CHASING THE BLUES

April 05, 2018

CHASING THE BLUES

MORE IS MORE
Some simply can't get enough of a good thing.
And in the case of things most fabulous - the
rarer the better. When Marco Polo first visited
China in the thirteenth century - he returned
with lots of new ideas. Chinese noodles soon
inspire what is now deemed the most Italian
of fare - pasta. But blue and white porcelain
became the most coveted of Chinese delights.
Elegant, light, and durable - westerners were
unable to replicate it's secret recipe until the
eighteenth century. Hence collections of blue
and white porcelain such as the one in Berlin's
Charlottenburg Palace were for the rich only.

BLUE NOTES
Like most rarities, soon everybody was
trying to knock off the stuff. And by the
late seventeenth century, blue and white
mania consumed much of the European
world. In Holland delftware was crafted
to replicate rarities unavailable to most.
In England humble potters like Josiah
Wedgwood did everything possible to
knock off the stuff. Not to be outdone -
the Portuguese enrobed entire buildings
and rooms in blue and white "azulejos."
Gorgeous ceramic copy cats of ancient
Chinese secrets. And it was fabulous!

SHARE THE LOVE
When I first met Frank, it was love at first sight.
Bagging said man was well worth the effort. But
fortunately his collection of blue and white came
along with the bargain. Said melange of Chinese,
Japanese, and Korean beauties is one of the first
thing one sees upon entering our home. However
that isn't where we draw the blue and white line.
One section of our collection of tabletop goodies
within what many call the "great wall of china"
is dedicated to blue and white varieties. And my
favorite is Adams "Chinese Bird with People."
A tried and true English transfer ware pattern
that dishes it out in the most fabulous of ways.

PUT A LID ON IT
No wonder some of our most prized favorites
in the shop are blue and white. While beyond
tempted to keep things for ourselves - we try
to resist temptation on a daily basis. Consider
these beyond fabulous Qing dynasty temple
jars with foo lids. Standing at twenty seven
inches high - they're decorated with a dragons
and clouds that symbolize the power to make
rain. Might I suggest that you make hay while
the sun shines? If they don't sell soon, Frank
may take them home! Fortunately we've lots
of blue and white goodies in the store. Well,
at least as of now. Better stop and shop soon!