I need to tell someone!

[Caswallonthefox]

Today, I was looking for an espresso cup and discovered that they are currently as rare as hens teeth.
While going into one of several charity shops in my town, I was shocked to see a coffee set in a dining set that I had.
This set was from the 60's and was only used for important occasions. I inherited it when my dad died and it sat in a cupboard gathering dust. My dad has been gone since 2005.
I was totally shocked, to the point where I apologised to the shop lady and explained the reason why I was.
15 minutes later, she had my entire collection and I now have an empty cupboard.
Had I not seen this, that set would have sat in a cupboard until I died.

I understood your post. Unexpectedly seeing an uncommon pattern that had been used for special occasions in your family reminded you had the same unused collection at home.

You then donated your pieces to expand the set for sale in the charity shop. A keepsake in a cupboard will, when sold, hopefully be used once again.

I bought a vintage Meakin Galaxy dinner set from a charity shop about 7 years ago and it's in daily use in my home. Place settings for 8, serving platters, tureens that I bought to match the coffee set for 16 with sandwich plates
I already had.

Donating your dad's set has freed up cupboard space, will benefit the charity and the buyer will have a set they have chosen. All good things! I hope you find espresso cups, OP.

I understood your first post op. It was a surprise to see other items from a set as they are rare. And rather than your items gathering dust in your cupboard or just getting rid of them, when they had been your family's, it felt like you were doing the right thing by joining them up with the coffee set and donating them to charity at the same time.

I've had occasions when I've held on to things because I felt I should and didn't feel comfortable just getting rid but then something happens where giving them away just seems right

Someone who collects them will be thrilled to come across them one day.

I wanted to complete a pattern they stopped making and came across people selling some and we bought it.

or maybe espresso martinis

Absolutely nobody buys them. It will all end up in landfill in a few weeks.

The OP could have cut out the middleman and binned them!

There are some specialist websites that sell crockery to help people make up sets if they have broken stuff. But it is all very high end stuff. I tried to sell to them and they didn’t want them.
My coffee cups have been on eBay for about 2 years without even a flicker of interest.

Bizarre

Not really the point of the thread but I was amazed recently when I went to a charity shop and it was £200 for a dining set. I’m sure it was very lovely but I just want cheap plates I don’t care about to chuck in the dishwasher so I trundled off to Tesco. I miss ye olde charity shops with a pile it high sell it cheap mentality.

Someone is going to love that charity shop find. I hope you find some espresso cups soon, OP.

I think this is lovely OP and more lovely with the generosity of donation your set rather than people expecting you to add to yours

Same, I had to take mine to the tip in the end. Had lots of rarer pieces like the condiments items, oil and vinegar bottles etc. Nobody buying them on eBay, china resellers didn't want them. There's an area of the tip where you can take stuff that's still in good nick for others to take if they want, so I put it all there. All in perfect condition, 60 years old. But if nobody wants it, what else can you do?

Only if there is someone who wants to buy it.

Let’s face it. Donating to a charity shop is a way to salve our consciences for wanting to get rid of perfectly good stuff that is no longer in style. Instead of binning it.
Charity shops have got quite fussy now about what they will accept- try getting rid of videos, dvds or hardback books - so I assume they would not have accepted the china if they didn’t think someone might want it. But I would guess that if it doesn’t sell within a set amount of time it is binned to make way for something else.

I know I could have taken them any time. I usually take my stuff to a shop across the street from my flat.
If I hadn't seen that coffee set, my set would have stayed where it was until the day I died. I therefore had the impetus to give it to someone who may like the pattern more than I do and use it more too.

I also wonder at people's reading comprehension, but there we go.

Ooh! Who knew I was computer generated.

The coffee pot, cup and saucer set was up for a tenner, I asked. I also asked if she wanted my set and told her what it consisted of. She wanted it.
If it had been a no, my set would have carried on gathering dust, taking up cupboard space until I either died or gathered my mental energy to get rid of it.

I'm also on my own with no family or friends because I find peopling incredibly hard. I told my cat but she just looked at me funny and continued to lick her paw.
So I thought I would share it with a bunch of randoms on mumsnet.

I only wanted one espresso cup of a certain size, for measuring oats. I thought that a charity shop would have something.

I didn't realise that grumpy people came out of the woodwork of an evening during the week, I thought it was just for the weekend. However, I don't care what they think because I shared what I wanted to and its no longer bouncing around in my head with nowhere to go.

I might even bore you rigid, in the future, if I need to share again.

You’ll be very welcome

I'm sorry - I was a bit snippy in my reply. The style and time of your posting gave it a 'not genuine' vibe, but fair play. I found a really lovely espresso cup - and saucer - in my local charity shop. I don't drink coffee, but it's on display as it's so pretty.

(Edited to add - in my house! Not the shop still. Reader, I bought it)

That set is at my mum and dad’s!

Haha I tell my cats all sorts of stuff - they're never interested. We're here to serve them. Mine just made me move two plant pots so he could sit on the window sill, which he is trying out for a New Favourite Spot.

But have you found an espresso cup?
I love your thread by the way!

Yes I did. I went into 2 other charity shops I forgot yesterday. Its willow pattern and cost me a whole pound. I also bought an eeyore cup for £1.25 (this one is a normal cup for my tea)

Nooo!
If you live on the North Norfolk coast its all in my local break charity shop, should they need replacements. 😁