Cherished Collections

 

Welcome to everyone who is visiting from Elegant Musings for the Cherished Collections Bog Tour!
I'm having so much fun seeing all the wonderful things different people collect and I hope you are too!

I'm going to share with you a collection that happened somewhat by accident. I collect silver and silver-plated compotes.

What's a compote?  

A compote, or compote dish, as they are sometimes called, is a footed dish, often used to serve sweets or nuts. 

So, how did I end up with this collection?  It started with one piece that had been a wedding gift to my in-laws and they had never used it:

I brought it home and polished off 30 years worth of tarnish and added it to my small Revere bowl, which is a shape I've been enamored with since I was a child.  Slowly the collection grew.

I have tall ones, short ones, simple ones, fancy ones, pierced ones and some that aren't technically compotes because they don't have a pedestal and foot, so they're really bowls, but I love them just the same. Each one is different and I know exactly which ones I already have at home and refuse to duplicate even if it's a really good deal. I've become pretty discerning about adding to the collection and a new one has to be pretty special and priced just right to make it, which is why I've been holding at 11 for a while now.

I love that they add a little touch of drama to everyday. The tallest one in the photo above came from the estate sale of the husband and wife who founded the theatre I work at. I think it's kind of neat to have it. I have a few that were gifts from very special family members, including one of the little bowls (it's just peeking in at the lower edge of the photo) that was originally a gift to my husband Joe's grandparents on a significant wedding anniversary.

A little part of me cries every time I see a lonely compote at a thrift store because I know I could give it a good home, but I am NOT the Angelina Jolie of silver compote adoption! I have learned to say no. 

I polish them pretty diligently, except just before Halloween when I let them tarnish a bit to add to my creepy decor!  The photos were taken in December & yes, those are disco ball ornaments- I always glam them up a bit during the winter holidays! 

Be sure to visit the other blogs on the tour by visiting Elegant Musings