Trash or treasure? Let’s find out

A tantalising tea set

Sylvia van Staden of Boknesstrand, Eastern Cape writes

I’d love to know more about this beautiful tea set and the drinks and cigar case. Can you help?

Ainsley Taylor of Stephan Welz & Co. replies This tea service dates from the early 20th century, when porcelain wares were very much a prized possession and it was common practice for independent decorators to acquire pieces from well-known manufacturers and either decorate them completely, or embellish the piece with their own touches.

This is exactly the case with this lustre tea service. The mark identifies it as having been painted at Porzellanmalerei Parbus, a small decorating studio in Bavaria owned by Leni Parbus, who began decorating porcelain as a hobby but expanded to open her own studio in 1904.

The small liquor cabinet is an attractive Victorian-style three-decanter Tantalus made of oak. The main feature of a Tantalus is that it’s lockable, allowing one’s liquor to be on display while also preventing unauthorised access to it. The name derives from the Greek mythological character Tantalus, a king whose eternal punishment for serving his own son at a feast for the gods was to forever live with water and food tantalisingly close, yet always just beyond reach. CIRCA Early 20th century VALUE Between R500 and R700 for the tea service; between R2 000 and R3 000 for the Tantalus.

CONTACT swelco.co.za