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Help me to fall in love with my

(85 Posts)
vickymeldrew Wed 18-Nov-20 13:57:58

Denby dinner service.
When I got married 51 years ago, I was given a Denby pottery dinner service as a wedding present.
I find it heavy and clunky and the plates and bowls squeak on contact with cutlery.
Denby is still very popular : what am I missing?
I’m on the verge of donating it to a charity shop but am willing to give it another try and see if I can get on with it.
Advice please.

Lexisgranny Thu 19-Nov-20 10:20:09

I also collected Green Wheat for years. Eventually I had every piece that they made. I only broke one piece, the banjo shaped celery dish, which was balanced on a packing case when I was pregnant and turned round quickly without taking into consideration the size of my bump. At the same time, I collected Viners Studio cutlery, I had the full canteen and managed to get all their other pieces with wedding presents. Having used them for years, the Denby has been honourably retired in exchange for something lighter, but the cutlery looks as good as it did 50 years ago,

sundowngirl Thu 19-Nov-20 10:16:58

minxie

Oh dear I was just about to replace my cheap and very chipped set with Denby as it seems so strong. I hate using chipped crockery. Was going for the colour Linen. Do I need to rethink

Minxie - I would say go for it!! We have Denby Greenwich which is a green version of Denby Linen and we love it. We've had it for many years but it still looks new, hard wearing (doesn't chip easily) and the pattern is timeless. What's not to like

Witzend Thu 19-Nov-20 10:11:35

I used to love my parents’ set of Green Wheat - regardless of the scraping noise of cutlery. I was quite upset when they replaced it.

Many years later a SiL donated a mass of her old Green Wheat, even down to a coffee pot - to a dd and her then partner (now dh) after they bought their first house. Having worked abroad for several years they had not so much as a teaspoon, and were very glad to have it.
Quite a bit has since been broken, and been replaced by plain white, but they still have some - and use it.

GreenGran78 Thu 19-Nov-20 10:08:53

I had two sets of china, inherited from Mum and MIL, which had been stored away for years. I passed them on to a friend who makes 3-tier cake stands from them, and sells them for charity. They are very popular, right now, for afternoon teas.

I no longer do any fancy entertaining. Rather than have everything matching, I enjoy using a mix of ‘odds and ends’ so I can choose whatever suits my mood at the time. Variety is the spice of life.

4allweknow Thu 19-Nov-20 10:04:58

I use Denby tableware everyday approx 20 years old. I think I know the style you have, heavily patterned on outside and awkward shaped bowls? I would try and sell it or give to charity. I had a full 12 place china teaset that I never used (think maybe 4 times in 54 years) and gave that to charity. The manager told me it would be auctioned or go to a "high end" branch for sale. Received a notice of how much they had earned on donation and it was quite a bit.

Hellsbelles Thu 19-Nov-20 10:04:01

I bought a new Denby set about a month ago !

minxie Thu 19-Nov-20 09:58:12

Oh dear I was just about to replace my cheap and very chipped set with Denby as it seems so strong. I hate using chipped crockery. Was going for the colour Linen. Do I need to rethink

readsalot Thu 19-Nov-20 09:53:19

Sell it on ebay or facebook market place and buy something you love. Charity shops have many sets of unwanted crockery that have been kept for best. I have got rid of all my unmatched bits and pieces and use the 'best' china every day. Life is too short!

inishowen Thu 19-Nov-20 09:42:50

I have two Denby sets, a coffee set and a tea set. I love the look but don't use them! Tiny coffee cups are useless, as are small tea cups. I see Denby sets in charity shops all the time.

M0nica Wed 18-Nov-20 20:22:41

Sell on ebay as 'Collect only'. It will reduce the markt a bit, but should still sell well. People will travel quite a distance if they really want something, or it is a fairly easy journey.

We once drove from near Newbury to Cardiff to collect a fire surround for DD because although it was quite a distance, it was an easy run down the M4. We went there and back in an evenng

tidyskatemum Wed 18-Nov-20 19:59:58

DH has always really liked Denby stuff - and I've always hated it!

Luckygirl Wed 18-Nov-20 18:44:40

Denby Troubador - my Mum bought this; and when Dad died I passed it on to my DD3 - she loves it!

Iam64 Wed 18-Nov-20 18:28:41

Good point Jane10 - buyer collect

Jane10 Wed 18-Nov-20 18:23:21

If selling it on Ebay the postage could be colossal due to the weight of the stuff.
I love china. So sad to see the loss of so many of the old manufacturers and their patterns. I went to order some Spode Blue Italian recently and it's now made in China and is really thick pottery. sad

Nortsat Wed 18-Nov-20 18:14:18

I love my Denby and have had it about 20 years. It’s a mix of Imperial Blue, Blue Linen (now discontinued) and Azure Coast, including casserole dishes and oven-to-table dishes. So it’s all in the blue range but not identically matching. If we have a large family group to lunch/supper the crockery will co-ordinate but not match ... which I like.
I use it for every day and for special occasions I just add some candles and linen napkins to the table and it always looks nice.

My partner is very heavy handed so it’s important we have something that doesn’t scratch or chip easily and breakages can be easily replaced.

Vicky if you really don’t like it, then list it on eBay. Do a bit of research and watch other auctions for the same pattern. I think Denby sells well on eBay, though it might take a while. Good luck.

Iam64 Wed 18-Nov-20 18:13:12

We resorted to Ikea plain white for all crockery (except mugs) when the children were in their teens. Things were broken so regularly it was impossible to keep anything matching. Now we are only two we occasionally think of buying something more stylish but can we be bovvered? Also, those children now visit with their four children so its 'smashing' again (or it is when we aren't in lockdown.

grumppa Wed 18-Nov-20 18:04:23

The remains of our wedding present Denby set are used principally for Indian takeaways. Our current set is used for formal lunches and all afternoon teas and dinners; not best, just better. Breakfasts and snack lunches are on M&S.

Not sure why...

M0nica Wed 18-Nov-20 17:53:03

My Denbyware is my everyday pottery. It was bought cheaply as seconds in a Bentalls sale in the mid-1970s. It is a rustic brown pattern on a grey cream, called 'Cotswold'

I love it and use nothing else, I have picked up extra pieces for it in charity shops and vintage shops.

I do also have a Wedgwood dinner service, which comes out for high days and holidays.

GrannySomerset Wed 18-Nov-20 17:23:01

Our everyday china for the past fifty years has been Blue Denmark, pattern used by several different makers. I am always pleased to see it when we have been away (can just about remember that) and it survives the dishwasher well. We have a Wedgwood dinner service which was a compromise and so neither of us likes it which only comes out when trying to impress, a pointless exercise in our case. We have two half tea services and I do use them when we have friends in for coffee or a cup of tea because they are so nice to drink from. Can’t bring myself to put it in the dishwasher though.

MrsThreadgoode Wed 18-Nov-20 17:15:33

My advice is to get rid of it, then either buy a set that you love, or buy individual plates, cups, etc. Crockery doesn’t have to match.

Casdon Wed 18-Nov-20 17:12:40

I love my Denby, I’ve got Imperial Blue and I can honestly say it’s never squeaked on contact with cutlery, are you sure it’s not the cutlery that’s causing that? I also like the fact it very rarely breaks or chips, doesn't mark with silver lines like so many other types do, comes up well from the dishwasher every time -and best of all it hasn’t dated, so I’ve now got everything matching because I haven’t had to make do. I’m not a fan of china dishes, I don’t like anything with flowers on, and plain white reminds me of hospitals and schools - each to their own!

Blossoming Wed 18-Nov-20 16:24:58

We have Denby pasta bowls and rice bowls, they’re the only ones OH hasn’t chipped or broken so far grin

Lyndylou Wed 18-Nov-20 16:14:21

I still love my Denby Seville first purchased nearly 45 years ago when I got married, mind you, I have purchased lots of pieces since including a complete set of 6 immaculate dinner plates I found about 10 years ago, so I no longer know which piece is the original set. I mix it with Denby Viceroy bought 30 years ago which was the same shade. I use them everyday and I can't enjoy tea out of anything but a Denby cup, my daughter keeps one at her house just for me!!

J52 Wed 18-Nov-20 14:42:19

My Denby is Greenwich, so white and green, timeless. 30 years old. Our second set in HH is white with blue stripe edges, seaside theme to it.
It is long lived, especially when we bought two sets of each! There’s loads. I still like it.
However, the wedding China Ansley lives unused in the sideboard.

kittylester Wed 18-Nov-20 14:34:50

We have 2 sets of Denby. The first one is in use in the kitchen and is plain blue, inoffensive but very boring. the 'best' set rarely sees the light of day and I don't know why we bought it.

We will ditch all of them when we can get to the shops and buy the same thing for every day and best.

When we were going through our roof we found a set that Mum has bought about 30 years ago - it is pink and grey roses but really of it's era. I asked one brother if he would like it and he said that they still hadn't used the dinner service that they had a a wedding present in 1979.