Antique dishes, such as flat and deep porcelain plates, dessert or salad plates, cups and saucers, are often handed down from generation to generation. If the service is complete it has greater value. If you've inherited an antique dinner set from a family member or bought one at an antique shop or flea market, you should find out how much it's worth. Follow these tips to identify your antique tableware.
Steps
Step 1. Study the characteristics of porcelain
Antique porcelain plates must have qualities that distinguish them from modern ones.
- Look at the shape of the plates. Before the 1950s most plates were round, with the exception of a few 1920s art deco services. Check if the plates have the edge that is one with the bottom or if it detaches more clearly from it.
- Look at the drawing. Look at colors and shapes, such as floral motifs, decorated borders, etc. Not only will you be able to compare the pattern of your tableware with others, but it can help you discover the manufacturer. The various producers were known for specific theme reasons. For example, Haviland used delicate floral motifs, while Wedgwood made series of motifs with portraits or scenes from classical Greece.
- Check the quality of the dishes. The service should have homogeneous designs and colors. The glaze must not have bubbles or cracks, and the dishes must have the perfect bottom so that they do not rock when placed on the table.
Step 2. Look for the brand on the bottom
The branding is the simplest way of identifying dishes, even if it has sometimes been erased.
Look at the bottom of the plates. Look for a brand that is painted, engraved, or printed. It can be very small, but it usually features an emblem of some kind, the manufacturer's name, and sometimes the date of manufacture
Step 3. Search your library or bookstore to find the same pattern or brand as your tableware
In the Art and Collectables section in the library or bookstore, look for books on antique tableware, or search for the specific name you found in the brand, such as Limoges or Wedgwood, to find books about those manufacturers.
Step 4. Search the internet to find any missing pieces
There are many sites that sell or help identify the pieces you are missing. Replacements.com, for example, has an alphabetical list of producers, and photos to help you compare your dishes. There are also instructions for sending (by post or email) a photo of your dishes so they can help you identify them.
Step 5. Use the information you have gathered to determine the year of manufacture of your dishes
Once the manufacturer has been established, you can continue the search to find out the year of production. This can be determined by the color and numbers present in the brand, and the motifs on the plates. For example, large manufacturers such as Wedgwood, Derby and Worcester used specific numbers and colors for dating.
