China lament

They'll regret it one day Greyduster!!

polyester This explains the difference.

Thank you grannyactivist. Though I am more confused than before. If real china only comes from China, why are we complaining about the quality, when it's down to the Chinese what that is? And if "bone china" contains bone powder, does that mean that as a vegetarian I should avoid?

poly that depends on what kind of vegetarian you are. Do you buy leather for instance? If you avoid that then you might want to avoid bone China which contains bone ash.

But these by-products inasmuch, usually, of the food industry and if they were not used then they would go to waste. A difficult one.

I have my mum's Royal Albert, full set of dinner, tea plates, cups and saucers. It's in a display unit which I know is crass but like kitylester, I love my dishwasher. I also know that if other family members were involved in washing it, there would very soon not be a full set.
I have several delicate china desert dishes which are washed by hand. Generally though, we still use the kind of plain white crockery we started buying when the children were young. It's cheap, easy to replace and goes happily into the dishwasher.

Jane10' I also worked in the China/glass department of a large store and I loved it and learnt so much about the different makes of fine china teasets, We were on commission and whenever American customers came in they bought lot of Royal Albert Old Country Roses, usually 12 of everything of a complete set , so I did very well on those sales, I could never afford Country Roses but always wanted a set, Last year I was given a full teaset , teapot everything , it stays on display in a kitchen cupboard and only comes out for best, Everything comes to those who wait ,, I got my set in the end and I am so happy with it , it's nice to drink tea from a China cup , I,m sure it tastes better too,

When we lived in Singapore, Noritake was the 'thing' to buy, but we bought a lovely pale green dinner service from New Zealand and used it constantly; still got a few bits left now (nearly 50 years on).
Then DH's aunty and uncle gave us a lovely green Meakin service when we got married and used that for best. DD has most of it now, as she loves it.
Then we were posted to Australia and bought a new dinner service from Boots to take with us.
About 15 years ago decided to upgrade and started on a Denby collection (again green!). Of course what happened within a year? They discontinued it! But we used to love going up to the Denby factory shop in Derbyshire trying to find things to match it in the seconds shop. Use that service every day now, decided not to keep stuff for best, life's too short. Really really miss the beautiful china and glass shop we used to have in our town, closed down and gone the way of so many other independent shops.

For some reason Royal Albert 'Old country roses' was amazingly popular back in the 70s when I was selling it. I never fell for its particular charms though. Also popular was Paragon 'Victoriana Rose' and 'Kutani Crane'.
I was completely spoiled by the china we stocked. There was such interesting stuff like the 'Blind Earl' s' china which had very raised underglaze flowers and plants so that the blind earl (whoever he was) could feel the design. It was lovely to see and feel.
'Black Victoria' was another Paragon one. Supposed to be Queen Victoria's mourning china. We even had a Wedgewood porous teapot at one point. Pretty pointless I'd have thought.

My mother passed away earlier this year. She had a beautiful Royal Doulton tea, dinner service; 91 pieces collected over many years, including dishes, teapot etc. This went to auction and sold for £50!! I have no words - it's tragic that beauty and quality no longer have any value in our throw-away society.

Ah, I love real China, Fifty years ago we were given as a Wedding present from my Auntie, a dinner service, Royal Doulton, it is exquisite, but has only come out at Christmas time on Christmas Day.The set is complete but I doubt if my Daughter would use it once I pop off, although she will keep in I know, maybe it will come out at Christmases in future, who knows.l

I love a China cup for my morning tea but my dinner plates are all odd. I don’t have formal dinners just come and get it dinners so I wanted everything to clash !!! I love all the different designs and colours. It’s not posh, it’s cheery

I've got one or two items of antique Chinese porcelain. They're hundreds of years old and of infinitely better quality than the modern chinese replicas of our old China. I treasure them and just hope my DCs do too.

I was brought up with Denby, very fashionable at the time. They only di a few designs and ours was dark brown with pale blue insides and pale blue plates. It lasted forever.
I have had a Denby set for at least 20 years white plates with a green border and green cups, teapot and jugs. Like another PP said, it’s discontinued now.
It’s as tough as old boots and should something break EBay is a source of replacements.
My Wedding china was Ansley Pembroke, a complete dining, tea and coffee set. It languishes in a cupboard, too delicate for the dishwasher.

None of my children use tea cups and saucers but they each keep one for when I visit. I always make tea in a teapot and use leaf tea even if I am the only one drinking. Maybe I am old fashioned but I couldn't care less what anyone else thinks, after a lifetime of looking after three boys and a husband, boys have flown the nest and I am a widow I do exactly what suits me.

A few years ago I bought a large plain white Royal Doulton bowl from TKMaxx. It's certainly heavy but, as I only use it as a fruit bowl or for salad in summer, it suits me fine. I didn't buy it for the name, just the size and price.

Nograndsyet
It sounds wonderful and 'homey'.

Jane10
Are they used or just to look at and dust?

Lilypops
What is your definition of 'best'?

I love to buy pretty little dishes or bowls in charity shops. These are useful for jobs like sitting under jam pots. But I only buy ones which are made in the UK. These are a dying breed and are worth collecting before they disappear completely.

Years ago when I was a student nurse, at afternoon tea, we served each patient on the gynae ward, tea and cake in sets of pretty bone china. The nurses had to wash it up as it was so fragile. Around 1968. Amazing.

I was lucky enough to buy a whole tea set of Royal Albert that was date stamped 1962, and 'Made in England'. How nostalgic and so rarely seen on anything now. The set had been kept in a cabinet and rarely used. It is exquisite, and counts among one of my very best bargains. Later items from the eighties and nineties are made in China - and they are not a patch on the delicacy of the older tea sets.

Gabriella the Chinese pieces mentioned are quite varied. They're not for using ie they're not our conventional household stuff. Two plates are hanging on the wall, a bowl contains pot pourri, the pot things are just ornaments now (although one seems to be a Chinese version of an 18th century European chocolate pot), an ancient wine cask serves as an umbrella stand and the fish bowl gives me endless pleasure just to look at. Some pieces have very old repairs too. Previous generations thought them worth mending. They mostly came from my grandparents who loved auctions and Chinese porcelain almost equally. An inexpensive hobby in the 50s and 60s. I love them all.

A couple of years ago I went into an "antique" shop junk shop and spotted a teapot sticking out of a battered cardboard box. I recognised the pattern on the teapot as one that my granny had had many years ago. I asked how much it was and was told £7.50. So I paid up. The shopkeeper handed me the whole box. It was only when I got back to our hotel room that I found that there was a whole dinner and tea service in the box. I've since found the tureen and meat plate on auction sites, but the rest was in the box. The pattern is Paragon's Tree of Kashmir. There isn't a day when I don't use it. Love it!

My DH brought a twelve piece place setting noritake set back from one of his trips overseas when he was in the RAF. For many years I kept it in a cupboard ‘for best, only using it at Christmas. We moved house recently and I decided to get rid of the odd plates etc we tended to use everyday and use the noritake. I do enjoy seeing the table nicely set with it and it seems to survive the dishwasher though I usually wash up by hand. I know the DDs wouldn’t want it so might as well have the pleasure of using it myself, though I’m not sure I’ll ever use the gravy boat that came with it.

I have an Argyle china full tea set and also a Bridgwood tea set, both ancient but beautiful. Cake stands too,Indian tree.
I gave D a set of Copeland and Colclough tea sets but I doubt she's ever used them. I had no room for them.
Mum's Crown Derby tea set " vanished " after she died,that was lovely too.
I love the fine china and cut glass as well. Plenty of charity shop bargains. Even a delightful Meissen figurine for £1 !!