"Butterfly-Handled Tea Paraphernalia"
Exhibit Is Featured At The Houston Museum

The centerpiece for a recent open house for members at the Houston Museum of Decorative Arts -- its popular butterfly-handled tea paraphernalia -- remains the special exhibit at the museum through October.

The museum is preparing to celebrate its 50th anniversary. It held the September party to rekindle relationships with its staunch supporters and share plans for other events that are scheduled in conjunction with the birthday.

“As we were discussing things to do to please members when they visited the Houston that day, it occurred to me that it was time once again to bring out the butterfly-handled tea pieces, as that unique collection is by far the most popular in the museum’s repertoire,” said Houston Director Amy Frierson.

The beautiful assemblage of delicately hand-painted teacups and teapots was a gift to the museum from the late Hazel Littleton, who married into the once prominent Littleton family of Chattanooga.

Her late husband, Robert A. Littleton, a Baltimore attorney, was a cousin of a former Chattanooga mayor, Jesse Littleton, who served from 1915 - 1919. (It was the practice in those days that various leading citizens took their turns as mayors of the city.)

Mr. Littleton had clients in Chattanooga, including the Double Cola Co., and his wife often accompanied him on his trips here. Among her favorite Chattanooga pastimes was to visit Anna Safley Houston’s antiques shop with her friend, the late Mrs. States Rights Finley.

It was in Mrs. Houston’s shop that Mrs. Littleton purchased a number of the butterfly-decorated pieces that she gave to the Houston in 1970.

China painting was a hobby pursued by scores of people in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Many of the pieces in this current special exhibit came into this country as blanks and were carefully decorated by budding artists, most of whom were women.

Some of the teacups and saucers in this display emanated from British, European or Asian porcelain factories and were thus painted by professionals.

It is believed all of these pieces were for decorative rather than utilitarian purposes, as the delicacy of their handles belies practical usage. A mustache cup among those treasures is an incongruous piece indeed.

The metamorphosis of the butterfly is the theme depicted on a beautiful breakfast set that sits on a tray on which the design is sketched, but not filled in with color.

A tiny child’s teaset is comprised of six cups and plates. Dating from the first quarter of the 20th century, the set is in remarkably good condition, indicating that it was not played with, but simply placed in a safe spot to be admired.

Several pieces of Japanese Kutani ware are striking in their oriental designs and colors. Hand-painted Geisha girls stand among trees adorned with floral cascades and accented with tiny butterflies.

Breakfast cups and saucers with aqua and gold design on white ground are a commanding presence in this collection. And there’s a touch of whimsy in the pastel pink cup that features a comely brown rabbit cuddled next to four white eggs.

Flowers and gilt trim adorn a Dresden demitasse cup and saucer, dated 1890. Another demitasse set with magnolia and gilt leaves and flowers and green foliage is also from the late 19th century.

Dogs, horses, birds, but mostly flowers are among the images featured on these appealing pieces, which are in a variety of sizes and shapes.

“While these lovely pieces are very popular with visitors, most people tell us they’ve never seen any like them anywhere else. We wonder if there were many more that simply did not survive because of their fragility,” said Mrs. Frierson.

“Signal Mountain’s Cathy Baker is among the very few people who we know to possess butterfly-handled pieces,” she added.

This unique collection received special mention in a 2009 publication, “Collectible Cups and Saucers: Identification and Values,” written by Jim and Susan Harron of Neptune, N.J. It will be on display through October at the museum located at 201 High St.

The Houston is open Monday through Friday and by appointment on weekends. Guided tours are provided, beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at 4 p.m. daily. The admission fee is $9.00 for adults and $3.50 for children four to 17 years of age.

For more information, including group tour rates, call the museum at (423) 267-7176 or e-mail houston@chattanooga.net.