Tchotchkes they are Not

I spent part of my morning dusting.  I hate dusting.  It is a job that always needs repeating.  Like cutting the lawn in summer.

Dusting would be eliminated if I took Maxine's advice and just used my table tops as message boards.  Alas, I have 'stuff' on my tables.  I am sure that in the minds of my sons a lot of this is just worthless junk, knick-knacks to be disposed of in a yard sale.   Well, I guess the seashell collection would warrant that. 

I started collecting seashells and rocks when I was in grade school.  Some of the rocks I have disposed of.  But one has particular sentimental value as a reminder of a trip to Kentucky one Spring.

It has been sitting on top of the bar since 1986 and is not going anywhere anytime soon.

There is the tea cart with some of the teapot collection.  Not that I ever actually use any of the pots.

There is the dragonware Moriage set from Japan and the Chinese YiXing teapots.  One is a beautiful handmade claypot I found in the market at Grandville Island when I visited Vancouver.  And I have a selection of Franz porcelain teapots and cups.  I also have several Chinese clay figures that I bought when I first was married, mostly fisherman.

I also have a few pieces of Moorcroft.  Nothing too expensive, but very lovely older pieces.  And several Gold Imari items including a lamp in the family room.

Along with all of these dust collectors, I have my glass collection.  Much of the depression glassware is packed away along with the Venetian glassware.  I do have my glass paperweights on display along with some blown glass items. 

And then there is the entire China cabinet, full of porcelains, mostly Pickard pieces with an emphasis on Alexander jugs and chocolate pots.

They may be just a lot of junk to some minimalists, but the craftsmanship required to make these pieces seems like a lost art of the past.  I may hate dusting, but cleaning these items makes the task much more enjoyable than dusting just table tops.