Plantation Play Set - RETIRED

[Colonial Rose]

This set includes a shuttlecock (racquet), battledore, shell and two reeds, bird, bird bottle, note from Ben and a whistle. The shuttlecock is a light wood with string woven through it and green something wrapped around the handle (I only wish I'd gotten the set that came with two), the doll can hold this and balance the battledore on it. The battledore is a cork ball with feathers in it, looked great new, but my feathers disintegrated while it was sitting unused in it's box. The shell and reeds are just that, a little shell and two plasticy reeds for blowing bubbles. I can get Felicity to balance the shell on one hand and hold the reed between the fingers of the other, so it at least kind of looks like she is using it. The bird is cute and has a little plastic tube to help it perch on the bird bottle, unfortunately mine broke off while I was putting it on the perch so mine sits in the opening of the bottle with the note wrapped around her. The bird bottle is terra cotta pottery with a stick perch through it. The bottle is glazed everywhere but the back and the glaze has a tendency to craze. The note from Ben is printed on a scrap of fabric with unfinished edges, looks just like the picture in the book. It also looks like it would fray easily so I left mine in the plastic it came in and it still looks new. The whistle is adorable, it is made of wood and comes on a leather cord, and best of all it actually works. B

[sheltiesweetie2007]

Collector Grade: A, Playability Grade: C+
My grade for this set depends on the way in which it will be used. If you are going to add it to an adult collection or give it to a careful older child, it gets an A. The pieces are relevant to Felicity's story and are absolutely beautiful. However, the fragility of some items is what gives this set a C for playability. I don't think it would stand up to a young child very well. I would be afraid that they would accidentally break the bottle or get frustrated with the fragility of some pieces.

Felicity loved the long summer days on Grandfather’s plantation. She played shuttlecock and battledore with Nan and William and blew bubbles at the river’s edge with a shell and reed. They all waited for a bird to nest in the bird bottle, which turned out to be the secret hiding place where Ben left the note and signal whistle that started Felicity on her dangerous summer adventure. $22 EAAS Retired	The bottle and bird are my favorite parts of this set! Unfortunately, they are the most fragile. My bottle has a slight crack on the top (I think I may have dropped it when little) and the paint has crazed. Beautiful, but better suited to display than play.
The bottom of the bottle has a "tab" to hold the wooden perch in place and keep everything from rolling over sideways. The perch goes back into the bottle via a little hole and is visible inside the bottle all the way to the back.	The back view. Nothing special, but it shows how the wooden perch extends all the way back.
I'm not sure what the bird is made of, but it is a soft material. If you tried to make a mark with your fingernail, the indentation would stay.	There are feathers on each side of the bird. A plastic tube with a slit in it is glued to the underside of the bird. It's the perfect size and the flexibility makes it easy to place the bird on its perch.
The shell is no different than anything you would find on the beach. The reed seems a little bit fragile.	The set comes with directions. If you wanted to try to blow bubbles on your own but didn't want to use the reed, a coffee straw could be a good substitute.
The battledore is simply a ball of cork with feathers stuck in. It comes in a box for protection, as it is rather fragile. The other review mentioned having problems with disintegration. My set is about 10 years old and there are no signs of this yet. (knock on wood!)	My set only came with one shuttlecock. I have no complaints with this - it is real wood and strung with a string like material. Great for play and doesn't get damaged if dropped.
The whistle is made of wood and is strung on a leather cord. It it a great addition to Felicity's summer ensemble and really works.	The letter Ben left for Felicity. It fits perfectly in the bird bottle. I have had no problems with this unraveling, but keep it in the plastic sleeve it came in most of the time just in case.