This tiered tray was my mother's. The dainty roses on the tiered tray were perfect to display some cameos Daddy brought back from Italy. I'm sure they were not expensive since he was a sergeant but they are almost antique now and are meaningful to me.
The letters are also special and I think of more questions every time I read them. My mother saved all the ones he wrote her. I only can find a few that my mother wrote my daddy. Maybe something happened to them in all the moving around he did.
"MY HEART TO YOU IS GIVEN:
OH, DO GIVE YOURS TO ME;
WE'LL LOCK THEM UP TOGETHER,
AND THROW AWAY THE KEY."
FREDERICK SAUNDERS
This was a pretty birthday card to her.
It is dated July 1945, so it was sent after the war was over when he was back in the states but not released yet.
I had envisioned a lush garland of assorted colors and varieties of camellias as a centerpiece but the weather did not cooperate. There were only a few and mostly one variety. It was disappointing but could not be helped.
Since my flowers did not work out as planned I went all out with a silver tray full of crystal candlesticks collected through the years. Candlelight always evokes romance and is perfect for a valentine celebration.
This pink transferware plate is an English pattern called Royal Vitreous Bombay by John Maddock and Sons. I happened to have two just alike which was just what I needed for a Valentine tablescape. They were bought at separate places from antique shops years ago.
The etched crystal goblets were my mother's and it is a Fostoria pattern from the 1940's called Meadow Rose. I've always adored them and never tire of using them. They are quite delicate and must be hand-washed but I don't mind. Something else I never tire of is my wedding flatware by Gorham named Buttercup and I use it often.
The silver plate champagne flutes have a lovely grape pattern.
I topped a napkin ring with this larger cameo. It suffered a crack somewhere over the years but it is still pretty. I love the size of it and wish I knew where in Italy Daddy purchased it.
For the second napkin I embellished a filigree napkin ring with a costume jewelry vintage pin.
And here is my mother's handwriting I would recognize anywhere on the few letters that survived from her to Daddy overseas during the war.
