What's in the China Cabinet?

I have been working on a long term project off and on to photograph and inventory all the special bits and pieces in the house so that after we are gone, the kids know where everything came from and whether it was an Ebay purchase or something inherited from relatives and ancestors. I have many different kinds of bits and pieces in my china cabinets. Everything in them is there for protection, however Hubby reminds me that, in a strong earthquake, that protection will disappear! I remember this vintage California Pottery Spanish dancer figurine from my childhood, it was my mother’s. It is marked S-quire Ceramics California, 107, Figurine by Zaida. It is hand painted ceramic and it was made sometime between 1943 and 1950 in Los Angeles. According to a relative online, Zaida was an amazing women, she was a fan dancer with Sally Rand and her father was a silent movie actor. She was also an animator for Disney and both Hanna Barbara and American Artists. 

I love the hand painted details, the flowers on the dress, the facial features, and the hibiscus flower in her hair.

This small 2” tall hand painted condiment jar came from my mother-in-law. It may have belonged to her mother.

It has the Rising Sun Nippon mark that was in use starting in 1911. Use of the word Nippon to mark Japanese porcelain made for export to the United States was done from 1891 to 1921 so that dates the production of this jar between 1911 and 1921. I need to find a tiny spoon to go with it.

This California Souvenir Plate was imported by The Rowland & Marcellus Co. of New York and it was made in Staffordshire, England. It was imported for A. Hamburger & Sons, Inc. in Los Angeles. I bought it in an antique mall many years ago when I was collecting souvenir plates from places that had special meaning for our family, where we were born, lived or visited. It was produced after 1891 when the Los Angeles Courthouse was built and before 1928 when the Catalina Casino construction started.

A. Hamburger & Sons, Inc. was founded in 1881 and later became The May Company. The company name was changed in 1908 to Hamburgers so this plate was probably made between 1891 and 1908.

This vintage Darn It, sock darning doll or egg was made by Cleminson Pottery in El Monte, California. They were called “Darning Dodos”. It belonged to my mother but I’m not sure if it was her mother’s as well. It has a chip in the top but I love it anyway. I remember watching my mother darn socks using this little darning doll. It dates to the early 1940’s. During World War II the company wrote this verse. “To mend our ways is dull, it's true, But Uncle Sam says 'make it do' So stitch in time, else you will rue it; Let this 'Darning Dodo' help you do it!”

As a child I was always fascinated by these tiny feet on the darning doll, such a unique addition!

My father was in the Army Air Corp and after World War II ended, he was stationed in Japan between late 1945 and 1946. He brought this gravy boat back to my mother from Japan. I remember it being used for gravy on every holiday table while I was growing up.

This is the only marking on the bottom of the gravy boat. It depicts Mount Fuji and a stream and my research indicates that it may be the Japanese mark for Fukagawa/Koransha porcelain made before World War II. Lots more in the cabinets so there will be more blog posts later.