2006.16.1

A-D: Four saucers, each with a blue border on the inside of the rims, with a landscape at the center featuring a Victorian Gothic building, set near water, with a tree on either side. A man stands on the proper right side of center on the image. "Cologne" printed in an oval on the bottom of each saucer. (Measurements: 4.5" in diameter at rim x 2.25" in diameter at foot x 1" high.) E-G: Three cups, each with a blue border, very similar to the border on the saucers, printed on the outside rim and the inside rim. These cups have no handles. (Measurements: 2.75" in diameter at the rim x 1.5" in diameter at the foot x 1.75" high.) H: Creamer, white with blue architectural pattern on two sides (pattern the same as that in the center of the saucers; ouside rim, foot and handle all decorated with a delicate blue pattern. The pouring lip has a wider decoration, similar to the accents on the borders of both the cups and saucers. (Measurements: 2.25" at width of belly x 3.125" high at lip x 2.75" in depth from tip of poring rim to back of handle.) I-J: I - is the sugar bowl and J the lid. The sugar bowl and lid match the other pieces in the set. The bowl has two small curved handles and an octangonal rim. Across its belly is a landscape similar to the others in this set; however, this landscape has a larger building, and more people (including 2 women). The foot, rim and the handles are decorated with a blue border pattern . The lid has the same border patern decorating its edge; the nob has a floral quality, with a tiny bump in the center and 8 raised areas, like petals. (Measurements: I: 3.625" wide x 2.75" high x 2.75" deep; J: 1.75" in diameter x 1.125" high.) K-L: The teapot and lid. (K is the teapot and L is the lid.) The teapot has decorations on the handle, the foot, the rim and the spout, in blue and very similar to the other pieces in the set. The architectural decoration on either side of the teapot is similar to that on the sugar bowl. One one side there appears to be two women, a child and a man; on the other side are a man and a woman standing, with another man kneeling or seated in front of the woman. The lid is quite similar to the lid for the sugar bowl, except there is a hole in this lid. (Measurements: K: width is 5" including spout and handle x 3.25" in depth x 3.75" in height. L: 1.75" in diameter x 1.25" high.)

This tea set was handed down within a family. Ephreim Dyer, III married Ellen Ingalls. Ellen Ingalls Dyer passed the set on to Edith Dyer Champion. Edith in turn, passed the set on to Marjorie Champion Willcox. Marjorie passed it on to Ruth Caroline Dyer, who has given the set to the Oakland Museum of California. Item 2006.16.2 (a small plate) was also used with this set, although it is of a different pattern. Ellen Ingalls Dyer lived on Alice Street in Oakland; she was the mother of Edith Dyer Champion who lived at Adams Point, Lake Merritt, in Oakland.

Used: child | Childhood | Playing | Tea party | Ellen Ingalls Dyer | Edith Dyer Champion | Marjorie Champion Willcox | Ruth Caroline Dyer