saying, crazy woman…
Hot dog! GREAT finds. Your photos and the hydrangeas are really making the great pieces look spectacular.
Happy for you. Can’t wait to see your next table with all the new pieces. Extraordinary pieces. The tea pot and covered vegetable dish are swoon pieces.
WOW!!! Congratulations!! I have had a couple of those experiences myself w/ Liberty Blue and I know just how you felt. Envious that you did get a tureen though, at least part of one!!! Speaking of the cups, you do know that there are mugs which are larger than the tea/coffee cups don’t you? And a pitcher about 8 to 10 inches high that I call a water pitcher. There is also a very large platter that matches (has the same floral border and a historical scene) but doesn’t say Liberty Blue on the back. There are two platters in the set but this one is larger than the largest one that goes with the set. Happy hunting!!!!
I’ve seen all of the pieces in the book I bought, but I can’t remember if it had the mugs or not. I’ll have to investigate them. – Thanks for the tip!
What a great find! Happy to hear your new “babies” made it home safe and sound!!!
Leslie-Don’t you love when it happens this way?I love your pattern. It looks great! Miss you!
I have the same affliction! You scored some really great pieces! I have a set of mismatched Spode blue and them here and there….and love them.
You are so funny. I love all those beautiful pieces.
Beautiful! I also suffer from the same medical condition and would have swooned right along with you. Congratulations on a very fortunate find and I hope you will create many wonderful memories with them.
Oh my, what a GREAT find. So happy for you, that must have been so very exciting! It’s such a beautiful pattern…
Blessings,
Cindy
Love it!!!
They really are beautiful! The pictures turned out so great π
What a wonderful find.
I’ve had those moments too with pieces I’ve found. Moments when speech doesn’t come easy and the fear that someone else will swoop in and grab up those coveted items is palpable. What a blessing you found those items. Congratulations. Now you’ve got me wanting to go treasure hunting!!
Leslie Anne… I am IN LOVE with that pattern. I am going to start hitting antique stores again! Have a great Wednesday!
I don’t have even one piece of Blue Willow or any other blue china, but thanks to you, am now a big fan of Liberty Blue! It was a thrill to see it. Your pictures are beautiful.
There is nothing like a successful treasure hunt to put glee in your heart! I’m so happy that these pieces are now part of your collection!
Okay. You have me addicted. Where in the world did you leave those plates in Georgia. Must. go. get. And I guess I really shouldn’t think about college tuition being due in a week or so, should I?
I live in Georgia and would love to have the Liberty Blue plates. Tell me where the store is. Loved your reaction to seeing them. My husband came in and wanted to know what I was laughing about. Of course, he’s a man and didn’t understand. Thanks, Dawn
Actually, I found them on the way to Georgia in a store outside of Montgomery. I pretty much wiped them clean, but keep looking, I’m sure there are more out there. The hunt is part of the fun!
Congratulations on your treasure hunt finds!!! A good find is guaranteed to bring on an Aunt Pittypat moment, and how appropriate that yours took place in Georgia. The set is gorgeous.
I have a few pieces that I found here and there but I definitely would have swooned too. A fabulous find!
Great find! Happy that you got them all home without mishap. Check eBay, sometimes they have just lids to tureens. I have service for 12 with most of the serving pieces (lacking the tea pot and covered vegetable, it got broken) that I bought at the time they came out for the centennial at my local grocery store. I got a place setting for every $25 I spent. I originally had service for 24, but gave half away. I see odd pieces every once in a while at thrift stores.
Have a wonderful week.
Service for 24? Wow, that was an amazing collection! I hope whoever you gave the other half to appreciated it!
Hi Leslie Ann!
I am visiting from Southern Hospitality but I frequent your site often (I hop over from Alabama Bloggers). I am so happy you found these terrific treasures! What a score!
Shelia
Thanks for stopping by!
It is hard to “keep calm” when you discover something so special and at great prices…Glad you were able to buy the pieces that you wanted…I love that pattern and will think of you whenever I see those wonderful dishes!…Glad you got through that awful Atlanta traffic without incident!
The traffic this time was worse than usual for some reason, but I made it through! No matter what the dangers or inconveniences, the shopping must go on!
What a fantastic find! So glad you didn’t swoon and land on top of the pretty dishes. π
I love this pattern! I would have never known withou your educating us! Thanks for sharing!
It’s really kind of unknown, until you have someone point it out. Now, you’ll start to see it everywhere!
My mom bought me the entire set from Grand Union grocery store in the 70’s. I have the entire set except for the top of the butter tray which I broke. I use these every year at Thanksgiving!!!!
What a great gift!
Sorry I didn’t come across this great post before, but here I am swooning some more, looking at your gorgeous LB pieces you got to add to your collection. The pieces you got are gorgeous!
I’ve been with this ‘swooning’ condition all weekend!
See, my fav antique store just called me to informe that a complete set of Adams Landscapes blue and white transferware had come from Europe and they wanted me to go Monday, that’s tomorrow and sweet Mr. Living might be getting it for my B’day that will be Oct.20th! I can’t wait, like a child for C’mas day!!!
FABBY
That is truly an awesome birthday gift! Happy day to you!!!
Leslie do you remember the name of the place in Georgia?
Sorry, no. I think it has gone out of business. It was on my way to GA, still in Alabama – I think in Evergreen. It used to have nice antiques, but then switched to more of a flea market and junk shop.