The Fat Lady Cooks: Cups. With legs.

A few years ago I discovered these amazing cups. They are so fun and full of character.

How can you look at those and not laugh???

This one is my favorite.

The other 3 are in mint condition, but this one... she has some crackles in her glaze which means she has been well used. And well loved. Sometimes I drink tea out of her so she knows someone still cares.....

From FavoriteCollectables.com:

"The first Walking Ware teaset was designed by Roger Michell in 1973 from the drawings of Danka Napiorkowska’s college sketchbook. The first eight teasets were hand-made studio pottery, thrown and turned by Roger and decorated by Danka. These are very rare and very difficult to find.

These teasets were a huge success when they exhibited in Christopher Strangeway’s shop, as nobody had seen anything like it and there was such demand that Roger and Christopher had to look for a manufacturer in order to fulfil the orders. Anthony Wood at Cartlton Ware was prepared to take the commission and they were prepared to use a differnt backstamp so that they could distinguish it from its other pottery.

The relationship worked well and for the next 13 years over 50 new designs were produced. Interesting from a collector’s point of view is the fact that they designs that were least popular when they were first made are the most desirable now."

Walking Ware by Carlton Ware. They also have Running Ware, with the legs in motion. And I recently discovered a tea pot with a peg leg. They are no longer in production so ebay or collector sites are about the only place you can find them. I had never bought any for myself... being the practical sort, I really couldn't justify the expenditure when the budget is tight. I happened to mention them to my boyfriend back in the late summer...... and guess what was in the big box I got at Christmas??!!! Totally frivolous. And I LOVE LOVE LOVE them. (He scored BIG points with that gift, let me tell you!!!)