A Touch of Sheer Loveliness

One year, right after my birthday, my then teenage daughter came in to wake me up.

"Come to the dining room, Mom," she coaxed.

Reluctantly and sleepily, I got out of bed and traipsed into the dining room. Looking at the table, I gasped. My daughter had set the table with a pattern of English bone china that I had been yearning for but knew I could never, ever afford, namely, Royal Albert Old Country Roses.

Luscious red, pink, and yellow roses are offset by a creamy white background and gold edging. The dishes were (and are) the epitome of elegance.

Tears filled my eyes and spilled down my cheeks. My daughter had saved her money and spent a lot of it for these dishes, which she knew I loved.



Since that birthday, I've done some internet researching on the company. Harold Holdcroft, an art director with the Royal Albert Company, designed the Old Country rose pattern in 1962. It was apparently originally going to be called "Treasure Garden." Many of the company's patterns are based on flowers from English gardens. Holdcroft based the design on a 1921 pattern called King's Ransom, according to one source of information about the company.

The Royal Albert Company originated in England in 1896. A year later, pieces were made by the company for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. China made by the company is known for its high quality and is sold in more than 50 countries!
My Old Country Roses set is one birthday gift I'll never forget as the dishes are not only beautiful, they reflect love and sacrifice.



Maybe someday, when I strike it rich, other pieces will be added to the dishes. In the meantime, on very special occasions when the table is set with the Old Country Roses china, it makes me smile.