I want seven swans a-swimming.... in tea

August 21, 2012 8:36 AM

I received this swan teapot for Christmas 2011. Now I'm on a mission to turn it into a tea set by buying a tea tray, sugar bowl, creamer and half a dozen cups and saucers that go with it. And I also need to learn to make tea properly, as opposed to thowing a tea bag in hot water, Canadian-style. I think my best bet for getting a swan tea tray is to keep an eye out for a secondhand wooden tray I can paint with a swan motif, but I haven't found the other items yet. Super Shoppers of MeFi, what items can you suggest that will be perfect for my swan tea set?
posted by orange swan to Shopping (10 answers total)

Replacements, LTD! It will take some poking around, but I'm sure you'll be able to find something there.
posted by showbiz_liz at 8:58 AM on August 21, 2012 [1 favorite]

Looks like your set may be a Xi Ying teapot or possibly a teapot by Abbott. Here is a Xi Ying one with two cups (though the cups look a little like creamers to me)

It doesn't look like they have matching trays or saucers...my suggestion would be to go on etsy and create a flock of swan tea items that you like. Here is the list of swam creamers on etsy.
posted by arnicae at 9:02 AM on August 21, 2012

One you have your tea set ready to go, you can serve Swan Brand tea.
posted by amyms at 9:10 AM on August 21, 2012

Replacements is the place to start. Also, keep your eye open for antique shows. Antique shows, as you probably already know, don't have only antiques. They tend to be mostly collectibles. It's the same with antique stores, especially of the "mall" style.
posted by deborah at 2:07 PM on August 21, 2012

Definitely take a look at your local Goodwill/Savers/etc if you're planning to paint the set yourself.

Additionally, Pier 1 might have some cute creamer sets or trays. There's a lot of crap, but it's often worth popping in seasonally to see what's there - if you're a gatherer-type like me, at least.

(I guess I'm thinking of this as pretty casual - if you're looking for more up class British tea tray service style, I may not be the person to ask, as I own at least two teapots shaped like animals.)
posted by maryr at 2:17 PM on August 21, 2012

I was curious to see what would come up in a google in another language, so... Found a "Swan Lake" cup/saucer/spoon set on detheepotwinkel.nl. Looked for the maker; it's a company called Franz Collection Inc. Hesitated to post this: completely different style - perhaps horrific, rather expensive (€52 without the spoon on the Dutch site, no idea of Canadian price, in the US the line is carried by Saks and that is a Bad Sign). All that said, viola, click to enlarge, and the FC site has an international store locator.
posted by likeso at 5:27 PM on August 21, 2012

Aaand I found an "antique" (dunno, seller's description) French tea tray with a lake scene with swan and fountain and rocky waterfall, inlaid with mother of pearl no less, for €17.50. It's so over the top it's dangling off the cliff and great.
posted by likeso at 5:42 PM on August 21, 2012

You could go with egg shapes too.

Water lilies and lily pads are another idea. The tray could be a pond, the cups lilies, and the saucers lily pads. A frog sugar and creamer could round out the set.
posted by TooFewShoes at 5:44 PM on August 21, 2012

Ye gods. The teacup I linked to earlier is part of a entire SERIES by a Kathy Ireland and actually called "Southern Splendor Swan". Plate? Check. Platter? Yes. Soup tureen? (!) You betcha. And please see the sugar bowl.

I really like TooFewShoes' ideas. Of course, I googled "water lily teacup" and found... a Franz Collection original.
posted by likeso at 6:19 PM on August 21, 2012

Have you looked around on ebay? These don't match your teapot exactly but they're pretty.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/6PCS-Beautiful-Ceramic-Porcelain-Violet-Flower-Swan-Coffee-Tea-Cup-Saucer-Spoon-/170898221210?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item27ca53e89a
posted by stray thoughts at 4:02 PM on August 22, 2012