Nankin is a Royal Doulton pattern from the 1920s and 1930s, although Replacements lists the pattern as active from 1879 to 1902. Either way, it’s not dishwasher safe :).
The octagonal shape of the pieces along with the bold cobalt and lime green Arts & Crafts style decor appealed to me instantly.
The pattern features blue printed under the glaze with hand applied colour on top. The plates are edged in a deep green, and while the cobalt, French blue and lime green are the real standout colours, the touches of purple and rust are warm additions.
It’s a relatively difficult pattern to track down. I ended up buying two separate lots of five dinner plates in two slightly different sizes on eBay from vendors in England. The larger plate is 10 3/8″ and the smaller is just 10″. It’s not really noticeable on the table unless you’re looking for it, but evident when you stack the plates.
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- Nankin Octagonal Vegetable Dish
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- Handle Detail
I was lucky enough to snag a covered vegetable bowl from Replacements in addition to the plates. The detail on the handles is beautiful, as is the unusual octagonal shape.
The pattern is quite bold, and I elected to style the table very simply. A true navy was needed to support the deep, deep cobalt, so I went with a navy runner from Pier 1 couple of years ago and straw placemats from Home Goods this year.
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- Hollyhocks, PeeGee and Annabelle Hydrangea
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- Spode Green Transferware Ironstone Pitchers
The hollyhocks were blooming and the Annabelle Hydrangea were just on the edge of turning green, so I combined them with some PeeGee hydrangea to create simple white bouquets. Spode Fitzhugh Green pitchers coordinated well with the Nankin.
I found these little opaline open salts at The Source Collection. They come in several colours, including this vivid green, perfect for this table. They have a lot of different salt containers, (many of them also available at Vagabond House at better prices, so do your homework). 🙂
The rest of the table is styled quite starkly with plain, clear goblets and simple white napkins (all from Pottery Barn many years ago, I believe).
Tigger, exhausted from observing my exertions, prepares to take a nap.
It’s lovely to reminisce about the lovely summer we enjoyed had as the weather begins to turn nippy. You can just see Tigger over to the right, still awake, amazingly.
I’m sharing this post with Between Naps on the Porch.
What a lovely pattern and unusual shapes! That’s what I love about antique and vintage tableware — I find it to be so much more interesting and colorful than the endless monotone patterns popular now.
There is a lot of neutral these days, that’s for sure!
Your salt cellars make be drool! I love anything with lime green, so your china is a winner in my book, too. How blessed you are to have serving pieces to match! Your hydrangea and hollyhocks make a beautiful centerpiece. It’s wonderful – all of it!
Thanks Kim! The hollyhocks didn’t last long and started drooping pretty quickly, but I was very pleased to get them in the shot. They’re among my favorite flowers :). lime green is a fun colour to work with, isn’t it? Especially paired with the deep blues.
Nice table. Lots of nice parts and having a simple arrangement really allows the dishes to shine. My favorite line was that Tigger was exhausted from watching you work. What a beautiful cat. How weird it is that your plates are not the same size.
Tigger is such a clown. He’s 16 years old now and slowing down a bit. :(. I think the plates are officially a dinner and a luncheon size, but very close in size. Thanks for stopping by Lorri! Always nice to hear from you! HK
My Grandmother was very formal and always had fabulous style. I can imagine she would approve of your choices here. Octagonal china reminds me of her, so stylish and elegant, setting formal holiday table often with her Old Leeds Spray china. Don’t tell on me but I like your pattern even better. So very pretty!!
Oh – I quite like the Leeds Spray! The reds are very striking. I notice from the Replacements listing they have the two sizes of the dinner plates, in this pattern also – the 10 1/8 and 9 5/8. I wonder why they did that? The difference is so trifling.
You’re fortunate to have the covered vegetable casserole dish. Always the really elegant piece, I think, that makes the table extra special. Grandma’s covered dish in Old Leeds Spray is a beloved family hierloom at my brother’s house and used for special occasion dinners.
I really enjoy the octagonal shape on the vegetable dish. It’s so distinctive.