Special finds deserve a special Blog all their own. Today I’m sharing with you this really wonderful Goodwill find so welcome, Friends, to the Blog today. The picture above shows a Michael Aram nickel-plated tea set that is complete with no dings or blemishes. It even has the tongs for sugar cubes. This is after it has been polished and you can see it really reflects the light beautifully.
…..Michael Aram is highly inspired by his surroundings and often makes sculptures of objects that might otherwise be overlooked in the everyday. Nature is his biggest muse, as is the handmade process. His work combines the imperfections innate in the handmade process with the perfectly imperfect beauty of nature to create objects that reflect humanity. Many of his pieces are ingrained with a rich storyline, inherent symbolism, and deep-rooted meaning. Sometimes his work is simply an exploration and celebration of the handmade process…… (from the official Michael Aram site).
You can see the beautiful workmanship and the care that is taken with this piece. The inspiration is from nature with leaves and stems reproducing the look and feel of the natural element. The body of the teapot is a hammered nickel-plated. The lid is notched to secure it firmly in place when you are pouring tea from the spout.
The cream pitcher in the first two pictures above has an intricately fashioned stem handle with branching leaves. The sugar bowl reflects the shape of the teapot and repeats the branch and leaves seen in the other pieces.
The tongs are beautifully carved branches ending in leaves which pick up the sugar cubes. The detail is quite lovely.
The set was very tarnished but the quality was evident. Silver polish does wonders and now I have a true treasure in wonderful condition.
If you compare the last two pictures, you will see what a difference polishing makes. I know many people say they don’t have time to polish silver or hand wash good china and crystal. However, a little extra time adds a great deal of beauty to your life and, at Thrift Store prices, how can you go wrong?