This is a continuation of LAST APRIL’s challenge about
HEIRLOOMS. When my sister and I cleaned out our parents’ home, we had to make
many decisions about what to do with all the stuff. Which things are truly
“valuable” and which have only sentiment in their favor? Should we sell it,
keep it, or throw it away? To help ensure a future for our family’s heirlooms,
I plan to leave a booklet for my daughters telling the stories of what they
will inherit one day. (Not TOO soon, I hope!)
is for the Korean dishes that were purchased by my
grandaunt Velma Davis Woodring when she was a teacher and principal for the
Department of Defense Dependents School in Seoul, Korea back in the 1960s. She
brought back lots of souvenirs for all of us - jewelry, kimonos, dolls, AND
dishes.
This set is very pretty in colors of very dark green and
white, metallic gold, and a band of dark red or maroon. The overall pattern
appears to be daisies or maybe some similar flower. Since the design does not
feature Korean ladies or cultural scenes, the set was probably not produced
merely as souvenirs.
Included in the set are dessert plates, a tea set complete with sugar bowl and creamer, sake
set, and some random pieces that I cannot identify. Possibly one is a rice
bowl. A tall piece with lid might serve to hold tea. I have no idea. I have
never used these dishes; they are merely decorations filling one shelf of the
corner cupboard in my living room. They are thin and delicate. Surely we would
scald our lips should I ever serve hot tea in those thin, translucent tea cups.
My cousin inherited some of these dishes as well. At a
party she hosted for her co-workers in the Foreign Language Department at James
Madison University, a couple of the Asian instructors were fascinated by the
sake set. They explained to her that the script inside each cup was a poem.
A lot of good that does me!
Wendy
© 2019, Wendy Mathias. All rights reserved.
You have such a variety of items to share your thoughts on and it is good that it brings in details about the extended family members like your grandaunt.
ReplyDeletefran
TravelGenee visiting from the A to Z challenge.
It is fine to know dates of birth, marriage and death for each relative and ancestor, but the heirlooms they leave us are just as much a part of their story.
DeleteThose are so gorgeous!!!
ReplyDeleteDB McNicol, author
Microfiction: Kimono
Thanks, and Thanks for visiting!
DeleteYou might try to find a Korean speaker to translate it for you.
ReplyDeleteWell, now there's a thought!
DeleteFascinating that it was a poem inside each cup. Makes you wonder if you can find a translator that can translate for you. The set is gorgeous looking. I can't imagine transporting everything though from Korea!
ReplyDeletebetty
I was just thinking that after reading Kristin's comment. There are several restaurants and dry cleaners that I use run by Asian families but whether they are Korean or Vietnamese or Japanese or Chinese, I'm not sure. But you all are making me want to figure it out.
DeleteI have to laugh - did they like the sake SET ot maybe just the SAKE??
ReplyDeleteThey probably wondered IF and WHEN my cousin would bring out the sake!
DeleteSuch an attractive suite of dishes. Sharing the stories of heirlooms is such a good idea.
ReplyDeleteActually, this has been helpful to me as well.
Delete