~
It seems fitting that my first real post on here is about the true beginnings of Sugarbaker & Toad. The women pictured in this photograph are where it all started. The baby in front is my Great Grandmother Hattie Shannon, surrounded by her mother Florabelle, Grandmother Sarah, and Great Grandmother Urania. (That’s my ~ ready? ~ Great Great Great Great Grandmother!) Each woman was a collector with exceptional taste, and each passed down her treasures, mother to daughter, every generation for the last 200 years. The Sugarbaker & Toad collection that we use for rental starts with my Great Grandmother Hattie and her wedding china from the late 1800s, though some of the pieces, although acquired later, are even older.
Hattie continued collecting through her life, and so did her daughter, my Grandmother, Dorothy, and Dorothy’s daughter, my mother, Debbie. I come from a long line of fine china aficionados! I inherited the entire lot of china a few years ago before my own wedding, and used them that day for the first time as a mismatched ensemble. My mom made handmade napkins that coordinated with each setting, and the tables were stunning. After photos from my wedding went up on a popular wedding blog, I was getting several emails a day about the china asking if it was for sale. I definitely couldn’t part with any of the pieces and allow them to leave our family, but the idea of renting them out seemed like an obvious thing to consider.
I definitely had a tough time deciding if I could really use these plates as rentals when I first had the idea for the business. They’re so special to my family and me, irreplaceable for their sentimental value alone, and most are impossible to buy again even if we tried. Still, the idea for the business sounded so awesome, at the time there was no one else in California (possibly even in the US, I searched) who rented mismatched china, and I knew people would love it. I asked my mom what she thought I should do, and we talked about it for a while.
My Grandma Dorothy lived until 2006, just shy of her 101st birthday. She was very proud that she lived independently in her own apartment, and did so until her last day. My mom remembered that in the last few years of her life, my Grandma took out her special occasion china and began using it everyday. “It’s a shame to keep such beautiful things tucked away, I’d rather enjoy them.” So she did.
This is what put things into perspective for us. We realized that both Dorothy and Hattie would probably think it was a shame to have such treasures tucked away in a box, and they’d probably get a kick out of their cherished hobby turning into a family business. But more importantly, we believe they’d be positively delighted to know their beloved collection was regularly giving joy to other people on special days in their lives.
I was so fortunate to inherit this extensive and rare assemblage, and I’m excited to share it with others. I’m so proud that each piece is special, and through continuing to expand the collection myself, I make sure to keep it that way. There is no running to the thrift store to pick up “bulk”. ALTHOUGH, sometimes you luck out and find amazing things in the most unlikely places. One of our teacups my mother picked up at the Good Will just because she thought it was beautiful and unique and could tell it was old, only to get home and find out that it was Sevres, some of the oldest and most valuable china there is! Most of what we carry is antique or vintage, but there are still manufacturers making gorgeous patterns today in keeping with Old English bone china standards. When we do buy new, it is from top of the line companies like Royal Albert and Wedgwood.
I know today the entire Sugarbaker & Toad collection would still make these ladies proud. And looking at these dishes daily, holding them in my hands, keeps me cognizant that it’s not just the tangible things we pass down through our families. Sometimes these beautiful objects and heirlooms can be happy reminders of the important things, like values and character, that got passed down as well.
Sugarbaker & Toad 