How to Buy Bone China

Bone china was developed in 1800 by Josiah Spode II. He pulverized animal bones and added ash to the porcelain. The result was the hardest, most durable porcelain created. Since then, other factories have produced bone china. Whether you're looking for rare antique pieces or modern sets, nothing looks as elegant on your table as bone china.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Shop for modern lines of bone china on the Internet. Scan several sites from various merchants, such as Macy's, to find the best deal. Overstocks.com, Amazon.com and other online stores offer many different patterns.
2. Know who makes bone china. Companies like Spode, Wedgwood and Royal Doulton have been crafting quality pieces for several decades. Others such as Vera Wang are new to the scene but offer more modern styles.
3. Consider how you will use any set you collect. A simple, bright white pattern, for example, goes well with any table setting. However, a more intricate pattern with pastel accents might feel out of place come Thanksgiving.
4. Search for antique bone china pieces in antique shops. Consider looking on eBay and other online merchants. Inspect the antique china pieces for chips, cracks, peeling or missing paint and other defects.
5. Look at the underside of each piece to find out how it was made. Older pieces that were painted by hand are more valuable than the modern manufactured pieces.
6. Ask about any markings on the bottom of each piece that tell you who made it and when. Markings denote the date and manufacturer of a piece. Markings vary between companies and even within a company's era of production. For example, early Spode was marked simply with a letter over two numbers. M/08 let the collector know it was fired in March of 1908. Since then, the markings have become more complex.

Tips & Warnings

• Handle china with care. Always stack dishes with cloth or paper between them. Only mount dishes with plastic or rubberized wall mounts to protect the plates from the strain caused by wall mounts. Never hang tea cups by their handles; they may swing and chip. Carry your bone china pieces carefully, using two hands at all times. Always hand wash your pieces.
• Don't use damaged plates to serve food. Bone china is durable but not unbreakable.