1. I was in Los Angeles in 1987 and my friend took me to the most amazing place - no not Disneyland, although we went there too, obviously. It was a Dollar Store. Of course we have Pound Shops now but back then I couldn't believe that this whole vast store sold everything for a dollar. I bought eight of these coffee cups. Two broke in my suitcase on the way home. Another four were faulty in that the handles heated up when the coffee was hot so you couldn't hold them. These two are perfect. $4 each in the Dollar Store. Who's the mug?
2. A good friend from New York stayed with me one summer. During her trip she went on a five day mini break to Turkey and bought me this set of six tea glasses with saucers and tiny teaspoons. Instead of coffee after dinner I love to bring out a pot of delicate herbal or green tea and serve everyone in these beautiful glasses. I try not to hate the guest who says, just as I'm about to pour, "have you got coffee?" And the other two who chime in with, "oh I'd rather have coffee too, if there is any," they will be a long time waiting for another invitation.
3. Two mugs that stack to make a multistorey tableau of roosters roosting. Silly really as they're only ever stacked in the cupboard with the door closed. If I take them out I'm unstacking them to use them. They were a gift but I could be tempted to go out and buy a dresser for several hundred pounds in order to display them.
4. This one comes in three parts. The mug, the tea-strainer insert, and the lid that doubles up as a saucer for the strainer (with soggy teabag inside) when you remove it from the mug. Nice idea and very pretty. It was a present from a student at the end of the year. Did I mention how well it works? No I didn't. Nuff said.
5. I taught these two young boys to read when they were seven year olds. Every week for two years we sat at one of their kitchen tables and had an English lesson. They bought me this mug at the end. That was 18 years ago as they're now 25 year olds. I still see them occasionally in the neighbourhood.
If your appetite for other people's mugs is whetted, pop over to Kate's Listography for more.
I love how you have kept the mug with the two boys on it for all those years. Mugs really are such an ordinary object but they probably have so many stories behind them.
ReplyDeleteThe boy on the left once house-sat for me when I had the builders in and I had to go to work. Of course I left his mug out for him.
ReplyDeleteI love how so many people have fabulous stories behind their mug collection. It's so sweet that you still treasure the mug with the boys on :-)
ReplyDeleteWe had a great two years of lessons.
DeleteI have to say that the tea cups from Turkey are really quite beautiful. How nice to have received them as a gift.
ReplyDeleteThank you, I love them too. I should have taken the photo on a lighter surface though.
DeleteOh, I LOVE the Turkish tea glasses. I drank a lot of hot, black, sweet tea when I was travelling (and working on a kibbutz).
ReplyDeleteI never drink coffee (bleurgh) so would be delighted to be offered some fresh, fragrant peppermint tea in these beauties after dinner.
You're welcome for dinner any time :)
DeleteSome lovely mugs, all so unique! Wonderful to hear the stories behind them all!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jennifer - what's a mug without a story?
DeleteYou've got a fab collection there! I really like the sparkly Turkish cups, I've never been to Turkey but it makes me want to have mint tea in them. The dollar ones are so pretty!
ReplyDeleteAh you mean the $4 dollar mugs from the Everything for a Dollar Store. Btw - I've also never been to Turkey and I'm not rushing to go but I do love the cups.
DeleteOh how cute is no.5 - put tears in my eyes!
ReplyDeletexx
Yes that is my sentimental one. And they bot grew up into great young men.
DeleteY'know, I have a mug 'thing' - am SO particular it's almost pathetic. Love yours... especially the Turkish tea cups.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely one of my most favourite gifts ever.
DeleteYou're mugs are ridiculously brilliant. Your stories even better. And no breakages. Impressive stuff :)
ReplyDeleteWell, these are the one's that didn't break. I do have quite a good turnover through the years, which is good as you want to make room for new mugs.
DeleteWhat a fantastic collection and beautiful stories to go with each one too!
ReplyDeleteAh, you gotta have a story, especially as my writing is better than my photography.
DeleteHi there. I love those little tea cups but I especially like the one with the boys on. As an ex-teacher myself that one really got to me-it's funny to think of the children we once knew as teenagers and adults. Makes me feel quite old when I see them around! Great collection.
ReplyDeleteLOL - I have young men greeting me in the street and I have to mentally strip them of up to 20 years to remember who they are.
DeleteIt's amazing the stories which are attached to such everyday items. I love the last one, how lovely you still have it. I'm so clumsy i would have broken it.
ReplyDeleteIt's almost vintage wouldn't you say. Another few years and I can sell it on ebay. #justkidding
DeleteI may have to do this one! By the way impressed at your conversion techniques - I really must try harder
ReplyDeleteThe mugs list was a lot of fun. As for the conversion stuff - it was a matter of necessity.
ReplyDeleteI have a bad case of mug envy.
ReplyDeleteAnd I regularly see the set of mugs I'd really like in the china shop. :)
DeleteAww, love a good photo mug!
ReplyDeleteYeas, and especially as I was particularly fond of these two.
DeleteI'm concerned about your anti-coffeeism.
ReplyDeleteEverything has its time and place Mark. The fact is I love a coffee after a meal but it doesn't fit in with my lovely Turkish mugs. Guests have to comply with my contolling or else.
ReplyDeleteYour top pair of mugs look lovely but I fear they would not be ergonomically viable for my week wrists. I would have to wait until the contents were cool enough to allow for cuppage. Like everyone else love the story behind the 5th choice. Have you told them their mugs are online!
ReplyDeleteI tagged the mother of the boy on the left on fb but she didn't reply - strangely because we 'talk' often. Maybe she didn't see it. I may tell her again. I think I may be friends with the other mother on fb aswell - I'll go look. Thanks for putting it in my mind.
Deletewell done for winning. Am amazed by the popularity of this listography - amazed!
ReplyDeleteThank you. Funny isn't it, how something takes off quite unexpectedly.
DeleteWell done on winning! And what a fabulous collection of mugs :) I have one enormous and badly chipped coffee mug that really is not very photogenic and the rest come from Tesco!
ReplyDeleteThanks Cathy, nothing wrong with Tesco. Some of the prettiest mugs I've seen are my mum's local Sainsbury's.
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