To not use new collection

[OonaLoona2]

I was given a beautiful personalised Emma Bridgewater mug for Christmas and have Just ordered myself a few more items and plan to build up a lovely collection.
I told dh about this and said I would display the items only, not actually use them. He thinks it's a crazy waste of money to do this and that everything should be used. I think between him and 3dc my beautiful new pottery would soon become mosaic.
AIBU to display only?

£20 to £30 for one fecking mug and there are people saying EB isn't expensive.

I ummed and ahhhed for hours before splashing out an entire £7 for a Le Crueset mug at the outlet centre. I love Le Cruset but am too weak of arm to use their cast iron cooking pots so this was a good compromise.

My other favourite mug cost £2 from ikea, where all the rest of our crockery etc came from. There you can buy entire sets for less than the cost of single items from EB.

I would have said you were being unreasonable for wanting the items and not using them, but thinking about it, it’s probably better to treat it as ‘ornaments’ rather than use them, as it would be wasteful and upsetting when if they got chipped or broken, which reminds me of something that I’ve always wondered – is all this expensive crockery actually more durable, better quality (how – chips less, doesn't break when dropped?) than cheap stuff or is it just nicer?

I’m of the opinion that a plate’s a plate and superficially at least, one that costs £20 from EB does the same job as one that costs a quid or two from Ikea etc.

Use it and take pleasure from using something you think is lovely.

Oh good christ save us from the snobs 'its not meant for collecting, it isn't special enough', how rude!

I'm not sure which posters you're referring to, but if I'm one if them, I didn't say it isn't special enough to display.

I've said it seems like everyday kitchenware (hence being dishwasher proof), so I think it's better to use it for that purpose rather than display it.

The OP says her husband believes it should be used so clearly the notion isn't quite as outlandish as some people think.

The op's husband thinks it should be used because otherwise it's a waste of money. Not it should be used because it's only Emma Bridgewater and too utilitarian for display.

I will always believe that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and that regardless of cost or 'everyday' nature of an item, if it thrills the owner then good luck to them.

Who bloody cares if it's not 'meant' to be collected. The op wants to collect it.

Suburban, you seem to have a different idea of 'display' than the OP (and, I would suspect, most people). Maybe it would be a bit strange to put it on a glass shelf in the living room (but I think that would be true even of a handmade, bespoke mug), but she's talking about putting it on a dresser in a kitchen.

Yeah I don't get this saving for best or not ever using stuff that's meant to be used. i agree with whoever said it feels old fashioned. But if you like it & that's what you want to do then go for it. I always think EB stuff is very twee though.

I have to ask moris in what way is Boden aspirational?

margaret

I think the word display means the same thing to everyone with a basic grasp of English. It makes no difference what surface the items are displayed on.

As long as you're not buying it instead of paying the mortgage then I don't see the harm if it's what makes you happy.

Art is what ever speaks to the owner. If you want to use your pretty tea things as art - why not?

I have antique china in a display cabinet. It belonged to my Great Grandmother and has come down through the family to me. It's not massively valuable but old things make my heart happy.

It's your home it should make your heart happy.

It packages a particularly glossy version of upper middle class families who can readily afford forty quid for a kids play top. To most British families, it's a picture they can only aspire to, or occasionally buy into. It's obviously not to everyone's taste and loads of people wouldn't want Boden at any price.

But I get spectacularly peeved at people all faux confused over the apparent cachet. They know fine well that it's at the upper end of the average person's shopping budget, or off the scale.

If you can't see the difference between your mother's chintz shelf and putting some cups on the shelves on a dresser in the kitchen then fine, but I think most people can...

I prefer to use items for their intended purpose rather than to display them. But I suppose dressers are crying out for something to populate their shelves aren't they?

William Morris said to only have things in your house that were useful and/or beautiful. If creating a display of this stuff makes your heart sing well then you should for for it.

YANBU.

morris

Who said it was "too utilitarian"?

I said it was kitchenware that was intended for use as - you know, kitchenware - and I'm guessing the OP's husband thinks it's a waste of money to buy kitchenware just for looking at.

My mum's shelf is made of glass, margaret, not fabric .

Things are put up for display when they are not intended to be used. It makes no difference where they're displayed.

The very first definition of utilitarian that Google gave me:

'designed to be useful and practical'.

This is the exact reason you gave for not displaying Emma Bridgewater pottery. You think it's utilitarian, not decorative.

As a potter (yes really) I would be sad if the things I make to be used were just sitting on a shelf. One of the most expensive pieces of pottery I have ever bought is a teapot which I use on a regular basis - cost me best part of £200. Its beautiful to use and it gives me pleasure just pouring tea into my mug.Your just as likely to break it when dusting (?!) as when using it.

Emma Bridgewater stuff will be around for a long time - use your mug. Its personalised so it's your mug and no one else can touch it on pain of something awful happening. Use and have pleasure from it and if / when it breaks buy another one.
Having said all that - its your mug, its up to you.

morris

Please don't tell me what I think.

I'm not. I'm telling you what you said. It's in words, up thread. If utilitarian doesn't mean practical then I apologise, can you tell me what it does mean?

Op hasn't been back but I'll take this one on :)

I think she isn't planning to save it for best. She's planning to buy it because she wants simply to look at it. Given that she considers it beautiful, and that she owns a dresser built for the purpose, I think it is anything but sad to buy it purely for display.

It's not about not getting the use or the joy of it - she'll get joy from it all the time as it'll be on permanent display.

I have over 500 emma bridgewater items. Used to have many more but sold them to renovate my house (over £30,000). Item I bought for £30 sold for over £1000 and lots of £15 items got over £150. However since they opened the new factory they do make a lot more and the customer service is totally crap now.

I have over 100 mugs that we sue daily. Yes some would sell for up to £100 but I like them. They do chip easily and they also craze though.

In the sale mugs are often only £5 each at the end usually.

morris

So if you're not telling me what I think, what exactly did you mean when you posted this:

You think it's utilitarian, not decorative. ?

Ok, I'm sorry. I can't know what you think, only what you say. Please disregard my comment.

In fact what I meant was you said Emma Bridgewater pottery was too utilitarian to display. Perhaps it isn't what you think at all, and you said it for another reason.

We have Emma Bridgewater crockery and oven to table dishes with words around the rim on a cream background. Imthink it's OK for everyday use but too chunky for dinner parties/special occasions. It's not particularly robust and does chip a little in dishwasher and the glaze has crackled giving it a greyish lined tinge. Mugs aren't a good shape for cleaning either. Not something I would display.