Dishes are one of the most common items that mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and cousins will pass down to others. These china, silver, and other types of fancy dinnerware might seem like seem like any other type of dish to us at first – but when you look close you might discover something new about them. It is not uncommon for them to pass down something that is an antique and was made years before yours and even their time.
These types of antique dinnerware are often times the best to have because they are in pristine condition. People will want to keep good care of them so that they can be used for fancy dinner parties and holiday gatherings. The better condition they are in the more value they have. One complete antique dinnerware set can sometimes be valued for thousands of dollars. Even one piece could cost as much as $400 or more.
Identify
If you have a set that you believe may have some value the first thing you should do is try to identify who made it and how long ago that was. Pay close attention to the pattern and colors being used on each piece in the set. Some have very basic patterns with flowers or symbols on the edge or even a single line of colors running around the circumference of the dish.
You might run across other dishes that have intricate scenes on the center of the plate and other symbols or patterns on the border of the dish. Everything used to decorate the dish is important and could be a trademark look for a specific manufacturer.
If this is not enough to identify who made it then look on the bottom of a piece. The mark should tell you either what the manufacturer is. If it is a symbol then visit an antique collector’s site to match the symbol up with the manufacturer.
Condition
Not everyone has the desire to sell the antique dinnerware that they have collected or that has been given to them. However, that does not mean they do not want it to be of great value. One thing that will determine the value of any antique dish is what condition it is in. China is fragile and can crack and chip easily.
Try to keep each piece in a special cabinet where no one will touch it. Most people will find large chests that will allow them to hold only the best china – but with glass doors so that they can show it off. You will want to clean them every so often in order to keep dust and dirt from staining them. Never wash any of these dishes in the dishwasher. You run the risk of breaking them or stripping the designs from them.