According to NY Times and various other venerable publications, the pandemic has turned our homes back to havens, and meal times into a royal dinner party. While most of us don’t have butlers at the ready (such a shame), it is not uncommon to find a collection of fine china tucked away in cupboards, never to see the light of day. Except maybe when great grandma visits. For those of us with British ancestry, it’s usually a mish mash of different patterned teacups, saucers, side plates, serving plates, sugar bowls and milk jugs; handed down from generation to generation. But these delicate treasures seem so irrelevant in a modern world. Hence the long sleep in Mother Hubbard’s cupboard.
Until now.
In these stressful, uncertain times, people are embracing the carpe diem mentality; dusting off their fine bone china and fancy tableware to live everyday as a celebration. Otherwise, what are we waiting for?
Fine bone china is historically embedded with the spirit of celebration and regal poshness. Travel back to 1896, when Thomas Wild Senior and Thomas C. Wild bought a factory in Stoke-on-Trent called Albert Works. Within one year of production, Thomas Wild was awarded a Royal Warrant, after creating a range of commemorative pieces for The Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. The warrant and the factory name both led to the creation of the Royal Albert brand in 1904. More than a hundred years later, Royal Albert continues to symbolise the finesse of enjoying the simple pleasures of life.
Perhaps this explains the resurgent trend of ritualising afternoon team at home, The dichotomy isn’t where or how we use our fancy tableware, it’s that everyday should be a fine china day. Mish mash and all.
P.S. For your own little piece of fine bone china heaven, click HERE