Noritake China

[Amethyst]

I'm not nobody, and I would love blue Wedgwood.

Judging from the Ebay prices I'm seeing, somebody thinks somebody must want it, and other good china too. I'm not seeing any 8-place-settings (let alone accessory pieces) of anything that is both decent and attractive for less than $300.00, which is not nothing.

Exactly. My sister has a collection of Wedgewood in storage under the house. Nobody seems to want it.

 

[Amethyst]

https://www.ebay.com/sme/dinnerware...onId=2387279,trk-gflgs=&SSRFallback=0&LH_FS=1

Exactly. My sister has a collection of Wedgewood in storage under the house. Nobody seems to want it.

 

[Golden sunsets]

We have my parent's, my husband's parent's and husband's grandmother's formal china, all boxed up in the basement plus our own silver banded Lennox Lace Point formal dishware in our dining room buffet. I used to force myself to use our own, every Thanksgiving but due to the silver banding I've never felt comfortable washing it in the dishwasher, which makes the clean up process too laborious. Neither of our children are interested in any of it.

Can you imagine a full 10 place setting set of china owned since 1980 that has never seen the inside of a dishwasher?

 

[tb001]

I would look at local Facebook marketplace and estate sales. Also local thrift shops. Shipping costs for China just make it too expensive to sell.

I took my mother’s china, which she was happy to unload in exchange for a set of more functional Correlle. I had the storage space and it reminds me of holiday dinners growing up. But it’s also a very simple design (white noritaka with a silver rim), so it’s still kind of in style.

I think millennials get a bad rap for not wanting older ‘quality’ furniture of their parents generation. The reality is that much of type of furniture just isn’t in style right now. Good quality mid century modern furniture and lots of 60s retro stuff like the starburst mug above are in high demand. People are still spending money on tableware, it’s just not the flowery stuff that our grandparents had.

 

[Amethyst]

What I'm seeing on Ebay that appeals to me (high quality, strong pattern, new enough to be dishwasher and microwave-safe) is running $400 and up (quite a bit up) for an 8-piece setting.

I checked Craigslist for my general area, and the china was all lower-quality, or (to me) homely or wishy-washy patterns. So yeah, "nobody" wants that stuff! And the prices reflected this

 

[pacergal]

When my last parent died, we had two sets of china from each grandparent, and a set of handmade silverware from Japan.
None of it sold. Nephew took the silverware, china was given to good will.

I have one platter and milkjug or gravy boat from my great grandmother and one bowl from my grandmother on display. Neither of my kids will probably want them. They just collect dust in the display cabinet!! I keep them for sentimental reasons only.

 

[Amethyst]

Thrift stores only have broken sets. I think the help skims off any full sets that come their way

I would look at local Facebook marketplace and estate sales. Also local thrift shops. Shipping costs for China just make it too expensive to sell.

.

 

[Aerides]

My mum has always had a thing for nice china. I was amazed once I learned the original prices and put the timeline together since my parents were never wealthy (we're talking buying high end pieces when she was in her early 20's).

We made a stop to the Denby factory one year on vacation in the 70's. She ended up ordering a full set, with serving pieces, the works, but always reserved it only for special occasion usage. Now, THAT I have dibs on, even though I know I will use it only once a year, at most, as she has always done.

Her every day Villeroy and Boch full set? Nah, pass.

 

[friar1610]

What are all of us vets of SE Asia (60’s and 70’s) suppose to do with all the Noritake china we sent home to mothers/wives/girlfriends but which has now ended up in our basements? Seems like it was about $50 for 8 or 12 place settings + serving dishes at the NEXs/PXs/BXs back then. And the Lladro precelain? Etc., etc.

 

[Amethyst]

Well, I don't know what all of you are supposed to do, but I would gladly look at any photos you have of such sets, and make an offer if it appeals to me.

Amethyst

What are all of us vets of SE Asia (60’s and 70’s) suppose to do with all the Noritake china we sent home to mothers/wives/girlfriends but which has now ended up in our basements? Seems like it was about $50 for 8 or 12 place settings + serving dishes at the NEXs/PXs/BXs back then. And the Lladro precelain? Etc., etc.

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

Thrift stores only have broken sets. I think the help skims off any full sets that come their way

I suggest to look in a consignment shop. We have a few in the area, although the best one didn't survive the pandemic.

 

[Amethyst]

OK folks,

I did a little searching. Not really up to cutting and pasting links today, but I can attest that, on Ebay and Chairish, there are numerous china sets being marketed for $1,000 and more. Much more. Some are clearly antique, while others are of the "dishwasher safe" era. The more my eye was drawn to the photo, the higher, naturally, the price. Wishy-washy little-chains-of-flowers china was more like $200 a set, plus shipping of course

The notion that "nobody wants" used china needs to be amended to "nobody will pay a large sum for" used china that is not excellent and to their taste.

 

[friar1610]

Well, I don't know what all of you are supposed to do, but I would gladly look at any photos you have of such sets, and make an offer if it appeals to me.

Amethyst

Floated the idea, an excellent one, IMO. Ran up against the tried and true pushback - “the granddaughters may want it someday.” Not a battle worth fighting at the moment but thanks for your interest.

 

[EastWest Gal]

I priced out the 12 piece china set I was given in 2019. I went to multiple resellers and vintage stores and got no takers. It might get a few hundred dollars on ebay, but shipping could be a problem. I've enjoyed it but would like to downsize at some point. I know in my family no one would be interested-I have a son who would not like to deal with it. One niece and nephew. My niece might get my sister's inherited china at some point. Nephew-no. Cousins and their kids? I don't know them well, three cousins are wealthy or soon to be wealthy, one is living in a 5th wheel.

Maybe I said that because I hang around with folks who have all they need or could not possibly have an interest in it.

 

[ivinsfan]

I had a different problem, my dear late Mother lived in Utah. Not coffee drinkers for the most part. ZCMI the church owned department store just broke up sets without cups, saucers, coffee pots, or tea pots.



Mom would go to the clearance tables and buy those suckers for pennies on the dollar. Then she'd give them to me.., if I wanted them or not.


She'd wrap them in newspaper and mail them to me as well. When she died there were boxes full of them to dispose of in her basement. I know I'm naughty but I took them intact and dropped them at the LDS owned thrift shops.

 

[Sunset]

OK folks,

I did a little searching. Not really up to cutting and pasting links today, but I can attest that, on Ebay and Chairish, there are numerous china sets being marketed for $1,000 and more. Much more. Some are clearly antique, while others are of the "dishwasher safe" era. The more my eye was drawn to the photo, the higher, naturally, the price. Wishy-washy little-chains-of-flowers china was more like $200 a set, plus shipping of course

The notion that "nobody wants" used china needs to be amended to "nobody will pay a large sum for" used china that is not excellent and to their taste.

Are you looking at past sales, or just the ones offered for sale at whatever price someone sets ?

Here my local nextdoor about every month or two, I see someone offering a china cabinet or china cabinets plus dining table and chairs for 8+ folks.
Young folks don't have room or interest I guess.

A relative just phoned us, wanting to know if we wanted their china cabinet and dining table, and they have 3 grown children just starting out. Yet the kids didn't want it..

You literally cannot give this stuff away

 

[Amethyst]

I agree; you cannot win and I wouldn't want you to try.

Floated the idea, an excellent one, IMO. Ran up against the tried and true pushback - “the granddaughters may want it someday.” Not a battle worth fighting at the moment but thanks for your interest.

 

[Amethyst]

My point is merely that if it is nice enough, and doesn't blow up the microwave, someone does want it. China is one thing that is highly subject to personal taste. I can look at a web site full of expensive china, going "ew...ick...not in my house...blah...boring..." and suddenly it will be "Wow! That's gorgeous!"

Furniture is also like that. I would gladly get rid of my furniture, and take someone else's used, if something nice enough came along at the right price. But it doesn't.

You literally cannot give this stuff away

 

[Sue J]

When DHs grandparents died in 1985 and 1986, everyone gathered at their home and divided up the stuff. No one wanted the family china and someone decided that I should have it. Place settings for 12 with flowers, pretty tea cups, serving pieces, nice enough stuff.

I brought it all home, put it on display for 30 years and then offered it to DHs niece in Colorado who expressed an interest. I used some of it maybe twice and I was glad to see it go to another generation. I hope she uses them someday.

We also had a teacup collection that my MIL had given me. I had an interest in these at first and later just didn’t feel much of an attachment. I offered them to 2 of DHs nieces (sisters in NJ) and I was very happy that they wanted them.

Now we use the space to display books and pictures. Also, DH has a non-working Atmos clock that’s correct twice a day.

 

[brucethebroker]

Have sold a couple of pieces on ebay. If you don't want to bother with the whole set, you can "cherry pick" the more expensive pieces and only sell those, then donate the rest to a thrift.

Large platters, soup bowls with ladles, salt & pepper shakers, sugar, creamers, etc., plus anything with a lid. (Sometimes the lid is worth more than the bowl.) Take a few minutes to run your finger around the edge of each piece, looking for chips. Also, research "crazing" and check for that. Don't try to sell damaged pieces-no buyers. Priority Mail from USPS is reasonable for china, (most pieces are light in weight), and it is insured. Good luck.

 

[tmm99]

I don't know, maybe it's me, but I won't touch china that contains anything shiny that might cause sparks in the microwave. I actually don't even like old Japanese china... The designs, hand-painted or not, are not my thing.

Are people still interested in old china?

 

[Amethyst]

Some people definitely are interested in certain old china. There are some very high-priced offerings out there.

I agree about the microwave - the art of serving four different foods on a single plate, and managing to have them all hot at the same time, was lost around the same time the MW became commonplace. So, plates with lavish gold leaf decoration can only be for display.

It appears that the recent media-stoked fuss over "nobody wants old china" really comes down to "your descendants don't want your run-of-the-mill, impractical wedding china that you never used, either." Same as any other personal belonging that you are attached to, but others don't have room for.

Have sold a couple of pieces on ebay. If you don't want to bother with the whole set, you can "cherry pick" the more expensive pieces and only sell those, then donate the rest to a thrift.

Large platters, soup bowls with ladles, salt & pepper shakers, sugar, creamers, etc., plus anything with a lid. (Sometimes the lid is worth more than the bowl.) Take a few minutes to run your finger around the edge of each piece, looking for chips. Also, research "crazing" and check for that. Don't try to sell damaged pieces-no buyers. Priority Mail from USPS is reasonable for china, (most pieces are light in weight), and it is insured. Good luck.

I don't know, maybe it's me, but I won't touch china that contains anything shiny that might cause sparks in the microwave. I actually don't even like old Japanese china... The designs, hand-painted or not, are not my thing.

Are people still interested in old china?

 

[tmm99]

Amethyst,

I was watching a segment on TV a while back reporting that the prices of antiques have come down drastically because younger generations do not want old furniture, etc, and I tend to agree, but I guess there are still plenty of older people who may want older furniture, china, etc.

A friend of mine in his 60s inheritated a nice piece of corner cabinet (solid wood - cherry, no damage or scratches) and told our volleyball circle that has mostly people in their 30s and 40s that they can have it for free, but no takers. It is a very nice cabinet but it has rounded corners which makes the cabinet look outdated.

 

[John Galt III]

Are you looking at past sales, or just the ones offered for sale at whatever price someone sets ?

Here my local nextdoor about every month or two, I see someone offering a china cabinet or china cabinets plus dining table and chairs for 8+ folks.
Young folks don't have room or interest I guess.

A relative just phoned us, wanting to know if we wanted their china cabinet and dining table, and they have 3 grown children just starting out. Yet the kids didn't want it..

You literally cannot give this stuff away

6 years ago, my parents had a beautiful sturdy china cabinet, with lots of glass, on Craigslist for months, only asking $100, then $80, then $60. One nice 20 something couple came out to look at it, for $60, but never offered anything for it. Sold a huge brand name wooden dining room table for $300 to a 20 something couple. The woman knew exactly where to look for the label. They were happy to get it. We offered them the table cover for free, but they said no. Had to give away the china cabinet to salvation army. At least thery came and took it away for free, lol.

 

[Amethyst]

There are plenty of anecdotes about people who can't get rid of good furniture, and I wish I had a big truck and helpers so I could go collect some of it (please don't suggest renting one - too much extra cost)...but from my anecdotal file:

Before COVID, I had a habit of visiting several local thrifts a couple times a month, looking for a small wood chest of drawers or shelf unit that I could bring home in the car and paint with artist's paints. I never, ever found anything that wasn't butt-ugly and poorly made, not just finish (which I can fix), but in design and execution. And the thrift stores wanted $50- $100 for these pieces of outright junk.

I watch the local FB marketplace, and seldom see anything but the most arrant junk that should have been thrown away. I have seen a couple of things that wouldn't serve because they are heavy and clunky.

Maybe after vaccination, I will try attending an estate sale, if they are still held in person.