The German Dresser…

The German Dresser…

Hi there

Thanks for popping in. Friday’s blog a private peek, right? Well, how about a little looksie in our old German dresser? It has pride of place in our kitchen. Nothing valuable per se – but oh! This old dresser has been around the houses, I can tell you!

I bought it back when I was living in Nürnberg in the 80’s, from an antiques dealer in Fürth. It was the first piece of ‘proper’ furniture I invested in, having settled for IKEA flatpack stuff until then. It has been to California and back with me, it has survived kids, dogs, cats, floods and multiple moves – and it is still such a pretty, old, well-loved pine piece!

Let’s move in a little closer, shall we?

There are the kids! On the top shelf there’s a lovely porcelain tea set. Serenity it’s called. And a Cornish piece of pottery from sister-in-law Barb. Can you see the little card peeping out ? Ahhh. Do you hang on to all the little notes from your kids? I do. Those 2 magnificent coffee cups on the lower shelf are French. They were a gift to me from friends in Aix-en-Provence, when I stayed with them back in the 80’s.

And what can we see through the left window? Ah yes. A wonderful old Mocha coffee set from my German Oma. The glass pudding dishes on the lower level are from her too. We really ought to use them again. I just worry about breaking them…

And the middle window?

Well, there’s Dave and myself on our wedding day. And there’s a very nice Rosenthal antique bowl with a lid at the back. And a very modern Rosenthal vase behind the photo. (I always liked Rosenthal when I lived in Germany). Nothing goes together, but the memories are far more important then style. Spot the tiny walnut basket! Maggie Craner‘s daughter Rebecca made that!

My most precious thing here is that old sugar bowl with the orange knob. It was my Oma’s. I guess I value these things immensely, because I remember how very little the family actually had in Post-War Germany. They had fled from East Germany and left everything. EVERYTHING except the clothes on their backs. So I know how prized these things of no real value were to them when they started to rebuild their lives and their home.

Now what is this on the lower shelf that I do spy? Could that be Potty Barbie again? Oh yes! I tried my hand at throwing porcelain – and it is currently my most favourite thing to do!!

I wedged some grog into the porcelain, which is like very fine black grit – hence the speckles. Clear glaze on the inside only.

LOVE THIS LOOK AND FEEL!!

I cannot wait till the wheel is installed downstairs here, below the SHAC-Shack! I can almost taste it!!! Have already got the porcelain, but must buy some grog. I would like to try and make a set of 4 soup bowls the same. Now there’s a challenge! None of the ones here are even remotely similar!!

So there you have it. A little peep into an old dresser, filled with love and memories of the past, of wonderful people and beautiful German ceramics. Nothing of any great value, everything of immense value to me.

Nothing and everything.

Love and Hugs

Barb xxx

46 thoughts on “The German Dresser…

    1. A wonderful tour round your beautiful dresser. Such precious memories. Your new thrown pottery bowls look great, a master potter in the making. Take care, see you soon xxx

  1. A proper dresser full of wonderful memorie. Priceless.And I love your porcelain, gorgeous colours and I love the variety of shapes

  2. How wonderful to have all those treasured memories through the generations right in the heart of your home. I am sure that you continue to add to the memories in the years to come.

  3. Hello Barbara
    Love it. Nothing of great value but everything is priceless. I have an orange coffee set which my mother bought for her mother (my Ba-Ba) with her very first week’s wages. This must have been about 1930-1932. I don’t think it has ever been used as they were all tea drinkers, lol.
    Love
    Roz.xxx

  4. Lovely to see in your dresser. I know what you mean about being frightened to use something, in case you break it – I broke the coffee pot to a gorgeous Royal Dolton coffee set on Wednesday. A wedding present to my parents 65 years ago. Very sad. Have a good weekend. See you on Sunday on the TV xx

  5. Oh Barbara what a fantastic piece of furniture full of precious memories old and new. Love your porcelain. You are such a very clever lady and my, what a celebrity you looked on your wedding day. Love and hugs have a great weekend

  6. Hi Barbara
    What a lovely trip around your beautiful piece of furniture. You have some great memories there, all of them priceless. Yes I’m a note keeper too, great isn’t it. I love your pottery and it’s in the rightful place being in the dresser with the other special pieces. Hope you get your wheel soon, good times ahead.
    Love Diane xx

  7. Love your dresser. I bought a lovely big Dutch dresser when we lived there in mid 90s, that also has travelled and ended up in Scotland. I now live in modern house but I still like to mix old with new. I also have a mixture of things on my dresser including a pottery children’s tea set which my grandma bought for me- no broken pieces and is definitely an antique now – like myself 😂

  8. I’m glad we have reverted to the original plan. I love your dresser and it’s contents. Looking forward to the new quote stamps soon.
    Love
    Maggie (Bendy Yorkite)
    PS I don’t really do facebook, twitter etc. How’s your Mum (capital M)

  9. Lovely insight into your dresser. I love all my bits and pieces most off which have bee gifts and I know where each one is from. Only a few are things I’ve picked up here and there, just memories of a holiday usually. Can’t wait to see all your porcelain makes – the bowls are lovely and I like the grit effect. Have a good weekend. X

  10. Hi Barbara that was a lovely post to read. I love your dresser and how it reminds you of so many happy memories. I have notes and drawings by our daughter she was always rather creative. Have a great weekend. Take care. Hugs xxx

  11. I feel like that about our dining room table, bought in a second hand shop when we first got together, been ours now for 40 years, so many occasions happy and sad with the food laid out and the family all around it, many no longer with us and now a great grandchild to join us, I have been asked why dont you buy a modern one, no chance!

  12. A beautiful dresser with lots of treasures in it.
    My mum had a Rosenthal dinner plates and bowls, but they are gone to someone else-her granson.
    Beautiful wedding picture and I like your hair short cut…it makes you younger.
    Love your pottery you have made and hope your pottery wheel will be installed soon.
    Have a great weekend
    Greetings, Trijntje Huppel

  13. Such pretty things and everyone of them holds a memory. I think it’s why we find it hard to get rid of things.
    Have a great weekend on the telly!
    Love and hugs xxx

  14. You’re as sentimental as me, Barb. It’s lovely to have things belonging to previous generations because of the memories attached to them, Barb, and you are now creating things for your own family which will have just as many memories attached. Have a lovely weekend. Lots of love. Hxx

  15. Love your dresser with all the memories that it holds. We have a similar unit but it is not as old with a matching bookcase that has lots of little things from all over the world. Brought back from holidays or gifts from the children & grandchildren.
    OH wanted to get rid of them all but I stood my ground & put them back on the shelves after we had decorated the lounge & dining room at the beginning of the year.

  16. Oh Barbara, what memories and treasures. I know how you feel about it. I have a China cabinet full of precious memories, none of monetary value but mean the world to me. Grannies posh teaset down to son and daughters wedding placements. Cut glass glasses from mum and my plastic polar bears. All previous. Bet your heart gladdens everytime you look into your dresser. Simple things make life feel good. Enjoy. X

  17. How wonderful – I don’t have anything from my Austrian Oma but I can visualise everything that she had in her dresser. So lovely that you have that special dresser and contents! Real treasures!

    Loving your pottery can’t wait to see what you make when your wheel all set up – how exciting.

  18. Looks lovely and the pottery is excellent, nice to have memories that you can see. We have a similar unit but the top part is my husband’s bookcase for all his cookery books, I have another display cabinet full of bits collected over the years or bought by our son when he was a child, we couldn’t see them very well in the first unit as they were small

  19. I used to keep lots of bits and bobs but really am trying to rationalise my keepsakes as I get older. Still have the memories, but with no kids to hand things on to we’re being ruthless and just keeping beautiful or functional pieces. Much less to dust!!!

  20. What a lovely post and thank you for sharing such lovely memories.
    My crystal gin and tonic glass is the last remaining one from a set my in laws received as a wedding present in 1937. I swear it makes it taste better!
    Your pottery is looking beautiful too. Have a good weekend. Hugs. Annette. X

  21. Thanks you for such a personal peek. It was such a delight to see the items and hear their stories. Once your wheel is installed I wonder if we’ll see you again for the first few months!!! It will be a wonderful distraction from all the other things going on in your life at any one time. We do expect to see the results too!! Have a lovely weekend.

  22. Wonderful memories. Priceless. I spent most of yesterday going through a big box of photographic slides. Found some of my grandparents, going to get prints made then label them so our kids know who they all are. X

  23. Love your dresser and its contents, lots of memories there.
    All my memories are in my head and the few pieces I was supposed to inherit as the eldest grand daughter were redistributed to other members of the family by my mother.
    I remember my great Gran had a wonderful dresser with all sorts of knick knacks on it. It was huge and a real treasure trove for a careful little girl to be allowed to handle things.
    My most treasured (and only) item from the past is my Dad’s best trilby hat. No monetary value, just happy memories of him.
    Your pottery is great and with your own kiln and other potting gear I am sure those soup bowls will not be long coming.
    Enjoy your weekend. Stay safe,

  24. Such beautiful objects, and such wonderful memories. I love the little lustre? jug, with the pink flowers, in the middle window!
    My mum collects cream jugs – she’d love yours!
    Your pottery looks flippin’ amazing – Keith Brymer Jones would be impressed!
    I have lots of little pieces, mostly worthless, monetary wise, but priceless to me – just wish I had a gorgeous old dresser to display them 😉.

  25. Thanks for a peep into your beautiful dresser, full of beautiful treasures and memories, and your lovely pottery. Interesting that your grandparents fled with nothing from East Germany. We can only imagine their terror. Good luck with the kiln etc., I loved pottery too. Remember each piece is made with love, like our art work and will be treasured by you and your family, whether they match or not!. I find should have made three of everything, including art work! My children will have to draw lots one of these days. Great that they now appreciate those works of mine and will treasure them. X

  26. How lovely to have a sneak peek xx I have lots of little things like you that have no monetary value but have many memories and value is priceless to me xx thank you Barbara xx

  27. Lovely look at your priceless keepsakes Barbara. I don’t keep little notes but do have 2 Christmas bubbles one made by my granddaughter 20years ago and the other by my grandson 7 years later it looks nothing like a bauble but has pride of place on the tree each year. Also a clay red Dragon which was given to me by a young Saturday girl that worked with me it must be 30 years ago and is treasured. Have a good weekend see you on Monday.

  28. I also have a cabinet full of bits and pieces which have memories attached to them and I am using and I am still using an old colander which belonged to my Nan, nothing fancy some sort of metal but not much shine left on it, but it reminds me when I saw it used in the kitchen when I was a child. My mother had it and now I do. I love your dresser full of treasures Barbara and look forward to seeing some porcelain bowls being turned out on your own wheel, and I’m sure they will become family treasures too. x

  29. Lovely to see your treasured bits and pieces beautiful memories, thank you. I have lots of bits too and when I spring clean the cabinets and the crockery gets a wash it makes me quite emotional. I have a teapot set that looks like houses from the 5o’s bought by my parents for my grandmother it still has some little dolls house food items in it that I had as a child. Also things our children bought us or made when they were small. I have notes from my parents too but not in the cabinet. Mum wrote notes in her late years as she wasnt able to speak but they are all so treasured. Such beautiful memories. Bet you can’t wait for your kiln to be set up. xxx

  30. What a fascinating piece of furniture with such wonderful memories. I have a unit holding my collection of teacups & saucers; and a bookcase with a collection of memories (as well as books; oh and a printers tray full of miniature trinkets – all gifts over the years. Every time we decorate, it all gets stashed away but I can’t bear to discard any of it. In various nooks and crannies around the house there are about 100 paperweights too!!!!! I really must stop “collecting” !

  31. Hi Barb, as the saying goes, just imagine if inanimate objects could talk and tell of their history. Thank you for sharing these treasures with us. We have recently done some clearing out, and whilst there was stuff we had to get rid of, there is other stuff that I will just never part with. Fortunately we found matching units to one gifted to us by very good neighbours on ebay, so we now have enough display space for things that mean so much to us. Take care and stay safe everyone. Bx

  32. Hi Barb,
    Love your Blog reading about your beautiful dresser and precious contents. Your pottery pieces are so good and look forward to hearing all about your studio when it’s complete and up and running. Lots of pieces you have made to be treasured by your family.
    Looking forward to the shows on Hochanda xx

  33. Such a lovely blog. I’ve got an old dresser that was my great grandmother’s – it’s tucked away in the corner of a toom we don’t use much at the moment, but I’ve got plans to renovate it and bringing back into the heart of the family. Hope all your planning for tomorrow’s shows is well under control

  34. But it does all go together because they are beautiful things that are special to you. It is no surprise that I like clarity because I like all your nice things.

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