{1930s Camille Tharaud Limoges Shaker for dusting YOUR Cappuccino's with Cocoa}

Today I like to share a great tip with you for using Dutch processed Cocoa to dust off your Cappuccino! Here I show a 1930s French Camille Tharaud Limoges Shaker that is just perfect for that purpose!

The Blue, White and Gold stripes will blend with almost any type of china. If you want to copy this, make sure to fill your shaker with the best cocoa around, my all time favorite, also for baking, is Droste Cocoa! Available Vander Veen's The Dutch Store. 

For a decorative or romantic touch, you can use a heart shaped stencil for dusting your cocoa.

1930s Art Deco Camille Tharaud Limoges Shaker you also can see at French porcelaine. Further it is in the Art Deco Limoges Camille Tharaud and other Ceramists book on page 78. I will place a link and picture beside this post. This rare 1930s shaker is available at: Spectrenoir.

The 1930s Camille Tharaud Limoges shaker is shown here on a Japanese tray with a cup & saucer in a Royal Doulton English Rose pattern. Just click on the name to go to Replacements Ltd for this 1930s china.

Spoon is gold plated and from Douwe Egberts, in The Netherlands. With such a gold rim china I love to use those 4" French gold foil lace doilies.

Here the Camille Tharaud Limoges shaker is shown with some more English Rose china from Royal Doulton, and also some Christofle pieces.

Camille Tharaud Limoges shaker together with the Christofle toast rack that I have shown here.

This precious shaker is in perfect shape; no damage whatsoever and the gold is not faded either.

Here the Camille Tharaud shaker is shown together with page 78 in the book.

This 2005 book is a Schiffer Book for Collectors With Price Guide

Hope you learned something about how to use a shaker for Cocoa.

Sorry Sold Out...

{Victoria Magazine: Knife Rests Old and New}

From my favorite Victoria Magazine I had saved these two pages that I love to share with you. Some readers have indicated as never having seen knife rests before. Well, they have been around for quite a while. For your convenience I will re-type the text here below the images. For sale at my: Spectrenoir you can view several silver plated French knife rests from Christofle. Replacements Ltd. does have some crystal ones from Lalique, France and such.

Polished and Gleaming

Knife Rests Old and New

Amid the cruets and crystal on  a formal table, every proper Victorian hostess would have

set out—to the right of each place—a gleaming knife rest: an artful little bar that handily

propped up knives to keep the tablecloth spotless. Rendered in such rich materials as cut

glass, silver, and bone, rests came in a wonderful array of elegant and whimsical shapes.

Whether newly minted or antique (now the province of collectors round the world), these

charming accessories can still add a note of festivity to any well-appointed table.

PHOTOGRAPHS STARR OCKENGA

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS SUZY TAYLOR, LESLIE VALENTINE

Among French novelist Marcl Proust's recollections is one of a darkened dining room where

knife rests of prismatic glass cast "a multicolored fire as beautiful as the windows of Chartres."

Although knife rests came into use as table manners evolved in the 18th century, it was not

until nearly a century later that most middle-class families had two sets, one for the carving

utensils and another for the table. All the household catalogs offered them,

from Montgomery Ward to Harrod's.

Antiques, above left (top photo), from the collection of Uly Thompson, range from a Britannia

and silver-plate rest for a carving set (top), to a butter-knife rest with its own knife (bottom top

 photo), which came as a set of four nestled in its own velvet-lined case—a real find. Says Uly,

"I have a particular soft spot for those with figures perched at each end, such as the soldier

and sailor playing tug-of-war, which is extremely rare."

Contemporary choices, above, are no less captivating—witness Waterford's heart-shaped

crystal rest with cake knife and Saint Louis's four-bubble rendering. Traditional designs are

captured by Saint Louis in a thistle pattern, that dates back 120 years.

Daum's mimosas recall the rare colored-glass examples of the 19th century,

while Yamazaki's gold-plated version with inlay (center) doubles card holder,

a design that would undoubtedly have delighted the Victorians.

Antique linens, Fabric of Society.

♥♥

I certainly feel proud for being able to offer you several French knife rests sets from Christofle in my Zen Cart powered on line Boutique.

Artedona is also still selling sets of four silver plated knife rests "Vertigo"

{Set of 8 Antique Christofle Knife Rests with 4-Balls}

Perfect Antique Christofle silver plated knife rests in a set of 8. 

'Prestigious commissions from royalty and heads of state, including King Louis-Philippe and Napoleon III, and the supply of silver for grand hotels, ocean liners, trains and airlines bear witness to the house's success and reputation. The most respected French and European museums have pieces by Christofle in their permanent collections as well as it has for years at Christofle Heritage.

So, if you cannot vacation on such a luxury ocean liner, or on the Orient Express nor stay at grand hotels; there is still a chance for creating that romantic touch inside your own home! Just go to my Spectenoir←click it. Christofle knife rests are very rare and at present not even available at Replacements Ltd. 

This Table Setting is with Royal Albert Princess Anne and is available at Replacements Ltd. The Flatware is by Gero Zilmeta 528 Menuet. Napkin with rose in ton-sur-ton is by Le Jacquard Français.

These oval and round Christofle napkin rings are all sold out...

These 8 knife rests are in perfect condition!

They rest on 2 of their 4 balls; 4-boules.

Hall mark from Christofle France on all 8.

Top left you can see this 4-boules model.

Sorry Sold out...

{Antique Christofle Toast Rack + New Ideas for You!}

Probably you will pick up an idea or two for putting a toast rack to more uses. Have you ever served waffles in them for a breakfast in bed or a lazy Sunday brunch? Look at this photo from an old Victoria magazine where you can see the example. 

Bet you like that!

Here you see an antique silver plated Christofle Toast Rack being put to use as a card or letter holder.

This one was available at my Zen Cart powered on line boutique: Mariette's Back to Basics. 

This 1912-1914 model does have 4 slots.

And yes, I picked fresh blueberries today from our garden...

Using my English Rose by Royal Doulton China. The hyperlink will bring you straight to Replacements Ltd.

From Table to Desk...

Next tip is to use the toast rack for holding napkins! Folded into a triangle seen here are cocktail napkins that can be used for a tea or hors d'oeuvres.

Of course you can easily fold in two napkins per slot, I used only one for each opening.

Here you can see it without anything inside...

The Christofle hall mark and that number 7 in a square frame stands for 7 grams of pure silver laid on the alloy (probably brass).

To the right there are more numbers.

From an old Christofle catalog.

Shown is one with 6 openings, it was available in two sizes.  

Sorry Sold out...

{Our Ehrlicheer, 1934 - Richly Fragrant Daffodils}

Today I had a vase filled with our Ehrlicheer, 1934, richly fragrant daffodils.

They are available at Heirloom Daffodil Bulbs ← click it.

The china is Sanssouci Rose from Rosenthal ← click it. It is available at Replacements Limited.

You have to call ahead of time for enjoying some home made chocolates or Amaretti cookies!

In the back you can still see our {My ROZALEA® CORAL PINK birthday gift} in bloom on the kitchen windowsill.

The chairs in the kitchen are from IKEA, see: {Our new IKEA Nordmyra Chairs}.

Home made chocolate hearts and Amaretti cookies...

May spring time arrive soon to each of you and brighten your days with flowers.

{Our Garden's Winter Blooms for Christmas}

On December 22nd we had these fragrant Chimonanthus praecox (Calycanthus p.) (C. fragrans) in bloom. We'd bought this shrub on October 19 of 1992 at Woodlanders and for years we have enjoyed the extreme fragrant blooms. It is called Wintersweet; Winterzoet in Dutch and Winterblüte in German. 

Together with some Paperwhites from our garden and Ilex decidua 'Finches Golden' a yellow berried Ilex, also from Woodlanders, here shown in a vase.

Perfect in the Mandalay Chartreuse vase by Mason, see also in my previous blog: {Fragrant Double Narcissus Obdam} 

from: Mandalay Chartreuse by Mason's at +Replacements, Ltd. 

 

How timely for Christmas!

 This authentic hand carved wooden nativity scene is from South Tirol, Italy.

As well as the angels above.

Doily is hand crocheted by my sister-in-law, Elly Van den Munckhof.

♥

Merry Christmas!

Related link: Christie's Mandalay by Masons showing you the Mandalay by Mason, as is my vase above...

{Rare Antique Léonard Bernardaud (1856-1923) Limoges Lamp}

A very rare and unique find from France... being only available at my Zen Cart powered on line boutique.

• This is a beautiful, fine white porcelain Limoges lamp with high glaze from the famous Léonard Bernardaud who lived from 1856-1923. 
• In EXCELLENT condition and it has been wired by my husband and handyman Pieter. 
• This in order to change it from French to American wiring. 
• An Energy Saving light bulb, for going green, has been placed in it, together with a brand new white fabric lamp shade with harp.
• Undoubtedly you all know the modern day Bernardaud Lithopane: {French Bernardaud Votive Roses} <(click) lamps.
• 
• The porcelain pattern is called 'VINCENNES' and Replacements Ltd. <(click) does have this in the color purple in their china listing. Vincennes is a beautiful Château in Paris, France. 
• A blogger friend Chantal, just happened to write a blog about Château Vincennes <(click)

Showing you the lovely cobalt blue pattern. At my on line boutique: Mariette's Back to Basics <(click it) you can find the measurements of this beauty. 
FREE SHIPPING within the USA: spectrenoir just click link.
A true French Country Style TREASURE!

For the info about these Bernardaud Limoges Porcelain Marks click on the hyperlink.

See above Théodore Bernardaud porcelain B & Cie marks sale from Christie's <(click it) and check the value. 

Bernardaud marks

History link

On page 96 in the Collectors Encyclopedia of Limoges Porcelain you will find all the info, history and marks of Bernardaud.

Sold out...