{HISTORY}

Berkeley... it's the name of a city in California, the name of a street in Manhattan, the name of one of the best public universities in the country, and it's the name of this vintage dishware pattern.

Made by Theodore Haviland in the 1940s, these two gold, ivory, and bright white cup and saucer sets with the ideal go-with-anything stripes are both a chameleon and a shining standout star when it comes to your vintage dishware collection. 

Made by the famous Haviland family of Limoges, France fame, we call this pattern a chameleon because it blends well with almost any dish pattern that contains either a hint of gold or a swath of ivory or bright white. But it's also a standout star for its classic elegance that easily and instantly adds a bit of sophisticated flair to any tea or coffee time. 

The history of the Havilands has been written about quite a bit both here in the shop and on the blog. Fascinating in that it was a multi-generational family business for close to two centuries, Haviland dishware manufacture spread out across three countries and was involved in all sorts of complicated family dynamics. 

Theodore grew up in the family business in Limoges and raced alongside his brother to create such a well-known brand reputation in the United States that Theodore wanted every kitchen cupboard in America to hold at least one set of Haviland china. It was a pie-in-the-sky dream that brought Theodore to New York permanently in the 1930s, and kept the brand going until through the late 1950s. In that time frame, Theodore Haviland produced thousands of patterns. 

The Berkeley pattern debuted in the early 1940s and was often marketed as an ideal wedding china pattern. We don’t know if these two were part of such a celebratory set, as this pattern was offered both in complete place settings as well as individual pieces, but either way, they are romantic storytellers.

Perhaps they were privy to all the details of wedding planning or were caught up in celebratory bridal party chitchat, or maybe they were the first dishes to indulge in a morning of breakfast in bed and the last dishes to celebrate a lively nighttime dinner party. That's the lovely thing about a pretty teacup and saucer set from decades past. A cup of coffee or tea is always met with a little bit of delight, camaraderie, and comfort no matter the day or decade, the century or the celebration. 

Vintage advertisement courtesy of the Bristol Herald Courier, August 17, 1952

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

• Matching set of two cups and two saucers
• Stamped on bottom with maker's mark and pattern name
• Matte gold, ivory, and bright white color palette

{CONDITION}

In beautiful vintage condition, these cups contain no chips, cracks, spots, or stains. The gold striping is completely intact on both sets with no worn areas. Please see photos.

{SIZE}

Each cup measures 4" inches (diameter) x 2.25" inches (height). Each saucer measures 5.75 inches in diameter, and each cup and saucer set weighs 9 oz.