Collecting Christmas Dinnerware
Christmas dinnerware doesn't have to just adorn your holiday table. Many people collect holiday dinnerware as a hobby, since it can also be used to decorate the whole house during the holiday season. A pitcher or mug can become a vase, while a serving bowl can become a centerpiece or spruce up a shelf simply by filling it up with glass ornaments. Christmas dinnerware is highly collectible, and has been produced since the 1800's. Some of the early patterns can fetch over $1,000 for single pieces.
The best place to find older dinnerware pieces, of course, is ebay, however, scavenging at antique malls and flea markets may turn up some solid finds. Turning a piece over may tell you a lot about it's manufacturer, but be sure to study a makers marks before you lay out any cold cash on a big collectors piece. Certain manufacturers continue to produce modern reproductions of 19th century Christmas dinnerware and flatware pieces today, and while the pattern name may be the same, the manufacturing techniques and collector values are most likely not the same.
Here are some more tips for collecting Christmas Dinnerware:
- Beware of Crazing - while sellers may tell you that there's nothing wrong with these fine "under the glaze" lines, they are in fact, crack lines that have not yet surfaced to the level of the glaze. Eventually, they will, and you'll be left with a broken piece
- Take note of any imperfections in the decal, such as a loss of color or missing elements. These will lessen the value of the piece
- Metal markings, or the gray lines caused by flatware, can be removed using porcelain or stoneware cleaner.