When I was an antique dealer I had a shelf full of orphaned glass cream and sugar sets.( I don't know why we called them orphans when technically they were un-matched but orphans they were).
Usually when I bought box lots at auction that had kitchen ware in it there would be a few set of partial or complete cream and sugars. Even when I had a pair I would sell them separately because often I found people were trying to replace broken antique or vintage ones they had at home or they only wanted one or the other.
There are a lot of glass cream and sugar sets out there and you are bound to find them in any thrift store you go to. I love the different styles of each decade and I have about a dozen creamers that I use for various uses around the house. The ones made from the 20's to the 50's tend to be very heavy weighted and sturdy because the were made to be used daily. I like the thrifty approach of reusing an item so it is useful for some other situation. You should be able to buy them for $1 or less at thrift stores and garage sales.
The Deco style pictured here I will often fill with water and put beside a vase so I remind myself to top up the water twice a day. I also have one filled with water beside my orchid plant. I have large creamers that almost look like small pitchers that I fill with maple syrup and place on the breakfast table when we are having a crowd for pancakes or waffles. I have two that are matching and I always have my eye out to find a third matching one. The large creamers also look adorable filled with wildflowers. When I make up a breakfast tray I will use a large creamer for the milk that is used on the cereal. I also use the smaller ones for different syrups that I have for deserts.
So do I ever use my cream and sugars for coffee or tea? Only when we are having company because both my husband and myself prefer both our coffee and tea black. But I do put cream and sugar in the bowls during berry season, when we have raspberries or strawberries for desert. And what do I use my orphan sugars for? Wait and see.
Photography and Content
Copyright Ingrid Talpak 2010
Morestylethancash
The Deco style pictured here I will often fill with water and put beside a vase so I remind myself to top up the water twice a day. I also have one filled with water beside my orchid plant. I have large creamers that almost look like small pitchers that I fill with maple syrup and place on the breakfast table when we are having a crowd for pancakes or waffles. I have two that are matching and I always have my eye out to find a third matching one. The large creamers also look adorable filled with wildflowers. When I make up a breakfast tray I will use a large creamer for the milk that is used on the cereal. I also use the smaller ones for different syrups that I have for deserts.
So do I ever use my cream and sugars for coffee or tea? Only when we are having company because both my husband and myself prefer both our coffee and tea black. But I do put cream and sugar in the bowls during berry season, when we have raspberries or strawberries for desert. And what do I use my orphan sugars for? Wait and see.
Photography and Content
Copyright Ingrid Talpak 2010
Morestylethancash
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