By: Cheri
Editorials, Tablesettings,

Prologue to Top Ten Television Shows with 20’s to 50’s Tablescapes to Inspire

I sat down to list the top ten television shows with tabletops to admire, but as I gathered photographs to attach to each show, I realized that show #1, the series Miss Marple from 1985-1989, with Joan Hickson as Miss Marple has so much delectable china, it deserves a post of it’s own. So here is a prologue to the top ten list.

            How did the writers squeeze in so many scenes of people drinking tea!  There is a tea tray for everyone. And not only are the number of meals in the show prodigious, but the way china and tableware illuminate character is exceptional. The sweet little yellow tea set from The Moving Finger, lets you know the class and personality of the owner as surely as the stunning sideboard groaning with Sterling for two aging inhabitants in The Body in the Library exclaims their exalted status.

Miss Marple is also a wonder for truly gorgeous costuming, art direction and locations. Add to that, Joan Hickson really is a terrific Miss Marple – despite the fact she looks the least like the character in the books.

Miss Marple appeared in print in a short story in 1927 and she kept appearing in print until 1976, (though the book Sleeping Murder, was actually written in the 1940’s) this gives television and film adaptations a lot of choices as to what era to set the mysteries in. These episodes are set in the late 40’s and early fifties. Though no one seems to be winging about rations and people only briefly make mention of the war.

Here are the episodes that are overstuffed with table settings.

A Pocketful of Rye:

Breakfast with the soon to be deceased.
Coffee being prepared in the kitchen.
Demitasse by the fireplace.

The Murder at the Vicarage:

That bread basket is gorgeous! I would preferred it to have a linen liner,
When one thinks of afternoon tea in the English countryside, this is exactly what one imagines.

Sleeping Murder:

(I have to mention that if you love late forties/early fifties clothes this episode is amazeballs! Everything is gorgeous and the lead changes her outfit about thirty times.)

Art Deco tea pot and rather bland cups.
Another tea, this time with sandwiches on a sandwich plate and doily! Squeeee!
Now that is afternoon tea!
No china, I just had to show you one of the outfits!

At Bertram’s Hotel:

Hotel silver, absolutely perfect.
Breakfast in bed… I want this bed tray.

The Body in the Library:

Now this is an extravagant breakfast.
The Bain Marie is gorgeous, I swear I’ve seen it in other British shows.

The Moving Finger:

Love the hand painted yellow tea cups and cake plates. So sweet. So little old lady who lives in a cottage.
Toast racks and Egg Cups – that really should have been the name of my blog,

A Murder is Announced:

They’re serving sherry, someone is definitely going to be murdered.
Don’t your birthdays include a sterling silver tea service? Well, at least yours don’t include a dead body.

The 4:50 from Paddington:

This kitchen china hutch is my dream.
Tray service really is a high point of the Miss Marple series.
If the dinner has to be tense, let the table look beautiful.
After dinner brandy and coffee, “yes, please”.

Nemesis:

This one has little china and and the final two episodes, A Caribbean Mystery and They Do it With Mirrors have nearly none, so I’m skipping them.

Those egg cups!
Luncheon with spinsters. The cruet set at the center of the table is a nice touch.

I think you get why this deserved it’s own post. The art director must have cleared out the prop houses! I will post the top ten list next, though after this series, everything else pales in comparison… much love, Cheri