Suddenly, it feels like Fall. It’s time to call on richer colours, and what better place to start than with what I think of as my “York” Ashworth Ironstone, named for where I acquired it. Long-time readers may recall the tale of how this set of antique plates and soup bowls found its way into our bags on a trip to England a few years back. Suffice it to say it led to acquiring an additional suitcase and a raised eyebrow at the check-in counter as the attendant applied “HEAVY” tags to our baggage before hauling them onto the conveyor belt.
Though highly inconvenient all around, I’ve never regretted the acquisition. I love the navy and rust combination; it’s a perfect transition palette, and it always looks so happy on the shelves of our china cabinet in the Cape.
You may be more familiar with the name Mason’s Ironstone; both were very famous in their own right. Ashworth joined forces with Mason’s Ironstone in the mid-19th century. From 1859-1862, the combined company traded publicly as Morley & Ashworth before assuming the name G.L. Ashworth & Brothers for over a hundred years (1862-1968); the Ashworth brand reverted to “Mason’s Ironstone China.” The company was sold to the Wedgwood Group in 1973.
The pattern has typical Imari elements of vases and peonies…
…pagodas and bridges.
We’re approaching the autumn equinox, and the shrinking daylight is noticeable. Chrysanthemums abound at roadside vegetable stands. Seeded greenery from the hedgerow made a lush base for the centrepiece. For a colourful arrangement, I added green-tinged hydrangeas and mums in shades of rust and red.
My trusty amber spiral water glasses from Williams Sonoma years ago teamed up with vintage Amber-stemmed Julia goblets from Tiffin-Franciscan.
The urns are modern. I got the pair from Pier 1 a few years ago, and they’ve proved quite versatile.
One of them made a lovely centrepiece for the Whimsical Automobiles table.
So cosy! I return to this set again and again. It looks great in the summer when the turquoise is highlighted.
Or with just white and blue.
However it’s set, it’s a welcome addition to the table.
Happy Fall, everyone!
Definitely a fall day and not a day for a picnic!! This centerpiece definitely pulls everything together especially the amber glassware. Those dishes are so pretty and elegant. Another winner by Helen.
Thanks, Maura. A real pea-souper, wasn’t it? What a day! Nice to hunker down and enjoy the changing season.
Fall is my favorite time of the year by far. Lovely table!! This year 2020, I think I’ve looked forward to Autumn nip in the air more than ever before.
It’s my favourite time of year, too. While I love the lazy-hazy days of summer, the crisp temperatures of fall are very welcome.
So hard to chose a favorite in stemware with these delicately colorful china. I guess amber glasses always zing my heart strings. Funny though, I also have several heights of Pier 1 cobalt blue drinkware too.
It is interesting to note what we actually use, isn’t it? Cobalt blue is hugely versatile. I resisted the blue/white trend for a long time because it seemed everyone used it. But I’ve come over to the blue side. 🙂
Very pretty table Helen! Fall is definitely on the horizon. How nice to have such versatile dishes that go with almost every season. The centerpiece is beautiful too – I can just see a hint of the vessel it is in and it looks very intriguing… Hope you have a wonderful long weekend!
Happy Labour Day weekend to you, too, Kim! I hope you have something fun planned. 🙂
Dear Helen,
I like to see how you pull just 2 colours out of the jumble of yellow, green, blue, purple, amber, red…and make it look so simple. The “smaller” colours just step back. I love the round place mats here, especially the colour, but I find that many of them leave no room for spoons, alas.
What I found most interesting in this setting is that I would have placed the W/S amber goblet above the knife, with the Julia diagonally to its right…although the Julia is the (taller) water glass, the amber glass has so much more heft that to my eye it deserves a place nearer the setting. (Wish I’d snagged a couple of those before my exile from Mark & Graham websites. They still have no intention of restoring website access to non-US buyers, apparently.) Your photos also remind me that I should cover another otherwise-boring container with moss…great for all seasons!
We are bringing in the 12″ Annabelle hydrangea flower-balls soon for drying, and the hazelnuts are starting to drop…and one of these days we are off to St- Emilion on our way westward.
I never really thought about the colour choices to emphasize, Beatrice, but you’re right about how the other colours do just “step back”. If you use too many of them you get. Tutti-frutti effect.
It’s very odd that Williams Sonoma has elected to shun Europe, isn’t it? And very inconvenient. I notice when I’m overseas, I can’t even pull up the sites.
Enjoy your dried hydrangea! I’m tucking some aside here and will do the same thing when we reach home. They’re invaluable for indoor decor throughout the winter. Such a marvelous shade of green – it goes with almost everything.
Helen, the china and glassware are stunning, but that is a pretty awesome floral centerpiece too.
Thanks, Annie! The flowers were pretty simple to procure – either from the garden or the grocery store/Trader Joe’s.