The inspiration for The Ida Lindsey China Company’s heirloom china pieces all came from one very talented woman, my Grandmother Ida.

Grandmother Ida came with her husband, Noah, to Denver in 1895 in the wake of a duel between the two bank presidents in Memphis, Texas. In an act of kindness, Ida delivered a casserole to the banker’s widow and inadvertently enmeshed Noah, the town’s first public-school teacher, in the town feud.

Noah came home one day and said, “Ida, where would you like to live, Dallas or Denver?”
Ida responded, “I’ve never been to Denver, let’s go to Denver!”

In Denver, Ida met Cora Smith while visiting over the back fence. Cora offered to teach Ida to paint china. Over the next quarter century, Ida produced more than 50 designs for porcelain vases, platters and other pieces. She signed and dated the pieces, usually with the birth date of the member of the family to receive it. These works were executed in Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau styles, testimony to my grandmother’s fine eye, extraordinary ability as a colorist and good taste. By dating the pieces, she left a chronology of her changing styles. In 1914, Grandmother Ida painted two identical tea sets. She gave one to a dear friend. Eighty-six years later, after learning of my desire
to reproduce these treasures, the granddaughter of Ida’s friend returned her grandmother’s tea set with the request that it be duplicated.

Ida’s Gift had returned home and The Ida Lindsey China Company was born.“Ida’s Gift” is part of the Sand Valley Ranch Collection, named for the original name of the Lindsey Ranch in Jacksboro, Texas. We hope that your pieces of this collection will provide pleasure to you and be valued as family heirlooms.

Margot Crowe, President
Ida Lindsey China Co.