Haviland Chocolate Pot

Q: This pot is 9 1/2 inches tall with lid. The pot, and its accompanying demitasse cups and saucers, was a wedding gift to my grandmother, who was married in 1902. I’ve heard that it is a coffeepot but my grandmother always referred to it as a chocolate pot. I’ve never seen one with this […]

Fine Dinnerware

Fine china is not just for holidays anymore. Increased home entertaining has given rise to using fine old china—once considered old-fashioned—for entertaining and family dinners. People are discovering that Haviland, Lenox, Delftware, Royal Copenhagen and Wedgwood plates and serving pieces make everyday meals look special. There was a 39 percent increase in searches for fine […]

Porcelain Dinnerware Sets Holiday Mood 

November is a time of family dinners and celebrations. Sets of formal porcelain dinnerware haven’t been in demand recently, but auction prices show that collectors will still pay top dollar for good porcelain. A recent auction at Stair Galleries in New York offered classic antique and vintage porcelain tableware. Lots included partial dinner services, bowls, […]

Majolica

The general term “majolica” means any pottery with an opaque tin enamel glaze that conceals the color of the clay body. This would include delft, faience, and the more familiar majolica of England, Spain, Germany, Italy, and the United States. Although majolica was made during the fourteenth century, the average collector is interested in the […]

Dating Dinnerware by Pattern, Color and Shape

Dishes are often designed in the newest styles to go with other new household furnishings. After a little study, it is possible to determine the approximate age of a dish by its shape, colors, and pattern. Decorations like Mexican scenes, abstract designs, the type of border, the flowers pictured, or even the lack of a […]