There's a Malachi in My Tea!
DADDY: "Goodness Malachi! What are you doing in my teacup?"
MALACHI: "Hullo Daddy! What does it look like? I'm having elevenses of course."
DADDY: "Do you think this is the best place to have elevenses Malachi?"
MALACHI: "Oh yes Daddy! It's a capital place to take elevenses. It's cosy and dry, and I'm surrounded by beautiful hydrangeas: just like a walled garden."
DADDY: "Well that's all well and good Malachi, but how am I meant to have elevenses if you are sitting in my teacup?"
MALACHI: "Well, I'm not entirely sure Daddy, but I'm sure you will think of something."
Dedicated to red stilletto, with love!
Malachi is a recent, and unexpected, addition to my bear family. I acquired him in mid-March from a wonderful Melbourne stalwart toy shop: Dafel Dolls and Bears, when I went looking for a present for one of my goddaughters. Malachi is designed by Mary and hand-made by Wendy Joy in Australia. He has articulated arms and legs, and an extremely sweet face. Malachi was the name he came with, written by hand on his little tag.
Malachi is taking tea from a 1:12 miniature gilded tea set, which has a transfer of Art Nouveau gold leaves on it based on a Royal Doulton design for grapevines from the Edwardian era. He has a delicious looking brownie on his plate with hundreds and thousands decorating it. The tea set and the brownie are artisan made 1:12 miniatures from my own collection.
The teapot is two centimetres in height, the milk jug one and a half centimetres in height, the sugar bowl one centimetre in height, the plate and saucer one and a half centimetres in diameter, the teacup half centimetres in diameter, the sugar spoon two centimetres in length and the brownie is only one and three quarter centimetres in length.
Malachi sits in a teacup from my Hydrangea tea set, which was made by the Paragon China company in England between 1936 and 1939.
Dafel Dolls and Bears history dates back to 1941 when founder Ada Schmit opened the shop to counter the shortage of toys available for children during the war. The shop, which also encompasses a doll and bear hospital and a dressing service, is still a family affair, run by mother and daughter Pauline Seaton and Lisa Brener. Located for 77 years in Melbourne’s iconic Block Arcade, Dafel Dolls and Bears relocated in 2018 to the end of Howey Place, a light filled arcade just a short stroll from their former original premises.
This Hydrangea tea set was made by the Paragon China company in England. It features a double Royal Warrant on its base: “By Appointment to her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and Her Majesty Queen Mary”, which indicates that these were made between 1936 and 1939.
The Paragon China Company was a British manufacturer of bone china from 1919 to 1960, based in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, previously known as the Star China Company, and more recently part of the Royal Doulton group. Paragon was noted for producing high quality teaware and tableware, and was granted royal warrants of appointment by several members of the British Royal Family.
There's a Malachi in My Tea!
DADDY: "Goodness Malachi! What are you doing in my teacup?"
MALACHI: "Hullo Daddy! What does it look like? I'm having elevenses of course."
DADDY: "Do you think this is the best place to have elevenses Malachi?"
MALACHI: "Oh yes Daddy! It's a capital place to take elevenses. It's cosy and dry, and I'm surrounded by beautiful hydrangeas: just like a walled garden."
DADDY: "Well that's all well and good Malachi, but how am I meant to have elevenses if you are sitting in my teacup?"
MALACHI: "Well, I'm not entirely sure Daddy, but I'm sure you will think of something."
Dedicated to red stilletto, with love!
Malachi is a recent, and unexpected, addition to my bear family. I acquired him in mid-March from a wonderful Melbourne stalwart toy shop: Dafel Dolls and Bears, when I went looking for a present for one of my goddaughters. Malachi is designed by Mary and hand-made by Wendy Joy in Australia. He has articulated arms and legs, and an extremely sweet face. Malachi was the name he came with, written by hand on his little tag.
Malachi is taking tea from a 1:12 miniature gilded tea set, which has a transfer of Art Nouveau gold leaves on it based on a Royal Doulton design for grapevines from the Edwardian era. He has a delicious looking brownie on his plate with hundreds and thousands decorating it. The tea set and the brownie are artisan made 1:12 miniatures from my own collection.
The teapot is two centimetres in height, the milk jug one and a half centimetres in height, the sugar bowl one centimetre in height, the plate and saucer one and a half centimetres in diameter, the teacup half centimetres in diameter, the sugar spoon two centimetres in length and the brownie is only one and three quarter centimetres in length.
Malachi sits in a teacup from my Hydrangea tea set, which was made by the Paragon China company in England between 1936 and 1939.
Dafel Dolls and Bears history dates back to 1941 when founder Ada Schmit opened the shop to counter the shortage of toys available for children during the war. The shop, which also encompasses a doll and bear hospital and a dressing service, is still a family affair, run by mother and daughter Pauline Seaton and Lisa Brener. Located for 77 years in Melbourne’s iconic Block Arcade, Dafel Dolls and Bears relocated in 2018 to the end of Howey Place, a light filled arcade just a short stroll from their former original premises.
This Hydrangea tea set was made by the Paragon China company in England. It features a double Royal Warrant on its base: “By Appointment to her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and Her Majesty Queen Mary”, which indicates that these were made between 1936 and 1939.
The Paragon China Company was a British manufacturer of bone china from 1919 to 1960, based in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, previously known as the Star China Company, and more recently part of the Royal Doulton group. Paragon was noted for producing high quality teaware and tableware, and was granted royal warrants of appointment by several members of the British Royal Family.