Around The House - The Candy Dish

 

I often wonder if people still use candy dishes in their homes?  I have several throughout our house.  Big surprise, I know.  Some are actual candy dishes.  Some are just dishes that I put candy in. Does anyone else still do this?  To me it just feels more like a home if there are dishes around with goodies in them.  I find it very comforting.

A lot of my posts about antiques and collectibles will always go back to my family.  That's where my love began.  This post is no different.  My Aunt Sara had a candy dish that was always on her coffee table in her den.  It was ceramic.  It had a round base with a tall lid that had a ball on top.  I'm not sure if she painted it herself, as she did a lot of ceramics painting, or if someone made it for her.  I loved it.  It was a very mid century modern looking piece which made it stand out among the traditional antiques.  I don't know whatever became of it but I do know that it did not go to anyone on our side of the family.

Of course, I could not find a good picture of Aunt Sara's candy dish but I had a clear image in my mind of what it looked like.  I went on a hunt to find one.  I would look up all kinds of things on ebay:  mid century modern candy dish with lid, ceramic 70's candy dish, teardrop/kiss shaped candy dish, etc.  I came up with lots of different results but they were not what I was looking for.

I finally found one on ebay.  It was bright red and I loved the shape.  It was exactly what I remembered Aunt Sara had, albeit a different color.  But it was about $40 and it had a chip in it.  I did spend some time debating if I wanted to pay that much for something that was broken just to satisfy my memory.  I don't mind chips and use many dishes that have cracks and chips.  To me, that shows use and love.  But did I want to pay $40 for someone else's use and love?  Not sure.

Luckily, Ebay has at the bottom of an items page similar items listed.  Lo and behold, there was another candy dish there.  This one was local, a better price and the exact color I wanted.  I put my bid in and waited.  I paid $17.50 for it and couldn't be more pleased.  When it arrived and I opened the package, I saw that the writing on the bottom of the piece said "To Susan Stack 1972".  Now it may just be coincidence, but one of my residents was named Susan Stack and she was from the area where the candy dish came from.  I will never know if it belonged to her or not as she has since passed away, but I love the idea that I have this connection to her now.

The candy dish now sits on our coffee table in the living room.  And yes, it's full of candy.  I cherish it and will one day pass it along to someone else.  And so ends today's episode of  "Around The House".

That is all.