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RETRO* Table Settings~

ooohhh...I find them absolutely CHARMing!
~Let's go back to circa 1957 :










~CHARM-ed*
They somehow reminded me of Doris Day's old films
...And must also mention my dear late grandmother!
she was a wonderful cook & fabulous hostess. She even made
her own table linens, napkins & place-mats! In a small way,
I took after my grandma's passion for table settings.
(Dear new readers, you may click here* to view my
obsession...oops, I mean collection!~my own china collection Post)
P.S: Anyone has the same obsession? ~Please confess...
~XOXO*
.
-Vintage photo: Melmac 1957's Brochures found via TheHauntedLamp

46 comments:

Tiffany Kadani said...

Pea Coats! I have twelve of them. My husband says I'm addicted but I just say I "collect" them. Also, I love the idea of a hat for a center piece. Very cool.

Helena - A Diary of Lovely said...

hahaha loved the end of the post
Cute!

Marsi @ The Cottage Cheese said...

Oh Lenore honey, you've made me such a happy girl! These mid-century table settings are just gorgeous. I've never seen some of those dinnerware patterns before, and now I'm on a mission to find out more about them. Your grandmother sounds like she was such a special lady :) So, since you're obsesses with white dinnerware - do you collect any Eva Zeisel or Ben Seibel? I'm in love with Seibel's bridal white, and dream of having a set of it as my everyday dinnerware...

emily said...

quite charming!

Saving Capulet said...

oh those dinner sets are so lovely! I might want to try to fix out dinner table like that <3

Dream Sequins said...

That copper tea kettle caught my eye!!

Bumpkin on a Swing said...

Although I love the copper dishes, I feel these women had way too much time on thier hands. The Captain is lucky if he gets a napkin and a fork. I could never be this good.

Bumpkin on a Swing said...

Although I love the copper dishes, I feel these women had way too much time on thier hands. The Captain is lucky if he gets a napkin and a fork. I could never be this good.

carolina @ patagonia gifts said...

oh yes, darling, I remember your white china obsession, haha! please don't tell me you are collecting Doris Day's china now! lol! xo

Cheryl Peters said...

Presently, I'm not into "setting the table."

I'm proud of the fact that I do still put plates and silverware out at meal times. I have other priorities. My husband is happy that I don't just throw the food on the tabletop. It's tempting though!!! :)

If I had more free time, a beautiful table would be fun to sit down to.

It was fun seeing at the look of times gone by.

Cheryl Peters said...

I peeked at your post of your stacks of creamy white dishes. You do have quite a collection!

My mother had a set of plain creamy white dishes that she used for as long as I can remember. The outer edge of each piece had three rows of "dimples" but no other pattern or color.

Thanks for bringing back a wonderful memory. Mom was a great cook. Nothing fancy, just lots of good home cooking. It's unfortunate that I haven't followed in her footsteps.

C'est La Vie said...

oh i love the yellow ones!

LenoreNeverM♡re said...

Never too late Shaddy, I used to hate cooking...now I lurrrve it!

Thank you everyone~xo*

Ela said...

Charming indeed!
I'm on the hunt for sweet retro vases!
xoxo

amourissima said...

I just adore it as well! My parents were married in the late 50's so my mother has piles of treasures like these which I covet.

Couture Carrie said...

Love this post, darling!
Makes me remember my grandma too!

xoxox,
CC

www.janetteria.com said...

Just amazing!


Seeker said...

OH Yes, mother (I've never met my grandma)also made
her own table linens, napkins and place-mats....
Feeling nostalgic....

Many blessings as always, dear!!

xoxo

Paige said...

i'm obsessed with place settings. i read antiquated etiquette books and become a complete tyrant when setting the table for special occasions. there's just something so wonderful about breaking out my mom's linen napkins and grandma's silver :)

stephiejane said...

i just love the vintage sets, how fun and creative! not stuffy at all :) love love love

Sam said...

Incredible! Yes, Doris Day would have swooned all over these table settings - I love that dove in the top ones too - no one ever puts a dove on their dinner table these days. These tables are fun! XOXO's

SabinePsynopsis said...

Ahhh, these amazing designs and colour combinations. And the table settings... something I should really learn!

drollgirl said...

this is so YOU!!!

and my late grandmother had an INSANE plate collection. or china. whatever you called it. she had dozens and DOZENS of sets of dishes. she also had textiles galore, and was a fantastic quilter. oh how i wish i could have her living room (minus the 20 siamese cats) and its amazing look.

Denisa L said...

wow, they are all so pretty;)

Andrea said...

Oh I LOvE those vintage dishes. I'd give up one of my grandmothers for a set...OH! Did I actually type that?! I was just kidding...ha hah ha! :|
Anyway! I love your great wall of China...I have mostly all white too. Though if I were to ever find a set like the 9th...Love that one...
xo
Andrea

Jan said...

I can understand the nostalgia.
None of this tableware looks familiar to me of course (different country)
Think you may have been born in the wrong era Lenore :)
(I do love Doris Day though) x

Amy said...

irly, if it's vintage, I will more than likely LOVE it! I heart vintage clothes, jewellery, Bakelite (as you know!), household stuff. I love it all!

And I loved this pics! Don't some of the floral arrangements look like they belong on a coffin (see photo #2!). A riot!

Caroline said...

Gosh no...I didn't even put tableware on my wedding registry. I like plain white (I know so boring). These are a kick for sure...such a throw back and very cool!

Laura Trevey said...

LOVE that top photo... where oh where do you find these :)

xoxo Laura

Cindy said...

i confess, i do love to set a nice table. these vintage place settings are great!

Jacob said...

oh heavens yes. i lovvvvve dishes, and china. especially vintage. im glad to hear your house is the same. i would love to see it! you are just wonderful in so many ways! so happy we are bloggy friends!
loves!
britt

Jaime @ laviejaime said...

Very Doris Day... :)

Erin Wallace said...

I love the melamine, the wheat, all of the pastels! Yes, very Doris Day!

Caroline said...

I love all of these ... every detail is accounted for!! XO

bunny, The Paris House said...

Oh Leonore I love each and everyone of these table settings. You have me dreaming of my grandparents home, I can picture them holding their martinis while Sinatra played in the background. They had the most amazing friends and style. All of these table settings are making me long for those days and that incredible incredible style.
Your grandmother sounds like she was amazing!
Have a joyful weekend
xoxo

Anonymous said...

*hand up!*
LOVE tablesettings... like, unhealthily so. One day, when I have a house, I want a pantry - for only the sake of filling it with dishes and barware and flatware and linens...

Anonymous said...

Beautiful!!!

the Citizen Rosebud said...

LOVE! They are so very charming.

Karen said...

Lenore, these certainly have their charm about them.. reminds me of tea parties and doll houses for some reason :) WOW your china collection is amazing!!! You could definitely open a restaurant with all that china but I think they are better off the way they are... pure and unused!

Charlotte said...

Sadly, I had missed this post you did in July last year. Glad you showed it here again though. Just reaffirms what I already thought. You have a fine collection of china and don't you even paint your dressers white to match the china? I myself have only a small set that was a present - before everything didn't match and my friends would have laughed at them!
Friends, where would we be without them?

Charlotte said...

DAMN subtext. When I was talking about my china I just meant my china. I wasnt talking about anything/one else. I never would call it old china anyway.

Brandi said...

I collect books and bakeware. I justify the latter by telling myself I need it for the baking business I probably won't ever start up because I'll just be in school forever, but a girl can have a fantasy, right? I have a feeling, once I have my own home and some open shelving, I may go crazy with table settings as well. And how I'd love to have a set like one of these.

Mr. Bluehaunt said...

Ha! I just found this post! I am glad you appreciate them as well. I have a set of the Branchell Flyte (the abstract bow ties). My "good china" is Metlox Aztec....but I must confess at one time I had well over a dozen sets of dishes.... :)

BonBon Rose Girls Kristin said...

Totally diggin' the aqua and yellow combo. I want to retrofy my tablescape!

Kitty Stampede said...

these are absolutely amazing. i love seeing all the unique color combinations and trends that were popular way back when..these are most excellent choices.

Christina said...

funny because i really love all the plates here. i've been finding vintage plates to display jewelery on and some of them look just like these!