Update: PLEASE READ!!!!this story was written a few years ago and I have no interest in buying more Liberty blue and there’s really no way to help you sell your collection. Try ebay or a local antique store. – this is only my joyful story! DO NOT LEAVE COMMENTS trying to sell or buy here!!!
I’ve been collecting Staffordshire’s Liberty Blue patriotic dinnerware (technically, it’s ironstone) for a few years. And although I pull it out year round, it especially looks nice around Independence Day.
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The blue and white pattern was made in 1976 to celebrate the USA’s Bicentennial and served as a give-away incentive for a Savings and Loan, and then later, a grocery store. Each piece depicts one of 15 different historical scenes. The soup bowl above, shows Old North Church. The main dinner plate has a beautiful scene of Independence Hall.
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I had relatives who fought in the Revolutionary War, so I think it is an interesting pattern to collect.
Here’s our old family friend Betsy Ross on the little fruit bowl.
The top left is a hard-to-find small oval bowl that is labeled, “Minute Men” and shows the father grabbing his musket, heading out the door to defend his new country.
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The platter on the bottom is a large 14″ scene of George Washington crossing the Delaware. This is a special piece because it was given to me by the family of my sweet neighbors who had just passed away. It was a thank you to me for being their friend. I kept it on my shelf for years as a reminder of them before I ever decided to collect this pattern, and didn’t even realize this was part of the set until I happened to glance up at it one day and think . . . hey! I guess it planted the subliminal seed for the entire collection!
This butter dish is my favorite piece I own, because several years ago, my son rode his bicycle downtown to Fairhope Antiquery and bought it himself with his own money and gave it to me for Mothers Day. Of course, it helped that the owner of the Antiquery, Jennifer, knows him and was a big help. That’s one of the benefits of shopping locally!
A ten year old boy, with a pocketknife and bag of bugs in his pocket, who knows how to pick out antique dishes for his Mom. He’s going to make a fine husband one day!
This is the elusive “Valley Forge” luncheon plate. It’s the most expensive and most difficult to locate. And of course, it’s my favorite. I only have one of these my Mother found. One!!! How can I go on??? But then again, sad starving soldiers staring at you while you wolf down your tomato sandwich . . . I guess it’s okay I don’t have these.
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One reason I like Liberty Blue is because although it is older, it is still new enough to be dishwasher safe. Microwave? Mmm. Not so much. They crack and get discolored in the microwave. Don’t ask. I just know.
Sometimes I mix another pattern, Johnson Brother’s luncheon plate (the one in the middle) and think it looks nice with the Liberty Blue. The bread plate, peeking out the top of this photo features Monticello.
I even have “The Book” for Liberty Blue collectors, “Liberty Blue Dinnerware” by Debbie and Randy Coe. The Bank that originally offered this pattern to its customers was located in Oregon, and then grocery stores in the Northeast also sold it as an incentive to shoppers. Therefore, it is more difficult today to find pieces here in the South.
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And how interesting that this Bicentennial set, depicting American Revolutionary scenes was made in . . . England.
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Do you have any patriotic collections?