Collectible Calendars

With just a month and a half before the New Year, this is the time to look for 2008 Calendars. I was in the Hallmark store yesterday, and did they ever have a huge selection of 2008 calendars. There were calendars with horses, cats, dogs, landscapes, seascapes, and on and on. With a calendar in most rooms, I need about six. I usually try to have at least one floral calendar, one inspirational calendar, one tea calendar, and then free calendars from various businesses. Tea is one of the subjects for collectible calendars. This is one you do not just toss out or cut up at the end of the year.
In 1993 I bought the Tea-Time Calendar, published by DaySpring, and really enjoyed the facts about tea and scripture quotes.

However, from 1997 I have been buying The Collectible Teapot & Tea Calendar. Written by Joni Miller and photographed by Martin Brigdale, it is published by Workman Publishing. With the word "collectible" in the product name, it is understandable that it is lavishly illustrated and well designed.
Here is the 2007 calendar. It came with a folded sheet of ‘collectible’ postcards using the 12 photos from the calendar. The teapot for November is the "Donut," introduced in 1938 by the Hall China Co. in Ohio.

Each month’s two-page spread includes
a richly designed photo showcasing one teapot amid an alluring meal setting
descriptive text which evokes the mood of the photograph
tidbits on the history of tea, or on a teapot manufacturer, or a special pattern or type of teapot or tea accessories
a charming or witty quotation about tea or tea drinking
There are novelty and whimsical teapots for children as well as adults. The green flatiron teapot is from Rising Hawk Studio in the 1950’s. The teddy bear teapot is from the 1980s from Price and Kensington Potteries Ltd.

Of course, there are many very elegant designed pots, teacups, table appointments and foods. These calendar covers show this very well.


I have wondered… are any of the photos re-used over the years? However, I do not have time to check to see if my hunch is correct.
These calendars, of course, have good examples of blue and white china pots. Here is a 20th century design from T.G. Green & Co. Ltd. of Derbyshire, England. It is an example of Cornish Ware, with the blue stripes denoting the sky and the white the waves along a beach in Cornwall. [Designer Mary Gilliat inspired the pattern of my teapot from Churchill.]

I just received my 2008 copy from Amazon.com yesterday.

What subjects do you choose for the calendars you buy? It would be interesting to hear what motifs or themes other bloggers choose for their calendars.