Who will consider buying antique china plates and cups.

April 3, 2013 1:03 PM

Twenty or so years ago Grams passed on and I got some very nice looking plates and cups made of china with gold trim, (I don't know if it's real gold but it looks nice) Since Gramps gambled most of his pay away I reckon the stuff was passed on to her as well. I've used it twice and its time for me to downsize (vinyl LPs go last). Can anyone recommend a place in the tri-state area (NY-NJ-Conn) where there are parties interested in such ware?
posted by daveo'h to Grab Bag (8 answers total)

Determining it's worth - and who would be interested - will be based on who made it. What does it say on the bottom of the plates and cups? Any names or logos?
posted by amaire at 1:08 PM on April 3, 2013

Replacements LTD is the best place to ID it, but they're not so great to sell to, because you get about 1/2 of what they would sell it for.
Can you post a picture? Gold trim isn't all that big a deal--it's the quality of the porcelain that makes china expensive.
posted by Ideefixe at 1:19 PM on April 3, 2013

I agree with the above, knowing the maker will help, as will knowing whether your set is complete. But just so you know, my folks have bought Limoges (nice china) online for very cheap to augment our inherited china - there just isn't much market for a lot of the older china these days.
posted by ldthomps at 1:19 PM on April 3, 2013

Can you post a picture, including one of the bottom of a dish? Unfortunately it is pretty unlikely that it's worth much. Do you only have plates and mugs, nothing else? Really quite unlikely. But please do add details.

(50% of what the place you are selling it to will sell it for is often a very good deal. What X is worth in your hands is not the same as what X is worth in a store, which offers all sorts of conveniences that an individual selling something as a one-off does not)
posted by kmennie at 1:39 PM on April 3, 2013 [1 favorite]

It probably is real gold, but that doesn't actually mean very much, particularly where china is involved. The maker and completeness of the set are what will matter here, or if you have more unusual pieces, like covered butter dishes or odd bits like that. But like others are saying, I wouldn't get my hopes up too much that you've got a little porcelain fortune lying around. Fine china doesn't mean much these days.
posted by Diagonalize at 1:52 PM on April 3, 2013

Is there another member of your extended family who would appreciate having it?
posted by anastasiav at 1:57 PM on April 3, 2013 [1 favorite]

China is over-rated. Every antique store has china. I have a 50 year old set of Lenox that was my Mom's. It has been used exactly 8 times in that time. I'd be shocked if someone would buy it for $100. Do some research on line, but sell it on Craigslist or eBay to get it out of your life.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 5:51 PM on April 3, 2013

I'm going to guess: Royal Doulton, Old Country Roses
posted by Mary Ellen Carter at 7:12 PM on April 3, 2013 [1 favorite]