Antique Plate World

By Naomi West

Local Resources

If you think that the china plate your grandmother passed down to you is an antique than you have to find out to know for sure one way or another. Try to think about how it came to be in your family. Did your family buy it from an auction sale it or did they acquire it at a flea market? Some individuals have purchased these simple items for a low price not understanding what they were.

One of the single ways that you will master the art of identifying these pieces is if you study them first. Invest in magazines or books that will help to teach you what you have to look for and what the most common pieces are. They will provide you with tips on how you can pick out a fake and methods used to determine where it came from.

After a bit of studying you can study the piece that you have. Look at it all over and try to find the mark of the manufacturer. This is normally settled on the bottom. This may be a number, symbol, or a name. Frequently when the manufacturer made each piece they will stamp or indent the mark that is on it.

Do a bit more research on the mark that you discovered to determine what era it was produced in. The art work and design have to also help to determine the year. This will assist you to understand not simply who made the piece but also how rare they might be. It will assist you to understand what materials were used to make it.

If you think that you have an antique teapot or plate than you will be ready for the last step. It is time to take it to an appraiser who will find out how special it is and how much it is worth. They can tell you what makes it particular or why it is a fake.

There are many of us who own an Antique Teapotor plate without realizing what it is. Learn how you can Identify Antiques and understand the value of them.

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The antique porcelain is basically held to be important because of its artistic and historical values. Because they usually come in expensive prices, they deserve to be well taken care of. Culturally speaking, these antique pieces are very significant. But then again human negligence along with a couple of natural disasters or accidents can cause them to get stained or worse, damaged.

Because collecting them is such a popular hobby, it matters that you know of the tips on how to make them last longer. When properly done, you can expect them to last longer that you can even pass them on to your next generation of kin.

The first rule in cleaning your antique porcelain is to never put it in a dishwasher. Sometimes you get so tied up with another task that you want the cleaning procedure to be immediately done. But if you have antique porcelain plates, the dishwasher can just damage them. You see, its temperature can get too hot and the prolonged exposure of your antique pieces to this kind of environment can wear them down and cause them to crack. Also, fragile pieces are more prone to chipping and cracking especially when they get all tossed around during the wash cycle.

Therefore, wash you antique plates by hand and use only warm water and mild detergent cleaner. Hot water and a very strong detergent can destroy the patterns. Avoid using anything abrasive. Use only a soft cloth. For heavy scrubbing, use the baking soda.

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Never rub the stains. Instead, create a solution of 1 part water and 2 parts peroxide. Use a q-tip to dab the solution.

If you want things done by a professional, you will be happy to note that there are actually shops that do this. Professional porcelain restoration is a course training that is offered in colleges and universities to train students in ceramic and porcelain restoration. The students are awarded certificates and diplomas and you can trust them to have the ample knowledge on restoring different materials aside from porcelain such as the majolica, ceramic, earthenware, terra cotta, plaster, and clay.

Anyhow, you can always find a shop that specializes in the restoration procedures that are definitely safe and worth applying to your antique porcelain collections. These professionals should be informed of the historical period of the item to be restored so as to be able to retain the surface and color patterns.

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photo by http://www.flickr.com

Would you use an antique plate every day and night? For most people plates are just another kitchen utensil used during mealtime.

But for others plates are more than utensils particularly if they are antique bone china passed down from generation to generation.

Your great grandmother handed it to your grandmother. Your grandmother passed it down to your mother. And now, the plates are under your care.

The length of time the plates stayed in your family could establish them as antique plates. Are you using valuable antique bone china every night and don’t know it?

Well, it is time for you to take your antique plates and dishes out of the cabinet and discover how much that antique bone china is worth – in dollars and historical value. But most of all, it is time to learn how to lengthen their shelf life, so you can hand them down to the next generation looking great and in great working order.

Putting Value On Plate

•Play inspector. Imperfections found on antique bone china created by the manufactures should not disturb you. What is important is if our antique plates have cracks, stains and discoloration due to incorrect use. Check the designs. Take note if they are stamped, hand-painted or a combination of both. Stamped designs were popular after the 1900s.

•Look for the MARK. Manufacturers or makers of antique bone china still leave a logo or mark on almost every piece they produce. It may include the series where the plate is included or even the date when the plate was created. If you antique plates have marks – what do they mean and what does that tell you?

•Check out sources. Investigate online stores that can provide you with more information about the manufacturing company. If the name of the manufacturer cannot be found, refer to the logo instead. There are certain sites online that can provide you with manufacturer’s logo. You may want to compare it with the one found on your plate.

•Ready for appraising. Now you hold the basic information you need about your antique bone china. It is time to visit a couple of appraisers to judge the condition and quality of your plate.

Increasing Shelf Life

To extend the life of you antique plates so you can display them or hand them down to your future offspring,

photo by http://www.flickr.com

here are some ways to do just that.

• Put them inside a secure chest or cabinet so that no one can touch them. I personally don’t like this point unless you plan to see your antique bone china I think you should use them – even if only on special occasions.
• Whether using your antique plates regularly or leaving them as a display – wash them regularly so they do get food, dust and dirt stains on them.
• Never place antique pieces in the dishwasher. You run the risk of breaking them or stripping the designs from them.

Antique plates are great dinnerware and display, something of real value you can sell if you ever need to. For most people antique bone china is a great way to preserve family history.

If you’re interested in collecting, buying or selling antique plates and antique bone china then you should build your knowledge over different periods, styles, fashions and manufacturers. The more you learn about antiques the more you’ll know what you like and collect.

Staffordshire Pottery Marks

The Staffordshire Potteries refers to the area known in the 17th century for ceramic production. It consisted of six towns that make up Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire, England: Tunstall, Burslem, Hanley, Stoke, Fenton and Longton.

Over 1500 pottery companies have operated in Stoke-on-Trent since the early 1700′s. The reason for the concentration of potteries was the local availability of clay, salt, coal and lead, which are all needed in the production of quality pottery.

Some companies only stayed in business for a few years while some have been operational for over 200 years. The distinction in the pottery is found in the Staffordshire pottery marks; they clearly identify the manufacturer and the time period when the ceramic or porcelain was produced and the pottery marks could be letters, crests or symbols on the bottom of the piece.

A popular ceramic and porcelain manufacturer was Wedgwood.

The first ceramic pieces circa 1860 -- 1900 by Wedgwood used standard name-mark or impressed marks, “Wedgwood”.

The Wedgwood mark changed many times within that same time period. Another printed mark read “ROYAL STONE CHINA WEDGWOOD & Co.” and incorporated a printed mark of Royal Arms.

Another Wedgwood pottery mark circa 1890 -- 1906 displayed a lion standing on a crown with banners circling above stating “SEMI ROYAL PORCELAIN” and the bottom banner reading, “WEDGEWOOD & CO. ENGLAND”.

Another popular Staffordshire pottery was Spode. Spode was founded in 1767 by Joshua Spode who has been credited for the perfection of the formula of fine bone china.

The first pottery marks circa 1780-1790 by Spode were early impressed or printed mark in upper and lower case letter of the company name. In 1805 -- 1833 Spode used typical printed marks. One pottery mark was written in script , “Spode’s Imperial”. Another pottery mark read “Spode’s New Fayence”.

Staffordshire pottery marks reflect the craftsmanship of these potteries and these marks indicate who and when these pieces of art were created. Today they are used to help to date and value a piece of English pottery from the area.

Author: Blake Hygate

Blake is the owner of a website that called AllEnglishpottery.com, which provides information on British based pottery makers as well as providing Pottery for Sale. Of course one of the most popular of all pottery from England is Staffordshire Pottery, which can also be found at AllEnglishPottery.com.

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Decorating Your Kitchen With Antique Plates

Antique plates can add whimsy and interest to your decor. Many people hang them right on the walls for a unique look.

You can hang them up on special holders made just for this or use ribbons to hold them and hang from fancy hooks.

Learning how to arrange your plates so that they look best is key to making them a successful part of your wall dcor.

Lets say you have a beautiful antique platter that will go perfect in your kitchen. You run out to the store and get a hanging bracket, insert the plate and hang it on the wall over the server. Instant charm!

Pleased with your accomplishemnt you stand back. You tip your head to one side and then the other. Squinting, you take another look at the plate. Something doesn’t look right.

If you have ever found yourself dissatisfied with the appearance of the decorations on your walls you are not alone.

Many people make the same common mistakes that the eye can read as awkward but the individual does not know how to fix.

Here are some guidelines to keep in mind when arranging your plates as well decor:

Hanging Large Platters:

Large platters or chargers can be the focus of your dcor so you must make sure

you hang them in a spot that is appropriate for the size and focus.

Where do larger pieces look the best?

Try above the server or dry sink, over a couch, behind the dining set, over a fireplace or on a feature wall.

A feature wall is where the placement of furniture or the layout of the home naturally guides the eye to a wall -- a great place to feature your antique platters.

Hanging Small Plates:

Grouping smaller plates together in one area can add interest and keep them from getting ‘lost’. Use a common theme like, color, pattern or style to pull them together.

Hang a single smaller piece low on the wall and as close to the furniture as possible, otherwise it will seem to be floating.

Grouping Plates:

The key to grouping pieces together is to space them properly. Each item should be spaced about 3 inches away from the items on either side. Try positioning them on the floor or a table to get a pleasing arrangement before placing the nails and measure carefully before making any holes.

Height:

Plates should be hung with the center of the plate at eye level. That means the center should be about 60 to 66 inches from the floor. If you’ve visited a gallery you will see that the frames are not lined up by their top or bottom edges but that the pictures are all centered at the same height.

If the platter or plates will be viewed from a sitting position -- like from the dining table, you should hang at the eye level of the sitter.

If you are hanging it behind the dry sink or server, make sure it is no more than 10′ above the back.

Using these tips you can transform your bare kitchen walls into a designer showcase with a unique focus on antique plates!

Author: Lee Dobbins

Lee Dobbins write for A Kitchen Decorating Idea Guide where you can find out more about decorating your kitchen. Don’t forget to visit the article database for more decorating ideas.

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Moorcroft the Man

William Moorcroft was a born and bred Staffordshire potter, hailing right from the heart of Stoke in Burslem, no less. He was born in 1872, and his work spanned the Arts and Crafts and Art Noveau Movements, at the turn of the century.

When master potter William Moorcroft was learning his trade at his art school which became the place to be for local talent, he little knew what antique treasures he was about to produce.

In 1897, William Moorcroft was offered a job as a designer with James MacIntyre and Company who wanted to start an art pottery department.

Moorcroft remained the designer at MacIntyre prior to beginning his own firm, Moorcroft pottery in 1910.

This success encouraging him to set up on his own and continue to produce floral designs into the 1930s, using more exotic flowers could only mean greater success.

Moorcroft now moved into a numberof floral designs interpreting the earlier work of Tiffany, Galle, and others in a new and unique style.

He was quite prosperous through most of these times as the public demand for his work remained high.

He further experimented with landscape designs, and these are now, years later highly sought after.

The man’s elder son, Walter, took over management and design on William’s death.

William’s artistry and designs were quickly recognized for their quality and innovation while the Second World War saw a return to the manufacture of plain goods for military and civilian use, and in 1945 William Moorcroft died.

A daughter, Beatrice, and a son, Walter, were born to William and his wife, Florence, in 1914 and 1917, respectively.

William’s son, Walter, reminiscing about his early experiences working for his father, once, apparently described his methods of manufacture as highly secretive and most unorthodox.

One thing is for certain, Moorcroft pottery was extremely popular back then and still remains as such to this very day.

Author: John E Milligan

For all your antiques please visit http://www.best-antiques-auctions.com for truly amazing prices. You will find Moorcroft, Clarice Cliff, Beswick, and all the other familiar and not so familiar names there.

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Porcelain Restoration Can Be Difficult But Don’t

Family heirlooms are important to the entire family and it is critical to keep these pieces in the best possible shape.

Even if you take care of your heirloom by keeping them safe, accidents can happen and time itself can be a problem.

Keeping antiques and heirlooms in impeccable shape can be difficult because of the expertise needed to correct the problems and because often the tools and materials needed to fix the problem are no longer available or are hard to come by.

You could try to fix the problem yourself but frequently this makes the problem worse and can require more time and money later on.

Many heirlooms are very delicate and rarely receive the treatment that they require.

Porcelain restoration is often one of the toughest types of restoration because of its fine nature. Chips and cracks can occur easily with such a delicate constitution and are often ugly and prominent.

The substance is white and therefore hard to keep clean. If handled improperly the porcelain can chip and crack leaving noticeable damage.

If these chips and cracks are repaired by someone who doesn’t have the experience then it could make the damage even worse. This is particularly a problem if you plan to sell your heirloom as an antique.

Damages must be restored properly or they can affect the resale value of your item. Often this means that the item must be restored by an expert who has the experience and tools to do the job properly.

The cracks or chips in porcelain can go deeper than the surface and it is necessary they are repaired correctly.

Experts will often use glues that dry invisibly to correct chips or cracks; they will often be able to recreate the intricate patterns on plates or dishes. The restoration process is delicate and complex.

One example of the delicate nature of porcelain can be found in antique porcelain dolls. Antique dolls often had hands and faces made of the delicate ceramic. This type of doll is still made today but is often used as decoration or memory. These delicate dolls used to be toys for young girls to play with.

If you had a traditional doll that was passed down through your family it would definitely have some wear and tear. These dolls are so fine and delicate that it would be extremely difficult to repair.

Just like plates, tiles and other items made of porcelain the dolls face can become cracked and chipped. This must be repaired thoroughly because the dolls face is often the center of focus.

Porcelain restoration is the answer to this problem. Experts will completely repair the cracks and chips in the dolls face and any other problem areas. They will carefully examine the doll and make sure that it is in the best shape that it has been in years.

After your porcelain is repaired, be it an antique dish or doll; be sure to take the proper precautions.

You always want to keep your porcelain in a safe place and although it is made to be used you should reduce the amount of times you use the piece to lower the risk of breaking it again. Precious antiques and heirlooms should be kept in a safe environment to be admired.

Author: Andrew Stratton

Antiques that are delicate and need to be repaired with care. China repair and porcelain repair can fix the chips or cracks found in antiques. However it is important to get them repaired by professionals. To know more about restoration, visit http://www.luelstudio.com/.

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Professional Porcelain, China and Ceramic Repair

If your eight-year old knocks over your favorite antique porcelain vase, or your china set is showing signs of cracking, do not pick up the super glue!

Many people will use online sources to try to repair the damages to their prized china, porcelain, and ceramic valuables on their own.

Although these methods may keep a few pieces together, some of the glues suggested are almost impossible to remove and makes re-repair hopeless.

Also, shoddy patch-up jobs will actually significantly decrease the monetary value of item.

If the broken item truly is valuable and precious, you ought to call a respectable porcelain, china, and ceramic repair shop to professionally and correctly mend your piece.

If you have a precious family heirloom or a valuable antique piece of china, porcelain, or ceramic that needs repair, follow these simple steps: 1. Collect all the pieces!

It is important to bring every piece possible to the shop because it is more difficult and expensive to create a new piece than it is to just reassemble the original pieces.

2. Consult with a professional repair shop about the restoration of your item. Most shops offer free estimates.

They will help you decide if your item is worth restoring or if the job is even possible.

If your ceramic vase shatters into too many tiny pieces, proper repair may be impossible.

But if the break is simple and if the broken item is rare and expensive, professional repair may reclaim much of its value.

However, if its monetary value is low, it may not be worth the cost of repairing it professionally. In this case, super glue may be your best option. Whatever the situation, a professional can guide you to make the best decision.

3. Package your item properly. It is better to personally deliver your china, porcelain, or ceramic item to the repair shop, but whether you are hand delivering it or mailing it, it is important to package your item properly.

It is best to wrap every broken piece individually so that the sharp edges of one fragment do not scratch and further damage other pieces. It is best to double box items with at least two inches of packing around the item and in between boxes.

Extra fragile pieces require specially designed packages and special shipping. Fortunately, most porcelain pieces like cups, dishes, and most figurines do not need special packaging.

If you have questions about packaging and shipping your item, call the repair shop for answers. The repair shop will then go through a special ceramic repair process.

* First, they clean the item of dirt, glue and old repairs. Then they assemble and glue the broken pieces together. They also seal progressing cracks.

* Where porcelain is cracked or chipped it will appear white. Professionals will carefully touch up the colors by carefully matching the original surface color.

* Next, repair professionals will remake lost fragments of the valuable item if needed.

* They will then conceal all hairline fractures giving the item an unbroken appearance.

* Finally, the repaired section of a ceramic item will be resurfaced to match the original finish.

If you take the proper steps to collect all the pieces and safely deliver all the pieces, professionals can do miracles for your precious family heirlooms and antique ceramics.

Author: Andrew Stratton For professional ceramic repair the experienced artist makes museum quality invisible repairs. For more information and before and after pictures visit them online at http://www.luelstudio.com/. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Stratton