Spanish Ironstone Soup Tureen: A Romantic Legend

February 1, 2014

British Homes and Gardens Feb '09

I'm addicted to ironstone soup tureens.  I even started a Pinterest Board devoted to them.  Sounds weird, I know.  I'm not quite sure exactly how it happened. 

 I only know that soup tureens have become one of my most coveted thrifting finds.  

Ever.

And up until now it's been pretty much run-of-the-mill vintage tureens, give or take.  

Until my latest Goodwill score.


I'll admit she's different from the others.  And because of that I almost didn't bring her home.  But boy am I glad I did.  


Here she is on my kitchen sideboard in all her glory.  You can see some of my other very traditional tureens and ironstone pieces on the shelves above it.  

You can see how I styled the china cabinet, below, with my many other ironstone tureens and silver pieces here.



But this tureen, well, she's just different.


She reminds me of a genie's lamp, what with those curved handles on the sides and on the lid.


Just look at that detail!


Once I got home and researched the piece I found out I was right.  She WAS different.  And boy, was she a find!  She was manufactured by a company in Galicia, Spain called Sargadelos. They've been in business since 1804, making porcelain dinnerware, figurines, sculptures and jewelry.  They currently produce four lines of tableware.  This particular line is titled "Relief" and the style is called "Cuncha."  According to their website:

Cuncha is a shape inspired by the scallop shape, which is associated with the birth of Venus, the goddess that emerges from the sea.  Later, in the 4th century A.C., it became a symbol of the pilgrimage to the tomb of St. James.  The origin of this association is explained in a legend surrounding the village of Bouzas, located in the ria [estuary]of Vigo.  This tradition was definitively established in the 12th century. 

Call me geeky, but I think it's really cool that there's a romantic legend behind the design of this beautiful piece of stoneware that I just happened to stumble upon at my local Goodwill! 

Here's what I found written on the bottom of the tureen, which gave me the original idea that there might be something special about it:


But more importantly, I also found this:


I totally thought that $4.99 was a fair price for it.  

And you can imagine my surprise when I later found it for sale on the Sargadelos website 

for 104.50 Euro 

or 

$142.85!   

To say I was pleased would be an understatement.

So she may be a bit different than the rest.

But different this time around turned out to be a very good thing.


What do you think?

Would you have brought her home?

Thanks for listening to my romantic ramblings, friends.  

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Leave a Comment!

Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions said...

Very pretty and different, Kathleen! I was on a tureen kick last year to find several to put on top of one section of our kitchen cabinets. In a matter of months I had enough {thrift store and yard sale finds} and I love them and how they look above the cabinet.

Mary W Quilts said...

Wow! Great addition to your collection. Enjoy.

At Home in English Valley said...

yes my friend, I would have bought it too. It reminds me of Salvatore Dali's mustache! A beautiful addition to your collection. Keep warm and safe! Love, Penny

Betsy@My Salvaged Treasures said...

She's a beauty for sure and I would have bought her also. Love your displays in the china cabinet and hutch. Very inspiring!

Anonymous said...

What a fabulous addition to your collection! I love the story that goes with this too! What a great score! I think it's lovely and I would have brought it home too! The lines are stunning!

BECKY said...

What a beauty, and what a beautiful price, too! Most of what I find in Goodwill down here is priced too high, but you found a true bargain!!
And it looks amazing on your hutch!!
So glad you joined in Blissful Whites Wednesday!!

Have a lovely weekend!
Becky

Glenda/MidSouth said...

Very Pretty! Great price - I would have bought it also. Don't know where I would have put it, but would not have passed it up.
Don't know where all the good stuff donated to GW goes around here, but you sure don't find it in their stores. :/
Hope you are enjoying the weekend.

White Lace and Promises said...

Love the ironstone. Love the soup tureens. I don't have a one, but sure wish I did. They are usually out of my price range. I saw one today that I may go back and get for $20. Shouldn't let that get by.

Unknown said...

Hello Kathleen! I am in shock because I have JUST become obsessed with tureens! Then voila, you post on my blog! What are the chances? Your displays are gorgeous!!! Would you believe I don't have any tureens yet? I am so mad because I passed a few up last month and now I am kicking myself. I adore ironstone so over on Pinterest, I started seeing the tureens on some of my ironstone boards and now I'm addicted. Following you back!
Roselle

Liz@ HomeandGardeningWithLiz said...

You did very very well! It's fun to find out you picked up something that has more value than imagined! I kind of thought it looked like swans necks and I definitely see a Genie's lamp shape going on there too!

From the Old InkWell said...

Kathleen, I'm also in love with ironstone tureens. You have a gorgeous collection! Your story is just what I love about collecting and searching for goodies at Goodwill and bargain places - you just never know when you will find a treasure! Good for you!

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

Love your collection of tureens and your new one is absolutely stunning. What a fabulous find. Thanks tons for linking to Inspire Me. Hugs, Marty

Real Life in Malaysia said...

Sweet :)

Kathy said...

Yes, I would have brought it home; ironstone goes well with so many kinds of dishes and my blue and white Staffordshire is no exception. Do you use them especially at holidays? Hope so. I have one lidless tureen (blue and white) with a red/white/blue floral arrangment in it! So far...

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