Hi my lovelies.
🎼 Just one look, that’s all it took 🎵
It started with a battered old bowl mixed in an auction lot; I forget what my target in the lot was because this chipped old green bowl muscled everything aside.
That was some years ago now, and in retirement I had more time to reflect on this old bowl. I was oddly drawn to it.
I searched Amazon to find a suitable touch up medium for its chips - after discovering that felt tip does definitely not cut the mustard! Or cover the chip.
Then over time I found that the ceramic bowl I had grown to love did in fact have a name, and its name is Cabbage Ware.
Some of my cabbage ware
It’s made by Bordalo Pinheiro.
Raphael Bordallo Pinheiro founded a ceramics factory in 1885 and the company is still in production today.
The Bordalo Pinheiro mark
Thanks to generous birthday and Christmas presents, I’ve now built up a little collection of Raphael’s beauties.
I now need to learn the art of tablescaping!
Because it seems this cabbage ware is now quite a thing on social media and if I up my game I can join the trendy gals.
It’s displayed very artistically on Pinterest.
It’s often mixed with blue and white table ware.
It’s displayed on dressers.
Some have amassed absolutely amazing collections of the stuff.
Dinner plate
It can be found on the John Lewis site in the UK
HERE! at, £24
Or buy direct from the factory
€16!
But many large stores have recently started creating their own dupes;
some are close to the original, some not so much.
Marks
Marks has gone off piste and come up with this version of a cabbage plate.
M&S £10
I prefer the fine lines of the original design though.
Here’s the range currently on offer at John Lewis.
Target
Target has come up with a stunningly realistic dupe, and at $4!. My dear blogger/insta mate Tamera Beardsley
I’m was quite spoilt for choice in her local Target! It’s at times like this when I feel quite jealous of my lucky cousins across the pond.
Find Tamera on Tamera Beardsley
Primark
Even Primark has jumped on the bandwagon.
I found these pink versions on their website, but I think they also offer a choices in the traditional green too but possibly only in store.
And as they don’t deliver to Guernsey it seems rather profligate to fly over to the mainland to pick up a 5 pound plate!
So right now I will amuse myself with creating some form of dresser arrangement for my cabbage ware.
On the bottom of this display, you can see a fine pristine version of my serving dish. Mine will never look like this again, not in a month of Sundays!
Here is a more informal tablescape, again merging cabbage ware with blue and white.
I don’t think I’ll ever reach the dizzy heights of tablescaping.
But I do have a pine dresser, and I think something near to this type of display is definitely within my artistic ability.
Watch this space!
So my friends, have you come across cabbage ware?
I think it’s the marmite of the table ware world, you either love it or hate it.
Where are you? Or are you quite simply ambivalent?
Perhaps you have your own favourite tableware.
Perhaps you see table ware as merely a vehicle for food and nothing more.
Either way, I’d love you hear from you.
So please spare a moment to drop me a comment on your thoughts on tableware, if you have any that is!
And whilst you’re at it, please take another moment to subscribe.
Your spared moments make me a happy bunny and give me the strength to carry on with this blog.
A la perchoine,
Mary X.
