Published Tuesday, May 06, 2008 3:30 PM
Updated Tuesday, May 06, 2008 3:31 PM

 

Only the best for Mother’s Day

The table has been set for Mother’s Day and although Pat Lindenmeyer’s mother, Grace Griffin is no longer here to enjoy it, memories of her fill the room like subtle perfume.

The beautiful old china, which was transferred from Grace to her daughter Pat over forty years ago, is clearly the star of the show for Mothers Day, and a bittersweet reminder of the woman behind the day.

The hand painted Noritake pattern called “White and Gold” was first registered in Japan in 1930 but has been in production since 1912. The number stamp found on the back of each piece was one used during the Nipon era.

The ornate china first came into the family when Pat’s parents were married in 1934. In 1969, when Pat married her husband Lin, Grace gave the entire 130 piece set to her daughter as a wedding gift. It is a gift that Pat has long treasured and used often.

The silver pattern dressing the table, Rosepoint by Wallace, is a gift from another woman with a prominent place in Pat’s life – her grandmother.

“She started the set for me when I was born,” Pat says. “My first piece was a baby spoon, which I still have today.”

Pat pulls the much-used spoon out of the drawer and inspects it. It’s been used to feed countless jars of baby cereal to Pat and Lin’s seven children - six boys and one girl, to be exact. Its rounded edges show signs of a near-death experience with the garbage disposal.

“I don’t know how this happened. This spoon made it through seven children, as well as my own childhood and it slips down the drain once. I hate that this happened.”

The other pieces in the set show no such signs of wear and tear. They look more beautiful than they did when they were new and their opulence lends itself well to the china. Neither of these girls want to go unnoticed.

“I remember back when I was growing up, while all my girlfriends were getting records and cute clothes for their birthdays, I was always getting silver. At the time, it didn’t seem fair. I didn’t appreciate these gifts then, but I certainly do now. My grandmother knew what she was doing.”

While the china and silver compete for attention on the table, the exquisite flowers at its center seem to bring a quiet hush over the room. “Now girls, please. You’re both pretty,” they seem to say.

The elegant flowers live up to the saying, “less is more.”

Dale Wallace, owner of Dale Wallace Fine Floral Creations, formerly Blooming Dales, is the artist behind the flowers.

“Pat wanted something that would accent the china – not take away or overwhelm it. She wanted soft color and simplicity.”

Wallace delivered. Pat wanted continuity and asked Wallace to use one of her many pieces of White and Gold, for the centerpiece. The flowers Wallace chose are a combination of double-ruffle tulips, flown in from Holland and antique hydrangea in blush tones. The whisper soft whites, greens and pinks give the shyest suggestion of color, while the kangaroo grass framing the base of the casserole dish add interest and texture.

The same baby pinks soft greens are mirrored in two much smaller bouquets arranged in silver mint julep cups, set adjacent to the large arrangement. Hints are also found tucked into the linen napkins, affixed with delicate, sheer ribbon.

The remainder of Pat’s impressive china collection is beautifully displayed in a china cabinet near the table. The antique cabinet is a find of one of the Lindenmeyer’s sons, who has an eye for finding great antiques. He was sent on a mission to find a cabinet for Pat, who didn’t like the way her existing cabinet looked in her dining room.

“He called me one day and told me he had found a Baker cabinet in an antique store and he said it was special,” she says. “He told me I had to come and look at it.”

Pat says she did, and as she was examining its empty, deep shelves, her eye moved down to one of the cabinet doors on the bottom.

“I opened it up and there was one, lonely piece of china left in the bottom. It was my mother’s White and Gold pattern. I considered this an omen and bought the cabinet to hold my china.”

The beautiful old piece now has its rightful place in Pat’s dining room and holds her extensive set of White and Gold. In addition to the standard place settings, the unique set includes a full demitasse set, individual salt buckets and peppershakers for each place setting, various sizes of platters, sectioned celery and pickle dishes, a covered round butter dish, a covered casserole, a tea pot, lemon server, jam set and more.  

Most impressive is the fact that in all the years the china has been used, not one piece has been broken since the day it first came into the family.

My mother told me she would give it to me, but only if I appreciated it and took care of it.” Pat says. “Now I’m telling my own daughter the same thing, although I’m not giving it up yet.”

Contact Sharon Gnau at 873-9424, ext. 215 or sgnau@journalscene.com.