Teacup Tuesday

Hello everyone,
Once again I am participating in Teacup Tuesday and I thought I would start with the cup that started it all.
I really never intended to collect teacups - my niece was the families Premier Teacup Collector at the time - oh I had a few chipped cups I picked up cheap at auctions to use in craft projects - but that was all.
One day my mother and I were out shopping for Christmas presents and we decided to do the easiest first and Headed to Princeton, Illinois; to a place called Hoffman's Patterns of the Past this place carries all kinds of replacement china and a wide assortment of collectable teacups. Mom and I were lost for hours as we browsed our way through all the racks of china.
When we met up again to head home mom had a shopping bag as apposed to the single bag I carried - when asked she just said she couldn't decide so bought them all to send at different times to the granddaughter. - I thought that a little strange since she usually misplaced things if she bought to far ahead -but at Christmas you try not to pry too much.
Well that Christmas I found this cup under my tree. She was so proud of herself and the purchase I didn't have the heart to tell her it was a rather impractical gift since I had no place to show it off and keep it safe.
I had two cats at the time and the youngest was able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, so nowhere was safe. In fact that cat had made it to the top of my kitchen cabinets and broke one that was in pretty fair shape I got at an auction. My son informed me that at least he got the mouse he was chasing so all was well with the world.
So this cup sat wrapped up in my closet till my older years - when I could afford a china cabinet.


The bottom reads, Golden Crown E&R Fine Bone China, Made in England. I don't think it was an antique when she bought it; but it's working on it now. I think its about 20 years old.


To continue the story, Mom gifted me with this pretty little one with pink roses for my birthday that same year. It has the same markings on the bottom as the other one.

Now that I have a few China Cabinets to call my own these two cups have a place of honor. Too bad Mom is no longer here with us to see them displayed at last.

Thank you so much for coming by and sharing my teacup story.

Hugs,
Penny