Saturday, April 20, 2019

A to Z April Challenge: R is for Rice Dishes


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 Rice Dishes that my grandaunt Velma Davis Woodring brought back from Korea. She taught there several years in the Department of Defense Dependents school. She gave the set to my mother, and for many years it was our fine china.

The dishes are white with a subtle gold accent along the rim, handles and foot of each piece. Unfortunately, some of the gold has worn off here and there on pieces used more often. There are over 12 place settings that include a dinner plate, salad plate, bread and butter plate, fruit bowls, coffee cups and saucers, and cream soup bowls. 

A casserole dish, gravy boat, two meat platters, tea pot, and two sets of cream and sugar bowls complete the set. 

The marking says the dishes were manufactured by Seyei Regal China and “Hand carved” in Japan. The pattern is “Pearl Rice.” 

As a child, I thought the rice design was actual rice, but apparently that is where the hand carving came into play. What makes these dishes unique is the translucence of the rice pattern.

Pearl Rice by Seyei is demanding a pretty good price on eBay, Etsy, Worthpoint, and even Replacements. However, I have been unable to learn anything at all about the Seyei company. 

Wendy
© 2019, Wendy Mathias. All rights reserved.

14 comments:

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    1. I agree. Holding them up to the light makes me appreciate the artistry more.

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  2. You have an incredible amount of dishes! How do you decide which to use for any occasion? These are very cool with that translucent design.

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    1. The truth is, I don't use those Korean dishes at all (from Letter K). I have my own fine china that I prefer to use, but I have brought these out on occasion. I can use these when I don't have enough of something else, like my Christmas dishes.

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  3. What a wonderful heirloom - and to have 12 settings! I must admit I did wonder what was special about rice dishes, not realizing “rice” referred to the lovely pattern.

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    1. When I Googled for information about "rice dishes," I kept getting recipes. It took several tries to come up with the search term "dinnerware" which finally got me somewhere.

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  4. Do you still use it? Very pretty pattern!

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    1. I do, not often though. One Christmas Eve I served she-crab soup and used the cream soup bowls. Another time I had a "Black and White" party, so I used these dishes rather than my wedding china which is more colorful.

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  5. Really pretty and such a large set.

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  6. I too was tricked by the name. I’m impressed by how much storage you must have!

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    1. I tricked myself with the name when I was trying to get some history. I kept getting pictures of rice bowls and recipes. As for storage, I have a corner cabinet and a sideboard/buffet. Glassware is in a china press.

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  7. What a lovely set of china...and soooo many pieces. Love the translucent rice pattern.
    Sue at CollectInTexas Gal

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