Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Graniteware



This cup holds great
summertime memories for me.





When I was little, we had a set
of six of these and in the summer,
we would drink iced tea, lemonade,
Lemon Blennd*  or soda from them.

(* Does anyone know what Lemon Blennd is!!???)






No one else I ever knew had them.
They are not small and measure probably 5" across the top.

Let me tell you....
there is just something
special about drinking a cold drink
 from a tin cup.





As I got older and moved away after college,
 I never really thought about those graniteware
cups again..... until one day, my sweet sister, Tara,
offered me some iced tea when I was visiting her home.

"HEY!
Where did you get these????
Did Mom give them to you?
I LOVED these cups!!!"

Then Tara, being Tara said,
"Oh, did you want them?
You can have them."

I of course would not take them.
They were hers!
I don't have any blue in my house anyway.
My mom gave me a big blue graniteware tray.

Tara had a big green one.
We swapped since she had the blue mugs.

I have looked on and off for years
to find some large graniteware
mugs like Tara's set.
They are HARD to FIND!

Until Sunday.....
I found this entire set
of green mugs with lids, (weird I know!)
and they came with a teapot and
 they match my Mom's green tray
that I have.




I am so excited.

The whole set....
 lids, cups and teapot  -- the set was
TWENTY DOLLARS.
WhooHoo!




I hugged the man that sold them to me.
I really did. He didn't see THAT coming!




Now my family gets to
have their summer drinks
in cold tin cups.

Brand new old-fashioned memories.



Do you collect graniteware?






30 comments:

Amy Chalmers said...

Love this! Wow, you got a nice looking set complete with tray!? You are rolling these days.

Live Better For Less said...

These are beautiful! I remember my great-grandmother having tin cups many, many, years ago....and, yes, there is something special having a cold drink in them. Do you remember the tall, silver tin cups? They were great for iced tea.

It's always a good day when you find what you have been looking for...I posted a similar post a few days ago.

Snowflakes & Dragonflies said...

Yes I do collect graniteware! The old gray stuff, it's so much fun looking for unusual pieces.

Tee of Vinnord Cottage said...

oh I just love it when that happens!!! Lucky you :) I had the same experience once with a xmas-tree-topper-star... lol... the poor man probably had a heart attack :)

I love old enamelwear, I have never seen this granit pattern before though!

Salmagundi said...

I love graniteware, but don't have any. What a great find - they were meant to be yours. Sally

Whimsy said...

I come across random pieces of graniteware while at estate sales and auctions but rarely a complete set!! Don't you love the excitement when you find a treasure!! Have a great week - love your blog!!

Pamela Gordon said...

Wow, these are gorgeous! How lucky you were to find them. I wonder if the covers are to keep bugs out since they are really for camping and campfires right? Or, to keep your coffee and hot chocolate warm (and bug free). Just a thought. They look great on the tray! I have a few pieces of graniteware, but mostly it's big stuff, no dishes.

Sarah said...

Alison, this truly makes me smile. Your new set is terrific. I've not seen graniteware in green.
Right before the 4th of July I was looking for some large graniteware serving bowls for our party. They needed to be just the right size to fit in a MacKenzie-Childs server that I had purchased. I went on a search with the first stop at a local thrift store. No large serving bowls, but I walked out with a large tray, 22 plates, a small bowl, sugar, coffee pot, and two small pails. All in red and blue, and all for less than $40. Didn't solve my immediate need, but sure did make me smile.
So guess I could say I "collect" graniteware now. LOL

The Tuscan Home said...

Beautiful!! I love the green set, so pretty and unique! XO ~Liz

Ricki Treleaven said...

Oh, wow! The set matches your tray perfectly. How lucky you are, and a great price, too! :D *nice*

Kim @ Savvy Southern Style said...

That is great. I have not seen that design before. My mom has some of the blue and white. I don't have any. I bet that man thought you were whacko.

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Well, I don't but now I want too! I love that green. What a wonderful find for you.
Hugs,
Penny

Richard Cottrell said...

Ms.P. I have blue granite and I love using it, it is especially good for outdoor or picnic serving. But the cups in the freezer before you serve, things get real frosted up. be sure and stop by my blog this week for my 100th post give away. Thanks for sharing. Glad you found all that wonderful green. Richard at My Old Historic House.

Boho Farm and Home said...

Oh my Alison...indeed a treat of treats! Yikes! I have Dexter in the queue fyi. :)
How your summer is going well!
xo
Caroline

Divine Theatre said...

How sweet.
I imagine anything you drink from these mugs would be elevated to a sublime position!

Teresa@1800 Farmhouse Rd said...

Oh Alison, I love this green set! It is very unique looking, and beautiful also. What a great find.

Cheri said...

Lovely! I don't think I've seen anything like that...guess I should get out more. lol Congrats!

Michele Smith said...

Sweet story with a great ending! Can't believe you found the whole set...love when stuff like that happens!

Babs said...

How cute. I don't think I've ever seen green graniteware before. My mom and grandmother had graniteware roasters, but in a dark color.What fun finding the cups with lids and that it actually matches your mom's tray. Maybe the lids are for keeping the bugs out in the summer?
Hugs,
Babs

Pat@Back Porch Musings said...

Wonderful post, Alison!

I love the green!

Buttonchief7 said...

Have always enjoyed enamelware, old and new. Goes so well with stoneware and spongeware. Mckenzie-Childs has Courtly Check which is a real fav also.

Marianne said...

Oh, I just love granite ware. Yours are just beautiful in green. I've never seen such a complete set and in green! You are so lucky to have found it. Now I want to start collecting this!
Marianne :)

Upscale Downhome said...

I don't collect graniteware but how fun for you to buy a special memory for only $20. They are really pretty!

Janette - The2Seasons said...

I love graniteware, and my favorite is a set of old cannisters I bought at a little shop in Holland. I use them everyday when I make tea. They hold the tea, the sweetener, and the "biscuits."

Sue said...

I do love graniteware Alison. I have a large set of dark green, bought new in the 80's. I used to use it at Christmas pared with red, and it was always my summer set. Then it migrated to pool ware, as I don't allow glass near the pool. When we bought our cabin, I took the graniteware north. I still see pieces, and would like to add the red. It's fun stuff, and so durable and it's great for a cold drink on a hot day!!

Pinky at Designs by Pinky said...

WOW, what a great find! I never thought to collect graniteware! And as a dishaholic, I should hang my head in shame:):) LOVE your new set! XO, Pinky

Red Rose Alley said...

That is so nice that you have the matching set now. It was certainly a treasure to have found for you, and I love the story behind it. Have a beautiful week.
~Sheri at Red Rose Alley

Town and Country Gals said...

Alison,
Great find! I've never seen that color granitware befor, love the shade of green. It's so cool when things like that work out! So glad you have your own set now to make new memories with!
Rebecca

Pamela said...

Hi Alison!
I love graniteware and could kick myself for giving away and old granite collander years ago!!
I love the green and have never seen it in this colour before mine was grey!

Jaybird said...

Beautiful color green too!!!
When my granddaughters numbered three, there were always arguments about who got which glass....I bought a red, a blue and a yellow one of those bigger graniteware mugs. The color was assigned by GRANDMOMMIE, and heaven help any interloper who accidentally grabs one of those mugs to get a drink. Oh my!!!
Thanks for making me smile today!!