China Patterns

[Robert Conway]

If money is no object you can't beat Meissen.

http://www.meissen.de/

http://www.meissenusa.com/

The quality of the painting (not screened on), glaze and porcellan is stunning and stands out among anything you will see elsewhere. But the cost will give 99% of us here a seizure.


Also very, very good, but a heck of a lot cheaper is Royal Copenhagen.

http://www.royalcopenhagen.com/

Again, the quality of the glaze and pattern are a step above the majority of big name brands. I recently purchased a t?™te-?†-t?™te coffee set, as a gift for a friend who just got married and it's stunning.

 

[ITG]

Found these:
http://www.setyourtable.com
http://www.seemslikeoldtimes.com/

 

[LaMedicine]

My fav.

Royal Doulton Minton Haddon Hall since 1948.
I received a salt and pepper shaker set and a pair of coasters of this as a wedding present, and have been collecting piece by piece ever since, and still collecting. They are strong and durable despite the delicate look, and stands daily use very well.

 

[Gray Ghost]

For my wedding on 2 September 2006, my aunt gave me my maternal grandmother's complete china collection. It is a wheat pattern done completely in real silver and not paint. Not sure of how old, but believe same may be from at least the 30's and possibly even older. My mother was born in 1931 and I believe my grandmother may have received it even earlier but not sure. It has been in use by my family ever since my grandmother had it. It will continue to be used by me for special occassions.

GG

 

[shindeco]

For my wedding on 2 September 2006, my aunt gave me my maternal grandmother's complete china collection. It is a wheat pattern done completely in real silver and not paint. Not sure of how old, but believe same may be from at least the 30's and possibly even older. My mother was born in 1931 and I believe my grandmother may have received it even earlier but not sure. It has been in use by my family ever since my grandmother had it. It will continue to be used by me for special occassions.

GG

First of all, CONGRATULATIONS!!!:eusa_clap And what a great wedding present. I'm glad to hear you're planning on continuing to use it. Things like that need to be used (carefully, of course, but used nonetheless).

 

[Alan Eardley]

Old Country Roses

Coincidentally, my wife used to work in the design studio at TC Wild Ltd. of Longton, the original producer of the Old Country Roses pattern. When she first started working there, she worked with Harold Holdcroft, who produced the design in 1960-62.

As the pattern was updated from time to time after TC Wild Ltd. was taken over by Royal Doulton my good lady was responsible for some of the features of the Old Country Roses pattern as it appeared in the 1970s. She hates it - no example may be brought into our house!

She now runs a business restoring broken vintage china. 'Mending broken hearts' I call it, when someone breaks a precious heirloom and she makes it as good as new.

 

[RedShoesGirl]

Fred Harvey

i use an old pattern by syracuse china called berkeley used in the fred harvey restaurants along the santa fe line. i collected a ton on ebay, now i am going to sell the whole bunch and just use paper plates!

rsg

 

[Gray Ghost]

Thanks

Shindeco,

Thanks for the congrats. It was a real honor for me to get those dishes. I am being extra careful with them. I hope to have a good old fashion dinner party soon and have everyone come in their best vintage or vintage like dress clothes.

GG

 

[Alan Eardley]

Haddon Hall

My fav.

Royal Doulton Minton Haddon Hall since 1948.
I received a salt and pepper shaker set and a pair of coasters of this as a wedding present, and have been collecting piece by piece ever since, and still collecting. They are strong and durable despite the delicate look, and stands daily use very well.

La Medicine,

I salute your choice of tableware. Royal Doulton are in my home town (Burslem) and my wife worked for them for many years as a designer. I think you would be enchanted to know about the medieval manor house after which your service is named. It is one of the most atmospheric and romantic places in England -Haddon Hall in Derbyshire. Here's a web link: http::/www.haddonhall.co.uk. Enjoy the virtual tour!

Alan

 

[LaMedicine]

Alan,

Thank you so much for the link. It is certainly is a beautiful and charming manor, and now on my list of must visit places.

Your wife must have enjoyed working as Royal Doulton's designer. Their chinaware are all so delightful.
My other favorite is the Brambly Hedge series, which I always used and still use as the birthday plates for my daughters, even grown up as they are. When I have grandchildren, it will be theirs.

 

[Sly Style]

We still have my grandmother's blue willow, its actually still in her house which now belongs to us, along with a good accompanyment of other period items. Its almost like my own small vinatage hideaway.

 

[Happy Stroller]

Shindeco,

Thanks for the congrats. It was a real honor for me to get those dishes. I am being extra careful with them. I hope to have a good old fashion dinner party soon and have everyone come in their best vintage or vintage like dress clothes.

GG

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Congratulations to you, too, Gray Ghost. May both of you have a very happy and wonderful marriage, with lots of children.

Interesting dinner party. I suppose "Dress: Vintage, preferred".

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

For my wedding on 2 September 2006, my aunt gave me my maternal grandmother's complete china collection. It is a wheat pattern done completely in real silver and not paint. Not sure of how old, but believe same may be from at least the 30's and possibly even older. My mother was born in 1931 and I believe my grandmother may have received it even earlier but not sure. It has been in use by my family ever since my grandmother had it. It will continue to be used by me for special occassions.

GG

Yes, Congratulations Gray Ghost! I hope you are still floating on air from all of the festivities.
Receiving heirloom china is one of the greatest gifts one could get. My great-grandmother and grandmother were strict European, and dining was very important to them. They dined every evening at the same time using bone china and silver. Between the two of them, they had quite the collection. When my sister got married in 1999, my mom pulled out six huge containers from the basement filled to the brim with china in at least 4 different patterns with all the accessories. All the sets were complete, one dates back to the late 1800's. So, since my sister was getting married, my mom wanted us to divide everything up between the two of us. We managed to do it without pulling out each others hair! Luckily, there were 2 floral patterns and 2 plain/trimmed patterns. So we each took one of each. Right now, mine is still wrapped up tightly at my moms house. I can't wait to have the need for it. My mom happens to be using a beautiful bone china set trimmed in silver and blue, very simple, from the 30's. It too was her mothers. It's a pretty large set, so hopefully my sis and I won't beat each other up when the time comes for one of us to have it.

Holly, I just love the china that you have picked out. It is classic, and oh so elegant. Your table will look stunning with it. I like floral patterns for some occasions but am partial to the simpler look of a plain plate with a decorative trim. Yours really is beautiful, and you can't beat Lennox....

 

[Happy Stroller]

i use an old pattern by syracuse china called berkeley used in the fred harvey restaurants along the santa fe line. i collected a ton on ebay, now i am going to sell the whole bunch and just use paper plates!

rsg

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Hi, Red Shoes Girl

Your china set seems to depict an interesting perspective of a flower. If not for the green of the branches, I wonder if those were plum blossoms.

Coincidentally, plum blossoms formed the theme of a range of china designed at the end of the 1960s for personal use by the late Chairman Mao. Ironically, plum blossoms are the national flower of the Republic of China.

 

[Tourbillion]

I like vintage Majolica myself, ever since a trip to Portugal.

They are based on the old Victorian plates like these:

 

[Robert Conway]

If money is no object, you can't beat http://www.meissen.de/ for sheer quality. Even on a shelf with other brands, the Meissen pieces stand out. Their porcelain just 'glows' and the patterns are very elegant. Gorgeous stuff. But as I metioned, it isn't cheap.

Another favorite of mine is Royal Copenhagen. Recently I purchased a small set from http://www.royalcopenhagen.com/ for some friends. The quality is excellent and a cut above other brands, even higher priced ones. Everything is hand painted, not stenciled and the patterns are very classic. Not cheap, but not off the chart either.

RC

 

[AlanC]

Our regular set is vintage Mayflower from Vernon Kilns. I bought the majority of what we have at an estate sale several years ago.

The 'good' china is Royal Doulton Eleanor--modern, but now discontinued:

The pictures above are some I found online to show the patterns; they're not pictures of our actual physical pieces.

 

[Smuterella]

I'd really like to start collecting vintage china but am not sure where to start - does anyone have any recommendations about fairly easy to find patterns?

 

[Miss sofia]

Willow pattern is nice, because you can build up a good service without it all having to necessarily be of the same age/maker/design and it still works. (The pink is cute). I have collected a Spode Rosalie service, well still banging away at it. which is nice, Spode is always good quality. Royal Doulton or Wedgewood would be good, as they are excellent quality. I love some of the Midwinter china, like the one with polka dots, (name escapes me) and also Carlton Ware do some lovely pieces. I have just purchases a lovely fifties Carlton Ware teapot with a red lid and funky atomic design, which i hope to expand on, it depends what style of china you like. Hope this has been some help.

 

[Smuterella]

Thanks - I'm not too keen on 50's style, especially the more atomicy stuff. I think I might start looking at some deco items though. I've just bought a friend a book on teacup patterns so perhaps I can take a sneaky peek before I give t to her....