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Lettuce ware has seen a comeback in recent years thanks to a collaboration between entrepreneur Tory Burch and Palm Beach potter Dodie Thayer. Known as the “Pottery Queen of Palm Beach”, Thayer opened her shop in the early sixties and started experimenting with lettuce and cabbage leaves to create European-inspired plates, tureens, cups and saucers. Her wares were sold exclusively through Harriet Healy’s Palm Beach gourmet food and kitchenware store Au Bon Gout and could be found on the tables of women of stature of Palm Beach and beyond. C.Z Guest, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Bunny Mellon, Brooke Astor were just a few of Thayer’s many fans. Because Thayer opted to hand-craft each piece herself, the waiting period for her wares could be as long three years and therefore her plates and tureens became highly collectable, to be found only in the country homes of the elite.
Though Thayer retired in the 80s, her signature lettuce ware has been made available to a new generation of hostesses thanks to a collaboration between her estate and Tory Burch, herself an avid Dodie Thayer lettuce ware collector.
Across the pond, the Portuguese company Bordallo Pinheiro has been been making similar earthenware molded after green cabbage leaves since the 1960s and to this day their pieces are sought after and collected across the globe.
My own passion for lettuce- and cabbage- shaped dinnerware is relatively new. I started appreciating their beauty when a friend of mine gifted me a set of teacups and saucers and they quickly became some of my favorite pieces. I think lettuce ware brings something uniquely charming to any table. Their textural appearance speaks to a relaxed elegance and whimsy that are both timeless and beautiful and I can’t wait build up our collection. How about you? Are you a fan of lettuce ware? Do you perhaps own pieces that were passed down to you as family heirlooms? If so, you are truly lucky as original Dodie Thayer pieces command quite a hefty price tag on eBay and at auction houses across the country. For instance, Jacqueline Kennedy’s 10-piece collection sold for $3,450 in 1996, while Brooke Astor’s 218-piece collection later sold at Sotheby’s for $75,000.
Below are a few contemporary pieces I found from the Portuguese manufacturer Bordallo Pinheiro, as well as from Tory Burch’s collaboration with Dodie Thayer. As for colors, I prefer the darker green of the Bordallo Pinheiro pieces but Burch’s collection includes the original Thayer vibrant green, which really sets it apart.
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If you see above and below something you like, just click on the appropriate number and you’ll be taken to the seller’s page.
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Here’s hoping you enjoyed today’s post, let me know your thoughts on lettuce ware!
Some how nothing measures up to Dodie Thayer’s pieces……the color, the shapes can’t be duplicated, at least so far.
Author
Thanks for commenting, Chris! Yes, I can imagine that nothing can come close to Dodie Thayer’s original pieces, which is why her lettuce ware is so rare and collectable. Bunny Mellon’s set sold for about $75,000 I think… xo, Eva
Love, love, love it — I was drooling over the Tory Burch pieces, but never pulled the trigger. I did find a beautiful set of eight plates in an antique shop last fall, and I was thrilled to get them. They add such a sweet, whimsical touch to a tablescape or a plate rack.
Enjoyed this post — as I always do!
Author
Thank you so much, Linda! And what a lucky find, that set! I’m always on the lookout for lettuce ware in antique and thrift shops but haven’t had any luck so far 🙂 xo, Eva
I have a fair amount of Bordello Pinheiro dinnerware, and I love it.
That Cathy Kincaid photo is fantastic!
Author
Thanks, Gina! They are beautiful, aren’t they? I’d fill our entire dining room hutch with green cabbage earthenware from BP 🙂 xo, Eva
What an interesting post! I have always loved these pieces but didn’t know anything about them. Thank you so much!
Author
Thanks, Lindy! I’m happy you enjoyed finding out more about lettuce ware! They’ll never go out of style… xo, Eva
Yes, thanks for educating!
I have been collecting the Portugese lettuceware for many years and decorate our eat in kitchen with it from March through April in honor of St Patricks Day, Easter and Spring. After moving to our present home 8 yrs ago I finally opened some unpacked cartons and found more of this china that I just love. Three of the bowls with matching plates have rabbits running around the edge.
Also made in Portugal ,Bordello Pinheiro. Have not been able to find out anything about this pattern. Maybe one of your readers might know more about it. Thankyou
Author
Hi, Kathy! Your collection sounds wonderful! I haven’t seen the pattern you’re mentioning, but I do hope you can find out more about it somehow. Have you tried eBay or Chairish? They often have vintage pieces that one wouldn’t find elsewhere. Good luck! xo, Eva