Wheeling Decorating Company

I love finding the stories behind vintage items.  This past May, I was visiting a West Virginia museum and saw some china dishes displayed.  The museum tag stated that the dishes were from the Wheeling Decorating Company.  Hhmm?  I'd never heard of this West Virginia company.  As a West Virginia gal who loves china, I knew I needed to find out some more information.

 

 

When I needed another sugar bowl for our church's tea, I purchased from an Etsy seller an affordable Wheeling Decorating Co. piece.

 Here is one of many logo markings that Wheeling Decorating Co. used. 

 

 

The Company existed from 1900-1962.  They were a glass and china decorating company -- which means that they did not manufacture the glass or the china that has their logo.  WDC's purpose was to decorate the glass and china bought from other factories with etchings, painting, and gold enamel work.  The Company purchased "blanks" from about 300 different manufacturers including Fenton (WV), Tiffin (OH), and Heisey (OH).

 

Decorated glass from WDC is not marked.  Pieces that have been identified as WDC's work owe their possible identification to a lucky thrifter.  A local man happened to be walking by the then permanently closed WDC while workers were clearing the building.  As the man walked through the clean-up, he noticed a design book ready to be placed in the trash.  He saved the design book from the trash can, and later gave it to a West Virginia museum.  Only from this design book can any WDC pieces be verified today.  Collectors believe only about 1/3 of WDC's patterns have been identified since the design book only covers part of WDC's 69 year existence.

 

 

I happened upon this WDC compote bowl at my favorite thrift store.

It's in rather poor condition. 

This pattern was named "Fingered Swirls, Arrows, and Flowers" or "D-2a." It is one of a few confusing WDC patterns.  Several decorating companies used "versions" of this pattern.  A collector would need an identification guide for verification because the patterns are excruciatingly close. 

 

Many Etsy and Ebay sellers don't realize the enamel pattern is the clue to a glass piece 's maker or decorator.  Don't miss potential buyers.  If you are a seller, be sure to include a close-up of the enamel pattern.  You may not know the manufacturer or the decorator, but your buyer might!

 

 

 

 

 

 

My sugar bowl features the "Doves, Roses, and Daisies" (D-11) pattern.  I thought I had found some salt and pepper shakers that matched my sugar bowl.  After closer inspection, I noticed the shakers didn't have any doves in the enamel work.

 

 

So pretty, but not from the WDC.  My shakers are most likely from the Pickard China Company (Chicago).  This pattern is called "Rose and Daisy" which came after WDC's.  The shakers are so small they cannot carry the usual logo mark.



 

Here's another example of the "Rose and Daisy" pattern on this

extremely small plate with a Pickard logo on the back.

 

 

 

The interesting information I learned concerning the Wheeling Decorating Company came from a beautifully detailed guide called Wheeling Decorating Co.:  Identification & Value Guide by James L. Webster.  Webster used interviews with former WDC employees, the rescued design book, and available archived print resources to write this informative history. 

 

Collector Books Press, 2003

 



 

 

Here are a couple of Etsy sellers who currently have WDC

items for sale.  With their permission, I'm using their photo's and links.

 

It's a Gas Etsy Store

(A possible WDC piece,

but would ask seller for a close-up of the enamel pattern)

 

 

Green Creek Farm's Shop

 This gorgeous set is really stunning.

 

I wish I had more photographs to show you.  

The decorated china pictured in the guide book is absolutely wonderful.

 

I'm going to be watching for more

Wheeling Decorating Co. items.

 

Are you?

 

Amy

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sew Sweet Upcycle

This summer I came across a rather odd shelf/rack at a thrift store for $1.00.  The rack looked oddly familiar to me, but I couldn't place where I had seen one previously.  I put it in my shopping cart and told myself if I couldn't figure out what I was going to do with it, I wouldn't take it home.

 

 

When my husband came up to me in the store, I asked him, "What do you think this is?"  He looked at it for two seconds and said, "It's a church tract rack."

    

"Oh, that's it!  You're right!"  Having a preacher as your husband does come in handy!  I knew I had seen a shelf like this, but couldn't place it outside of its usual home.  When he said, he'd like to use it at the church, I made a deal with him.  I had to finish my tract rack project in the next year, or he could have it.

 

Let's just say that deal was motivation to keep this project out of my garage storage area!  I told hubby that I thought the church really needed a more "modern" looking tract rack.

 

 

 

 

I first primed the wood board and then painted it out with a black enamel spray.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I then decorated the metal strips with glitter and ribbon.

Can you ever have too much glitter?

Each "pocket" was then backed with decorative paper.

 

 

 

 

 

Then I filled each rack pocket with vintage smalls.

 

 

 

 

 Vintage Buttons

 

French General Scrapbooking Elements

 

 

More French General Scrapbooking Elements

 

 

 

old photographs, vintage buttons and notions, a mini composition book

 

This "Sew Sweet" upcycle now resides on my sewing table

where I can now regularly see some of the "vintage smalls"

that I adore.

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by today.

 

Amy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jabara Hand Embroidery for Friday

Friday's Find

 

These lovely linen towels have beautiful handwork

on the bottom edge.

 

 

 

I can still see the pencil markings of the pattern

on the top towel pictured above.

 

This lucky find still has the original tags!

 

 

"Portuguese Hand Embroidery"

for

Benj. M. Jabara & Sons

 

 (Back and Front of Tag)

 

These towels sold soon after posting

in my Etsy shop

Wings of the Morning

 

 

On a more personal note --

 

 

My family and I have embarked on our school year adventure.  This year we're returning to homeschooling after four years at a private school.  This transition is going to take some time for us all.  I know that many of you are also homeschooling.  Any words of wisdom you would like to share? 

 

Enjoy your weekend.

 

 

Amy

 

 

Looking for Beauty

Blogging (8 months now!) has truly given me an unexpected blessing.  I've noticed in the last few months that I'm taking more time to visually look around me.  What am I looking for?  Beauty.  I'm now consiously searching for something to photograph and share.  As a result, I've seen more loveliness in the everyday objects, nature, and people around me.  Life is so much more enjoyable when you take that time to stop and smell the roses.

My family and I recently had the opportunity to attend the Ashtabula County Fair while we were visiting family in that area of Ohio.  Come see the beauty I saw . . .    



Bright and Welcoming

 

Memories Enough to Go Round and Round

Quiet and Gentle

 

Unique and Sweet

 

No Red-eye Correction Needed

 

Soft Feathered Feet

 

Black Sheep, Black Sheep

Where is your wool?

 

Remembering Grandpa's Tractor

"Just Like This!" my husband said.

Fresh Prize Tomatoes

Blue-ribboned Tea Table Setting

(I just had to add this one.)

Fair Ground Flowers

Colorful Rides

Ribboned Jellies and Jams . . .

Yummmm.

What's your favorite fair memory?

Are you looking for beauty?

Amy

Irish Linen for Friday

Every Friday I try to post

a vintage find.

These silky table runners

are both still marked

with their original stickers.

The sticker reads

"All Linen"

"Made in Ireland"

The pulled thread border decoration

sets off the nicely mitered corners.

They both are 17 inches in width.

One reaches 34 inches in length,

while the other reaches 42 inches. 

When I obtain these unused

linens, I often wonder why their

previous owners never used them.

It usually only takes a few minutes

for me to remember how many

unused items reside in my own house

to let such ponderings vanish.

These linen runners are now available

in my Etsy Shop

Wings of the Morning.

Please stop by if you are interested.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Amy

The Quilts of Virginia

Schiffer Books are so, so lovely.

Quilts of Virginia 1607-1899:

The Birth of America Through the Eye of a Needle

Atglen, PA:  Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.

Barbara Tricarico, editor and photographer

168 pages.

Although not a new book (2006), I thought I'd share this recent read with you.  I came across a copy while doing some writing research.  Let's just say I didn't get much writing done:  I was too focused on this fascinating read! 

The Virginia Consortium of Quilters studied over 3,000 Virginia quilts for this book project, and over 270 of them are photographed in this collection.  After a foreword by the ever-creative Jinny Beyer, the history and photographs document Virginia's history by region, such as the Shenandoah Region which covers Roanoke up to Frederick County.  Quilters will appreciate the accompanying pattern for Virginia's own Farmer's Delight/Farmer's Fancy Block.

What are you reading?

Amy

Having Tea With the Kings: Part Three

Darius & Cyrus

 

The book of Daniel closes with

his service to Darius and Cyrus --

kings from the invading army
 that defeated Belshazzar's Babylon.

During this final part of Daniel's life,
he hears news from his native homeland.

Jeremiah, a prophet who was not taken in
captivity to Babylon, was used of God

as His voice to the Jews remaining in Judah.
  Daniel learns of Jeremiah's prophecy regarding
 his and the other Jews' captivity in a pagan land. 

Jeremiah's prophecy reveals to these
 Jews that their captivity will last seventy years.

(Daniel 9:2)

Upon hearing this news, Daniel immediately

"set (his) face unto the Lord God."

Daniel 9:3.

He didn't run to his friends to tell them the news.

He didn't go tell King Darius what he had learned.

He didn't ask, "Why were we here so long?"

Imagine. 
At this point of his life, decades had passed.

He's just now realizing he would
 probably live to see the Jews' return to Jerusalem.

I wonder if Daniel was just
 then understanding,

the captivity was all part of
God's judgement

on the nation of Israel.

Regardless of what Daniel was thinking,

we know he immediately began

to talk with his Lord in prayer.

Doesn't that act of turning his face
toward God remind you of the young

Daniel in chapter 1 who had "purposed in his heart"

that he would obey God rather than

obey Nebuchadnezzar?

(Daniel 1:8)

I've truly been challenged by Daniel's example

to purpose in my heart to choose God's path

even when it's the difficult choice.

Thank you for listening and traveling with me
on this part of my journey!

It is my prayer that you and I both

continually set our faces

toward God.

For a printable companion worksheet

to the final chapters in Daniel,

click the following:

Part Three: Darius and Cyrus

 

If you missed the previous two devotionals

and their printable worksheet,

click on the following:

Part Two

Part One


Amy



Stop and Smell the Roses

The old dew still falls on the

old sweet flowers,

The old sun revives

the new fledged hours,

The old summer rears

the newborn roses.

Algernon Charles Swinburne

Earth laughs in flowers.

Ralph Waldo Emerson.

They that have roses never need bread.

Dorothy Parker

Amy

Do you have roses?

Friday's Vintage Find: Puerto Rico

It's time for Friday's find!

Aren't souvenirs wonderful?

These teeny tiny souvenir napkins are cross stitched.

See how small the stitching is for these roosters?

That's my thimble behind them.

The stitched tree design on the blue napkin is

my favorite.

These napkins are now in my Etsy Shop,

Wings Of The Morning

Have an exciting weekend!

Amy

By the way, I learned an important crafting lesson today:

do not blow on extra fine glitter to remove the extra.

My face is glowing aqua!