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I would try to sell them on Craigslist or local buy/sell Facebook groups. Maybe call around to some local antique dealers. China just doesn't have value anymore. People don't use it. Many families use holiday paper plates for their big meal. A lot of China can't go in the dishwasher or microwave so plenty of people have zero interest in it.
I would not sell it where I need to ship it. The risk of damage is very high. And you as the seller would be responsible for all damages. Totally not worth the effort or time.
Growing up in the 1970's never saw paper plates and plastic cups outside of BBQ's, picnics and other outdoor eating events. My mother then *NEVER* served any food indoors on anything else but the real thing. Fast forward to today often you find major family dinners such as Thanksgiving or Christmas served on "paper". It might be the high end stuff, but never the less it goes into the trash after use, not the dishwasher or sink. No one things anything of this outside a few "old maids" who often are quickly shot down with "are you going to wash, dry and put away all those dishes?".
Ironically the only households one knows that are still into using all that formal china, silver, crystal and whatever are gay couples.
We didn't grow up the same way in the 70's at all! My grandmother frequently served us on paper plates when a bunch of us were over. My parents frequently fed us on paper plates in the 70's. Then again we also did a lot of camping and bought paper plates and plastic cups for camp...sure beats washing dishes at a campsite!
I have several gay friends and none have asked for china, crystal, silver when they've gotten married. I also don't have any straight friends who have asked for china, silver, or crystal when getting married. It's been this way for ages.
I have several gay friends and none have asked for china, crystal, silver when they've gotten married.
Though most gay grooms whose weddings I've been to have insisted on no presents -- "Your presence is enough" -- two guys I know, both in their 50s, one of whom already had three sets of dishes, signed up for white plates from Crate & Barrel when they sent out their invitations.
Biggest nail in the coffin of formal dining at home was starting in the 1970's when large numbers of married women began working outside of the home. That trend has only increased in the succeeding decades and has had profound effects on all aspects of American family life.
It is all some women can do when they get home to put any sort of meal on table. By the weekends they likely are like anyone else; welcoming their time off and looking forward to some sort of relaxation. How much of it they will get is another matter, but the desire to spend one day of it in an orgy of cooking and cleaning that goes with formal dinners surely isn't high on their list.
Also standards have slipped.
Growing up in the 1970's never saw paper plates and plastic cups outside of BBQ's, picnics and other outdoor eating events. My mother then *NEVER* served any food indoors on anything else but the real thing. Fast forward to today often you find major family dinners such as Thanksgiving or Christmas served on "paper". It might be the high end stuff, but never the less it goes into the trash after use, not the dishwasher or sink. No one things anything of this outside a few "old maids" who often are quickly shot down with "are you going to wash, dry and put away all those dishes?".
Ironically the only households one knows that are still into using all that formal china, silver, crystal and whatever are gay couples.
TOTALLY AGREE (not about the gay couple thing tho, ha ha).
Right. I never even SAW plastic bowls and cups until I was a teenager and other people all had them in their houses.
I started working in an office job at the phone company in the early 1970's. It was the Business Office call in center with around 50 employees. All women until we got our "first man" in 1975!
Every still single woman there, practically without exception, bought china on Friday payday (or something similar) in downtown Philadelphia at the better department stores for their hope chest. Alternatively, we had a Lennox outlet nearby that some girls also used. Even after the 70's and 80's
NOBODY was planning to stay single. LOL. There were probably 4 party type girls who never thought of settling down yet but most either had boyfriends or were expecting to.
That being said, I have my grandmother's HAVILAND LIMOGES SCHLEIGER china that she got from HER mother from the beginning of the 1900's.
She ALWAYS used it. Even for card parties. She'd say "I use my china; nobody any better than us is coming here". LOL
I also have a collection of her cut glass from the 1800's and after. I've probably given some of it some minor damage from moving it around for 30 years!
My grandfather was a clock maker so he had access to tons of that stuff especially working in places like department stores, convents, ethnic gathering centers etc.
I have NO CLUE what to do with any of it since I have no living relatives except one son who definitely would not be interested.
A TUREEN is listed for $875.00 on a couple of sites but who knows if that's even legit.
All my friends in Bucks County PA had "china" though - I moved around 2004. I guess living in an historic county attracts that type of person?
I'd happily give it away but even as a pet sitter NOBODY I work for in Florida collects either. Even middle aged or recent retirees! Maybe they downsized too, I've never asked.
Last edited by runswithscissors; 12-07-2016 at 04:54 PM..
All this digging through boxes of silver and china and talk of china has brought back a lot of memories.
Many people have a lot of sentimental value attached to things like that.
Years ago I was near death and in a medically induced coma. I was brought out of the coma for a short period and my husband and I had a very important conversation. We had 2 kids in grammar school and I remember telling him I fully expected him to remarry and that I wanted him to bring the new wife to live in our house and not uproot the children. Then I told him to either stash away my fine jewelry for my daughter or sell it and put the proceeds in a college fund. Next I told him to sell all my china and silver and cooking supplies because under no circumstances did I want the next Mrs. No Kudzu eating off my dishes and cooking with my pots and pans!
Apparently I got pretty riled up at the thought and they had to put me under again!
A doctor and nurse were present when this conversation took place and apparently they thought it was very funny and they teased me afterward that the thought of another woman eating off my dishes was enough to motivate me to get well!
I say if nothing else use fine china, crystal and so forth. Especially if one's children or other family members show little interest in having now or *later*.
Again so much fine things from linens to china are stored away for "special occasions", and thus hardly or never used. Then owner dies and if no family member wants the stuff ends up on eBay, given to thrift shops or otherwise disposed of.
We had 2 kids in grammar school and I remember telling him I fully expected him to remarry .....(snip) Next I told him to sell all my china and silver and cooking supplies because under no circumstances did I want the next Mrs. No Kudzu eating off my dishes and cooking with my pots and pans!
LOL! Too funny. She can't use the china/pots/pans but can use Mr. kudzu?
Want to sell my well-loved, little used Denby dinnerware, Camelot pattern. Bought it in the early '60s from Market Hall in Dallas.
Do a search to see what it’s going for online. Don’t get your hopes up too much.
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