WHITE IRONSTONE NOTES

WHITE IRONSTONE NOTES
VOL. 19 No. 1
SUMMER 2012
CONVENTION COVERAGE
ELSMORE & FORSTER
Pictured above is an exceptional Charles J. Mason soup
tureen which was brought to the Show & Tell event at the
2012 Convention. See page 11 for more information on this
tureen.
In conjunction with Dale Abram’s informative talk on the
Elsmore & Forster pottery we are giving an overview of all
the shapes we know of that they manufactured.
This issue also includes a memoriam to Jean Wetherbee
who passed away on March, 18, 2012. Jean was the most
knowledgble person on white ironstone china that we ever
knew. Her books are still the most informative and accurate
information to be found. She was also responsible for motivating a few of us collectors to create the White Ironstone
China Association. We thank her.
Page 2 Vol. 19.1
INDEX
WICA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Harry Moseley, President
Dorothy Riley,Vice President
Carol Fleischman, Secretary
Dave Klein, Treasurer
Jeanne Atkinson
Roland Bergner
Jane Diemer
Bev Dieringer
Joe Eidukaitis
Jim Miller
Rev. John R. Schilling III
Barbara Tegtmeyer
Don Wagner
Legal Advisor: Tom Moreland
The WHITE IRONSTONE CHINA
ASSOCIATION, INC.
is a not-for-profit corporation whose purpose is
to further our knowledge and enjoyment of
white ironstone china. WHITE IRONSTONE
NOTES  is the official newsletter of the corporation. Photographs submitted by members
become the property of WICA, Inc. and no article, photograph or drawing may be reproduced
without the express permission of WICA, Inc.
WHITE IRONSTONE NOTES is published
and edited by Ernie and Bev Dieringer with associate editor, Jim Kerr. Drawings and photos
are by Ernie and Bev Dieringer unless otherwise noted. Please send all news notes, articles,
photos, suggestions, questions and listings for
advertising or for the Spare Parts and Whole
Pieces column to:
WICA, c/o Dieringer
718 Redding Road
Redding, CT 06896.
203-938-3740
e-mail Dieringer1@aol.com.
WICA web page:
www.whiteironstonechina.com
ADVERTISING RATES
Advertisements will be accepted in order of
receipt from WICA members and, space allowing, from non-members. Rates (subject to
change): $10 per column inch (7 lines). Nonmembers, $20 per column inch.
Payment in
full by check made out to WICA must accompany each ad. Send to newsletter address.
PUbLISHING DEADLINES are Nov. 15
for Winter, Feb. 15 for Spring, May 15 for
Summer, Aug. 15 for Fall.
Members can list white ironstone parts &
pieces wanted and for sale without charge in the
Spare Parts column of each issue.
APPLICATION FOR MEMbERSHIP
Send $40 for one or two individuals at the
same address with check made payable to
WICA, Inc. to:
WICA c/o Suzanne Nielsen
PO Box 6052
Chesterfield, MO 63006-6052
e-mail: rn1132@earthlink.net
Membership year is June 1st to May 31st.
ADDRESS CHANGES
e-mail rn1132@earthlink.net
Pg.
Pg.
Pg.
Pg.
Pg.
4
10
16
18
18
Elsmore & Forster
Show & Tell
Remembering Jean Wetherbee
Spare Parts
Collectors’ Showcase
people are not familiar with this bit of history.
John R. Schilling III
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
We made a boo boo on the cover of the
last newsletter and it may cause a lot of
confusion for those of you who are ardent
collectors of the newsletters. We forgot to
change the year! The Spring issue says
2011 instead of 2012. We suggest you
pencil in the correct year to avoid future
problems.
Every year around this time we go to the
WICA Convention and our friend, Diane
Dorman, comes with her wonderful cameras and documents all the goings-on.
Over the years we have come to depend on
the resulting photos to fill the newsletters.
All photos in this issue with people in
them are Diane’s. We are embarrassed to
admit we have not given her enough praise
for her efforts. Diane has also created a
display of her photos which is put up each
year at the convention for old members
and new ones, to search out memories of
great times and of faces that are no longer
here.
One of those faces is Jean Wetherbee’s.
Jean passed away in March at the age of
92. Please go to page 16 for more information.
My apologies for the lateness of this
issue of Notes. A second full knee replacement in May knocked me for a loop which
I wasn’t expecting. I am now walking
wonderfully and back to being able to sit
at a desk and concentrate on business.
Bev
*********************************
*************************************
I am sending photos of my “mystery” item
in hope that you might know of its true
purpose. I’ve had it for many years and
have only guessed at its intended use. The
stand is 15 -1/4” high by 9 -1/2” wide and
4 -3/8” deep.
Marcia Waldemar
LETTERS
Here are the items I told you about in
Cleveland. They come from the old
Emanuel German Lutheran Church, 4th &
Coysenter Sts. in Philadelphia. It was built
in 1869.
These were used on walnut colored
doors and were so attractive that I had to
salvage them when the building was going
to be dismantled.
They were used with mortice locks and
also with the old cast iron surface mounted
locks.
If we (WICA) have a good place to keep
them for reference please do so as most
*********************************
Page 3 Vol. 19.1
Marcia included a third photo showing
how she has put it to use in her bathroom.
The top of the piece holds a hand towel
while the two round indented areas in the
base hold two small glass bowls which
contain soaps.
Marcia’s question reminded us of the
time Geoffry Godden was invited to one of
our conventions. We kept bothering him
for an answer to what a particular bowl
was used for. After a while he answered
with exasperation, “It’s a whatever you
want to use it for bowl!” So that is what
we have decided to use as an answer to
that which we don’t know.
Anyone out there who has seen this object and knows something about it, we
would be delighted to hear from you.
*********************************
I have been working on Square Ridged
(shape) and have what I think is an update.
Originally I thought the handled dish on
the right was a liner but I have decided because I’ve found so many that it is a relish
- so much like other relishes! The left is
the liner - see the sharper corners. What
do you think.
Barbara Stewart
*********************************
NEXT ISSUES
Profiles of shapes for the next few issues will be Hanging Pear and Jumbo
Shape.
The Winter issue will have a large
overview of gravy boats.
If you have a shape you would like
to see profiled, let us know.
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
It was a pleasure to be with many of you
at the 2012 Convention in Independence,
Ohio. The programs were especially interesting and socializing was enjoyed by all.
A sincere thank you to all who helped
make it a resounding success.
The Convention Site Selection Committee
has recommended, and the Board accepted, the Crowne Plaza Baltimore North
- Timonium, Maryland as the site of the
2013 Convention. It is easily accessible
off Route I-83. We hope you begin making
plans to attend.
With the passing of several members, including Jean Wetherbee, the Board wanted
to establish a meaningful way for members to express their thoughts and feelings
for the loss of long-time WICA friends. It
was decided to establish a Remembrance
Section in WIN where members might
send letters, anecdotes, etc., to share fond
memories. Forward submissions for inclusion in the Remembrance Section to Bev
and Ernie.
Have a great summer!
Harry
We think you are right but we also think
that members of the Tea Leaf Club refer to
these dishes as rashers.
Barbara also sent us a picture above of
a Square Ridged cup and saucer which we
didn’t have when we did the article on
cups and saucers. Thank you, Barbara.
*********************************
CALENDAR
Area 7 Regional, September 15, 2012
bob & bonne Hohl, Reading, PA
610 775 2240, krh11340@ptd.net
Area 8 Regional October 13, 2012
Tom & Olga Moreland,
Spencertown, NY
518 392 7207
WICA 2013
Crowne Plaza baltimore North Timonium, baltimore, Maryland
May 2 - 5, 2013
WICA SHOPPE
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IDENTIFICATION GUIDE 1840-1890
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WHITE IRONSTONE TEAPOTS
Ernie & Bev Dieringer, $25.00
WHITE IRONSTONE PITCHERS
WHITE IRONSTONE PITCHERS II
Ernie & Bev Dieringer, $30.00 each
RELIEF-MOLDED JUGS bOOK
Volume II
Kathy Hughes, $29.00
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Page 4 Vol. 19.1
ELSMORE & FORSTER
Dale Abrams, shown above, gave an outstanding program on everything known about Elsmore & Forster. His
research was incredibly thorough including contacting
museum people in England. We are not giving a synopsis
of his speech here but it is available on a DVD available
by contacting the WICA Shoppe. We are including an
overview of the shapes that Elsmore & Forster merchandised in the U.S.
Known shapes made by Elsmore and Forster are:
Arched Forget-Me-Not
Baltic Shape
Ceres Shape
Crystal Shape
Laurel Wreath aka Victory Shape
Morning Glory Shape aka Halleck Shape
Olympic Shape
Pacific Shape
Portland Shape
Tulip Shape
The design for this Arched Forget-Me-Not soup tureen may
have been from Ralph Scragg,
the same modeler who did Grape
Octagon Shape.
Page 5 Vol. 19.1
ELSMORE & FORSTER
Below: Two versions of the popular Ceres
Shape relish dishes. The wider one on the left
is a plain shell shape. The one on the right has
an added cable and lobed scallops on the rim.
Although marked Number 2 Shape, this
teapot was also made by many potters who
used impressed marks with Baltic Shape.
This was another shape that Elsmore &
Forster bought from the modeler, D.
Chetwynd in 1855.
Left: A Ceres Shape ribbed pedestal compote with
four raised feet. The inverted ribs on the interior
of the bowl have an added inner rim of wheat heads
and leaves. Registered on November 2, 1859.
Page 6 Vol. 19.1
ELSMORE & FORSTER
Left: Crystal Shape
teapot. The pour spout
and handle have narrow
embossed ribs. Note
the scalloped rim. No
registry has been found
for this shape.
Below: Morning Glory or Halleck Shape. It
was sold marked with either name. The
carving is among the finest in all ironstone.
The botanic detail is perfect and covers the
entire body of this soup tureen. No registry
date has been found but we suspect it was
potted in the early1860s.
Above: A hefty knotted rope is used as a finial on all of
E&F’s Laurel Wreath Shape pieces including this potty.
It was sold as both Victory Shape (probably in the Post
Civil War North) and Laurel Wreath Shape. It can be
found with a transfer portrait of George Washington inside of the wreath. Registered April 4, 1867.
Page 7 Vol. 19.1
ELSMORE & FORSTER
Above: Olympic Shape shows the influence of classical
design in the Greek Key borders. Registered November
10, 1864.
Above: Pacific Shape pitcher
& bowl. Registered February
20, 1871, one of the last
shapes made by E&F.
Below: Tulip Shape teapot. Registered
March 15, 1855. The tulip only appears
on the finial of this shape.
Above: Portland Shape is loved by
collectors because of its large openblossom finial (a Thionia). It has
panels and nicely carved handles. So
far a diamond registry date has not
been found on this shape but only the
name.
Page 8 Vol. 19.1
SHOW & TELL
Bob Hohl brought a child’s teapot with
a bird’s head spout which we called
Birds Song. The lucky child who had
this wonderful set to play with.
The eight-paneled pitcher below has figures with Chinese apparel. It is known
as Chinese Figures in Kathy Hughes
book. It has been found by James Dudson and also S, Hughes & Co. This
pitcher has holes on the top rim which
means it probably had a pewter lid
Dave Klein holds what is obviously a Chinese Shape
soup tureen. The thing that
makes it unusual is it is by
Anthony Shaw. We have not
seen this piece without copper lustre. We have seen this
piece by other makers.
Page 9 Vol. 19.1
SHOW & TELL
Dennis Contri brought an eagle-handled gravy boat with a scalloped
shield under the handle. We noticed
that it was similar to the Scalloped
Decagon gravy boat by Davenport.
The Scalloped Dec one added scallops and changed the eagle to a classical knob. Both pieces are marked
with a peanut shaped mark and the
date of 1852.
The piece below is a commemorative jug in Huron Shape. Thomas
Wood was a glass and china dealer in
Lancashire. His name is in gold and
the date of his birth is on the bottom.
Scalloped Decagon aka Niagara Shape
gravy boat by Davenport
This is a huge funnel. It was made
by Coors, marked in blue, which
was a U.S. Pharmaceutical Co. Its
actual use is unknown but you can
get an idea of its size by the back of
the gravy boat on the right side of
the picture.
Page 10 Vol. 19.1
SHOW & TELL
Hen on nest bank, 5” long and no
mark. It has unusual blue-black glass
eyes. The slit for depositing coins is
on the rim of the back, but it didn’t
show up in the photo.
Everything on this page was brought by
Rick Nielsen.
The syrup pitcher above is 6 1/2” high and
embossed with flowering vines. It is an unknown new shape for the man who has an
enormous collection of syrups.
This 12” high cheese keep by Wedgwood is on 4 slightly raised feet with a
basketweave border and flower garden
design.
Rick, at right, is holding a rare American
Bennington Co., Sydenham style hot water
pitcher from a chamber set.
Below is a stag-shape covered jug by Cork
& Edge, 10” high. One of the stag’s heads
sticks out of the wall of the pitcher about a
half inch. (shown in photo below). It is astonishing that it has survived.
Early lantern-shape compote by J. & G. Alcock, c. 1840s.
Page 11 Vol. 19.1
SHOW & TELL
Tom Moreland gingerly handles this early
baroque-shape Mason’s soup tureen, c. 1840s,
with an early blue printed Mason’s mark. It is
featured on the cover of this issue. The very
large flower finial is outstanding.
This plain divided pretzel bowl was
lacking something so the Moreland’s
asked a local carpenter to fashion a
hinged double lid. It is now a very useful bowl.
Page 12 Vol. 19.1
SHOW & TELL
Tom Lautenschlager holds a very rare classical-shaped
cache pot which he found on his way to the convention. The idea that it might be a wine cooler was discarded because of its size, 8” diameter and 6” high.
Harry Moseley discovered this small table pitcher in
a new shape. It has quartered paneles with dangling
bell flowers.
Covered jug marked Wedgewood, Flora Shape.
Page 13 Vol. 19.1
SHOW & TELL
Chris Wagner brought a cup and saucer was
identified as Paneled Grape. Not as easy to identify without the details found on hollow pieces.
The small potty lid was a bit harder to nail
down. We think it’s a shape that has been designated Alternate Loops.
We didn’t document who brought this item but
it is of interest because of the fig-shape finial and
what it might have been used for. Some call this
a pancake dish. Not big enough for the pancakes
we make these days. Not deep enough for a butter dish either. Anyone out there have thoughts
on this one?
Page 14 Vol. 19.1
REMEMbERING JEAN WETHERbEE
Surviving are four children and their spouses, Winfield and Lyn
Wetherbee, Warren and Cristie Wetherbee, Linda and Karl Dalenberg, Stephen and Silvia Wetherbee, as well as 9 grandchildren
and 8 great grandchildren. And a brother and his wife Richard
and Carol Flanigan
She was loved by many nieces and nephews and welcomed
them all to the farm and her subsequent homes.
****************************************************
Jean at our twelfth convention Show & Tell.
ObITUARY
Thanks, Ernie. I am so sad but I know that we will meet again.
She was a wonderful person, a great Christian who believed in
Eternal Life and I know she is happy being with her Lord and
Savior. I owe her so much for all that I learned from her about
white ironstone. Heaven is richer because of her.
Love,
Bertica Vasseur
****************************************************
Jean Emily Flanigan Wetherbee, 91-1/2 yrs
Born August 17 1920
Married Bernard Lyle Wetherbee August 23 1942
Died March 18, 2012
Remembering Jean
Mrs. Wetherbee was born on Aug. 17, 1920 the daughter of the
late Winfield and Elnora Failing Flanigan and grew up on the
c.1840 family farm in Canajoharie NY. She was educated at
SUNY, Oneonta, NY with a degree as a reading specialist. She
spent most of her teaching career in the Canajoharie, Fort Plain,
and St. Johnsville, NY school system as a reading specialist. She
raised four children on the family farm with her husband Bernard.
She was preceded in death by her husband Bernard Lyle Wetherbee, whom she married in August of 1942.
She loved the Lord and cheerfully shared her faith that was truly
the backbone of her life. The family takes great comfort in knowing she resides in Heaven now.
In her retirement years she was very active. Her interest in
White Ironstone China led her to write four published books on
the subject as well as to contribute to the start of the White Ironstone Club of America. Due to her own experiences with being a
spouse of an Alzheimer’s/Pics disease victim, she helped to start
some of the first support groups for families in the New England
area in the early 1980s. In 1985 she joined the staff of His Mansion Ministries, Deering, NH where she worked with young
adults to earn their GE diplomas. She also taught staff member's
children in the private school there with other volunteers. She was
known to most there as Gramma Jean. She homeschooled Tiffany
Dalenberg in Tiff's high school years. She did this through 1999.
After that she continued some tutoring and spent winters in
warmer Florida and the Spring and Summer in NH. In early 2005
she moved permanently to Union, West Virginia to be close to
two of her children. She continued to read avidly, to play an expert level game of Scrabble, and loved her family deeply.
We first saw Jean Wetherbee at a Brimfield Show in the late
1980s. We had bumped into Ed Rigoulot and Ted Brockey who
were delighted because they had seen a woman that from behind
looked just like Bea Arthur of the popular TV show, Maud. We
had also seen her and just like Maud’s, Jean’s hair was starting to
get streaked with a bit of white. Her walk was straight and confident, and it was Bea Arthur till she turned around looking at us
with her warm smile on that oh so wise and gentle face. We did
not approach her and did not see her again till 1989 when we invited a gathering of all the White ironstone dealers and collectors
we knew to our home in Redding CT. As busy hosts we didn’t
find an opportunity to really sit and talk with Jean. A couple of
years later Jim & Mara Kerr had a gathering on their NY state
farm. It was the first really large White Ironstone event with dealers under tents, where we did get to talk with her while relaxing
under our tent. Later while sitting under the shade of huge old
trees, Jean spoke to us all, of the her new discoveries and had
ended by saying we should start a club. Later she introduced us
to Dale Abrams who gave us copies of the Tea Leaf Club’s Bylaws and Protocols and to Julie Rich – editor of the Tea Leaf
Readings. We asked Jeans advice on researching and writing a
newsletter and we remember her saying, “just let your great enthusiasm for ironstone and photography guide you”. Also to use
the three “P”s, probably, perhaps and possibly and “Never say
never”. She told us that she was continually surprised by the great
number of both shapes and objects that were made in ironstone.
She also told us to think a long while before we named a shape,
and how she laughed at having named “Scalloped Decagon” after
having seen only the dinner plate. As the years passed the octagon
Jean Wetherbee 1920-2012
Page 15 Vol. 19.1
platters appeared as well as, first an octagon and then an oval tea
set, and finally all the oval tureens! She added, “that at least they
all had scallops on them and that a better name would have been
Scallop shape.” Occasionally Jean would spend a week with us
doing research and compiling data that we all gathered annually.
We remember one afternoon sitting on a rug on the floor in front
of a side board loaded with ironstone china. We had dragged out
and surrounded ourselves with over a hundred pieces from the
lower cabinet (mostly a large collection of cup plates of every
shape and all of our children’s pieces and syllabub cups). It was
late afternoon and the school bus dropped off one of our teenaged
daughters with her friends. They burst in on the three of us sitting
there and our daughter looked at her friends astonished faces and
said,” OH these are my parents and
a friend. They like to play with
dishes!” We will always remember
how we all laughed till we ached.
One more memory. Jean, after
hearing some dishes crash down in
a booth at an antique show and seeing all of us groan and moan about
the disaster, she remarked that if it
is so painful to you, you should collect quilts.
And lastly, when some collectors
would get jealous and when avarice
and compulsion would become
paramount , Jean was always there
to remind us that “It’s only dishes!”
She was our mother Theresa.
ular "Brimfield Scene". All the fields opened at the same time in
those days
and I was checking out another nearby field when I saw this lady
helping an older gentleman unpack his wares. He had mostly
white ironstone china and the lady was asking if he had brought
her 'this or that'. I struck up a conversation and soon was also
helping this man to unpack. of course the lady was Jean, and all
the while we unwrapped she was telling me what this piece was
used for, and the names of the shapes, and on and on about Ironstone china. I clearly remember one thing she bought that day. It
was a covered Hot Cake (Pancake) warmer with lid. I never in
all the ensuing years found one for myself ! She was such a wonderful lady. So willing to share her knowledge about this china
Bev & Ernie
****************************************************
Dear Bev and Ernie,
Our daughter moved to Hopkinton MA in 1979 and this is when
we found out about Brimfield. It was only about an hour from her
house and so about 1980 we rented a space and thus began a reg-
and so excited in telling you all about it. When we began our
business in 1956 we handled all early furniture and would always
buy those "white dishes" to decorate our cupboards at shows.
Now I finally knew what we were buying. Later, about 1986
while doing the Tyson Corner show near DC we met Harriet Denton, Julie Rich, and Sally Scriminger. They grabbed up all my
Above: Jean doing one of
our first show and tell experiences at one of the
first gatherings of white
ironstone enthusiasts at
the home of Jim & Mara
Kerr. It was at this gathering that Jean suggested
that we start a club.
Left: Jean with Jack
Anspaugh, one of our
founding members at the
same event.
Page 16 Vol. 19.1
ironstone, and we talked for hours, and from there we really got
the "WI BUG". Some how or the other we became Charter Members of WICA and you know the story from there.
I never saw Jean again until the first annual convention and, bless
her heart, she DID remember that day we met at Brimfield.
Just another thought! That Crash you heard at a show? Was it
Brimfield? Because in the late 80's we had a whole shelf full of
white ironstone blow over from a sudden fierce wind. It did make
a lovely crash! As you reminded us now that Jean would say,
"Buy Quilts".
Jean is the Lady we will never forget.
***************************************************
As for memories of Jean, mine are mostly being mistaken for
her, being her sister (?), or even worse: "Are you her daughter?--- (Poor Jean would have had to be 120 yrs. old !!!!) I did write
to her a long time ago and received a nice note in return which I
still have !!! I will send it along
Gloria Weatherby
***************************************************
Janet and Con Knorr
MISSING JEAN
***************************************************
I met Jean at an antique show she was doing with her daughter
Linda Dalenberg. When I moved to New Hampshire I found that
Jean was living in Deering, just a few miles away. Jean and I
would get together at Linda’s antique shop in Hillsborough and
talk Ironstone which interested us both – Jean had written “The
Bible” about White Ironstone and I had written my book about
Mulberry. We went shopping together and attended several
Your email about remarks concerning Jean is a most thoughtful
idea. We do have recollections of her visit to our home with
Bernard many, many years ago. Our collection was certainly limited at the time but she was intrigued by all the chamber pot covers we had collected. She learned about us from a friend who was
a dealer and knew we were interested in Ironstone. In the following years she would still comment on the covers. This was when
she still lived on the farm in, I believe, Spencer, NY. We figure
this must have been in the late 70’s, early 80’s. It was when
Bernard was beginning to have his health issues. You may be able
to figure the timing.
Carl & Jean
***************************************************
Suzanne and I are from the midwest, and therefore, did not know
any other Ironstone collectors. Suzanne bought the "Second look
at White Ironstone", book which Jean wrote, and we read and
studied it to learn about our passion. I thought that if there was a
second look there must have been a first look, so I contacted the
publisher to correspond with Jean. She sent a lovely note and
sold us her last extra copy of the book as well as the price list.
We became fast friends and started to receive notes from Jean
about new finds and items for sale. We finally met her in person
at the 1st convention when I asked her to sign the two dogeared
books that were falling apart which we had used over the years.
As she signed the book, she insisted on writing that the plate was
not Sydenham, but Boote 1851. She hated passing along incorrect
information and prided herself on looking, learning, documenting
and teaching.
Rick and Suzanne Nielsen
***************************************************
It is not until now that I want to write you. It had to wait. I think
you were her dearest and most meaningful friends. You made me
think of the first time I saw her. It was the first breakfast of the
first WICA session. She was sitting at a table by herself. I asked
if I may sit with her. I loved her that moment as much as I ever
could and that's a hell of a lot.
Harry Lowe
Jean & Amy Earls at one of the conventions.
WICA regional meetings – I remember one lovely weekend at the
Morlands which was attended by David Barker and Miranda
Goodby.
Jean and I were both spending the winters in Florida and we got
together there. After Jean moved to Union, West Virginia I had
the pleasure of driving her to several WICA conventions – she
was such fun and so enjoyed seeing all her white ironstone fans.
Page 17 Vol. 19.1
She never lost her child-like delight in finding new shapes and
patterns, registration information, children’s pieces and the rare
& unusual. Jean gave me a wonderful mug – mulberry marble
with an impressed mark of John Alcock, CORA SHAPE. This
mug is the only piece I have in mulberry with a real shape name.
Jean was one of the finest people I have ever known, I’ll remember her always.
Ellen Hill
***************************************************
August 20, 1982 on the way home from our annual get-away to
Tenants Harbor, Maine, Wes and I visited Jean at her home in
Lynnfield, Massachusetts. Wes and I were thrilled by two very
different parts of the easy conversation with a person we had
heard about but not met. Naturally I spoke with Jean about white
ironstone, seated on a swing on her front porch, which was surrounded by flowers – I think wisteria. We talked about her love
of the subject and about her forays into people’s collections to
discover valuable material for her book. Then we seated ourselves in her living room to see Jean’s ironstone, and that is when
the conversation strayed from ironstone, and Wes got really interested, being a history enthusiast. Jean’s Dad was a radio operator on a battleship, part of Theodore Roosevelt’s White Fleet,
which was sent around the world to show America’s naval might.
We left our new friend, filled with the pleasure of having met
someone friendly, generous and important in the ceramics field.
We first met Jean Wetherbee on a hot afternoon in July of 1989
at a gathering of white ironstone collectors at Bev and Ernie
Dieringer’s home in Redding, CT. We asked her to sign our copy
of her book A Second Look at White Ironstone which she happily
did with an enthusiastic inscription of “Here’s to the search for
white treasure”. Jean became an instant friend and her passion
for learning and sharing information about white ironstone with
others was infectious. When we had a gathering of 40 some white
ironstone collectors at our home in July of 1993. Jean was there
again and spoke with all gathered around her on our front lawn
and gave out a booklet she had prepared and titled “A quick
glance after A Second Look at White Ironstone”. In future years
visiting with Jean at annual WICA conventions was always a
pleasure as well as a learning experience. She is missed by all of
her biological as well as her ironstone families but her enthusiasm
and dedication to researching and collecting white ironstone lives
on as a continual inspiration to us all.
Jim & Mara Kerr
***************************************************
I have been thinking about Jean and there are so many special
memories. The picture that keeps popping up in my minds eye is
one of Jean sitting on the floor. In my home, your home, and her's
too, amid a "carpet of ironstone". ( I always marveled how she
could do that). I couldn't. She was such a treasure.
Janet Allers
Jane and Wes Diemer
***************************************************
Francis Hills, Bev Dieringer, Jean Wetherbee and Ernie Dieringer in Francis’ back garden behind
her shop full of white ironstone in Weston, Connecticut, 2008.
Page 18 Vol. 19.1
SPARE PARTS
WANTED
Looking for FIG/UNION cups &
saucers and also a FIG/UNION soup
tureen undertray.
John R. Schilling, call most days between 8:00 and 9:00 AM, 610 521
9662, or drop a note: 644 Saude Ave
Essington, PA 19029
---------------------------------------------Wanted OLYMPIC SHAPE, MORNING GLORY SHAPE and Jas. Edwards Gothic items.
Jane Diemer – pahbubba@comcast.net
or 302-475-7412.
---------------------------------------------POTOMAC SHAPE hot beverage server
lid, QUARTERED ROSE sugar bowl lid,
RIBBED CHAIN sauce tureen lid, ST.
LOUIS SHAPE toothbrush box lid,
SCALLOPED DECAGON sauce tureen
lid, SCROLLED BUBBLE toothbrush
box lid,
SCROLLED BUBBLE teapot lid,
SYDENHAM SHAPE, oval sauce tureen
lid, VINTAGE SHAPE hot toddy lid,
WALLED OCTAGON teapot lid.
Rick Nielsen, 314-997-7963 or e-mail
rn1132@earthlink.net
--------------------------------------------------
CERES by Elsmore & Forster base to
soap dish and toothbrush box, potty
bottom
to
EAGLE/DIAMOND
THUMBPRINT, we have the lid.
Ernie Dieringer, 203 938 3740 or
e-mail dieringer1@aol.com
---------------------------------------------SYDENHAM SHAPE 7 3/4” diam. round
lid for a stew tureen, 10” pitcher, a mug
and a butter dish, All SYDENHAM.
Mike Hair, 717-263-0792 or e-mail
mchair@embarqmail.com
------------------------------------------
FOR SALE
HANGING PEAR Mayer & Elliot
teapot, registered December 18, 1856.
$235.
Bertica Vasseur, 603 899 2886 or
e-mail elmwoodct@aol.com
---------------------------------------------I have a mustard pot - chrysanthemum
pattern - which I understand is a scarce
item. There is no potter mark and it is
in perfect shape. There are two pieces
- pot and lid - no spoon.
Harold Brown, 705 328-1745
10 Wood Court, Lindsay, ON K9V 6J4
---------------------------------------------Lid for Trent Shape soup tureen.
Olympic Shape sugar bowl bases. Call
for sizes and prices.
Jane Diemer, 302-475-7412
----------------------------------------------
COLLECTORS’ SHOWCASE
This is one of our most favorite
utilitarian pieces of white ironstone.
It is used for air drying washed
wine glasses, often on a bar top.
Another example of the incredible
number of everyday items that were
manufactured in ironstone. Probably no one paid any attention to
these ubiquitous pieces.