Westminster started business in 1954 (Melbourne)
The significance of this Tennis Set is historical, not artistic - the fine bone china was NOT created by Westminster as they used imported "blanks" which were then decorated, in this case with gold gilding and an overall pink "wash"
But setting aside the use of blanks, this remains a very attractive Tennis Set which is quite unusual and of course it has special meaning for those who have lived or visited Coolangatta (and who hasn't!)
I hear you! What on earth is a Tennis Set?
The term Tennis Set goes straight back to good old England, and the tennis part is a special reference to Wimbledon (where these were often used by the ladies)
These were an innovative concept for the ladies who liked their 'cuppa tea' and would like to have their cake and eat it too! The big problem for the lady was how would she juggle a separate cake plate, saucer and teacup. To solve this problem, chinaware makers came out with a special cake plate/saucer combination so now the ladies could hold their teacup and cake with one hand. It was common to see the ladies at Wimbledon with these 'tennis sets', thus the name.
Yes, we have owned this souvenir tennis set for many years. We had a "thing" for tennis sets at one stage but only have this Westminster and our partial Royal Albert Tennis Set left now! These were "fun things" to use for special occasions, not Wimbledon or even the Australian Open but the 'lady of the house' liked to watch Wimbledon, Australian Open and even the Melbourne Cup day while taking a sip and devouring a slice of cake with her special tennis sets.
We all move on in life and now we don't see a need for this tennis set any longer.
DLAT RATING: 8/10 (Darling! Look At This!)
WESTMINSTER - Tennis Set (Plate/Saucer & Teacup)
Fine china blank - very light and underneath, bright white - actually more like a porcelain
Extremely translucent - if held to a light you can very easily see your fingers through the wall of the teacup or plate
DESIGN:
Pale pink all over "wash" (excuse the colouring in the photographs, the sunlight was strange yesterday and the colouring kept changing!) These are NOT a purplish shade, I had lots of "Red light" messing up my photographs yesterday.
These are a "Baby Pink" in reality. The only area where there is no Pink is the underside of the teacup - this is where you can see the blank china used.
Extensive gold gilding applied to the plate/saucer and the teacup
Plate gold gilding all around the patterned edges (like a scalloping effect but much finer)
Teacup gold gilding around the base, handle (all over) and the top teacup rim
The plate/saucer has a transfer applied, this reads:
Souvenir from
Coolangatta
Black printed backstamps applied underneath both pieces, these read ...
(Crown Graphic)
FINE CHINA
WESTMINSTER
AUSTRALIA
Although these have a Crown graphic, there is no connection with the British Royal Family (not "by appointment")
COSMETIC CONDITION:
Both pieces:
Very Clean
NO chips
NO discolouration to the Pink at all
NO cracks
NO fleabites
NO discolouration inside the Teacup (no tannin stains in other words)
Gold gilding condition:
Plate/Saucer: NO wear at all observed
Teacup:
Base area: NO wear at all
Handle: Extremely small/light wear to the gilding where the lady of the house placed her thumb while holding the teacup. This is not very obvious but it can be seen if observed closely.
Teacup rim: If I was to rate this area of gilding, I would give it 9.5/10 - not perfect because in direct sunlight I can see tiny little wear areas to the gilding, like little "dots" not whole sections of the rim! Again, you need to look extremely closely and in the right light to see anything at all.
So there you have it, an attractive Australiana Tennis Set using a very "English like" design
