Oh my. What is a passionate rose lover like you doing in that glacial hell hole? Reading about your endeavors has exhausted me and I haven't even lifted a shovel. I admire your grit and determination, but would love to see you rewarded with thousands of blooms on your rose bushes for all your hard work. I bet they could use engineers in zones 7 to 10!

But you 'did' find it! See the bold text below. From the site you linked: ------------------------- "Haas & Czjzek - Horní Slavkov, Czech Republic (Schlaggenwald, Bohemia, Austria) Founded in 1792 by Johann Georg Paulus, Johann Poschl, and Johann Reumann without a porcelain permit. Slavkovský is the Bohemian name of the forest and mountains surrounding this area. This is the first operational Porcelain factory in Bohemia. 1867 Johann Czjzek, a newphew, became a partner. The company name was Haas & Czjzek. 1872 the company bought the Portheim & Sons factory in Dolní Chodov, Czech Republic (Chodau, Bohemia, Austria). After 1992 the Horní Slavkov (Schlaggenwald) plant became independent from the nationalized company and is still in operation today as Haas & Czjzek . Both factories were named Haas & Czjzek until after WWII. The Horní Slavkov factory used an "S" or Schlaggenwald in the marks and the Chodov factory used a "C" or Chodau. ------------------------- That site also included a link to another page (in Czech?) that I explored, finding this table -- which shows your mark and dates it to between 1918 and 1945. ------------------------- So you see? You *did* find it! Here is a link that might be useful: Czech site

purplemoon, thank you, well, since this treatment is going to last at least until Aug, I have to deal with good days (few) and not so good days, but I try to not have the bad days totally run my life...they just slow it down LOL Paintingfool, you just gave me a good belly laugh (Godiva) ha, only in my dreams, especially lately LOL I am glad that the tablesetting bug has gone to your family, there is nothing more pleasing than people actually using their "treasures" rather than making a shrine to them. To be lovinging touched and sharing a food event whether simple or elaborate is what makes the dishes special, because they were used with love. And each time the dishes are used they acquire a new patina of love every time they are used, now that is "priceless". And wow, 6 sisters, that means 6 opporutunites of beautiful tables and fun! dining delight, thank you too for your sweet words. I do hope what thoughts that come streaming out of this head (especially lately) are of some help to everyone, I defineatly do not have a claim to "engaging prose", I do the best I can, but of course if anyone has any questions I am always glad to take a poke at it. I do not consider myself an expert in any way. As I had said in the main forum under another thread, I do follow certain rules, but I do put up alot of others for grabs LOL, at this stage of my life I try to please me and others, the whole idea is to have fun, bring in color, excitement to what is a normal routine in most of our lives. My ears are burning in a good way, thankyou :) luvs, the Party Planner seems to be way behind on posting the photos, but if you go to her most recent comment about being busy...I think, you will see people that participated with comments, click on there blog sign and their blog will come up and you will see their teaparties.

I grew up with a tradition of afternoon tea, which came from the Dutch and English side of the family. Mom and grandma had tea and I remember wonderful gatherings of many of my grandma's 8 sisters for afternoon tea. Mom said she had it at her grandma's too, so when I serve tea I like to include great grandma's little china platter for the sweets. But Dutch tea is just plain tea with a cookie, usually a gingerbread one! It took me a while to loose the "high tea" moniker for afternoon tea, I guess Americans think that an afternoon tea with all the china is a "high falutin' affair!" I love all the variations of tea service pieces! Although I can ill afford to ever have a formal tea since I am at work all the time in the afternoon and rarely have company on weekends. I am also greatly enamoured of canapes and finger sandwiches, I love the idea of being able to try a few bites of a lot of different tastes! Again, not something I get to indulge in very often. That's a meal we don't often have anymore at my house, the "make your own sandwich" spread that my mom used to put out. I know it is very common in Europe as a dinner, just some breads, cheeses and meats set out on the table with a few other accompaniments. At least that's the way it was back in the 80's when I was in Germany. They have great coffee houses too. We have them here in the states but no where near as many fine ones. My current town has a nice coffee house but it is not very exciting when it comes to the food offerings. The same dull limited options every single day. The market won't bear anything more I guess.