How to Identify a China Pattern
When you collect antique dishes, it's good to know how to identify a china pattern. The choices of china are so varied and abundant that the hunt for a new pattern is often a thrill. Tracking down a specific piece to complete your china set is fun too.
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Things You'll Need
- Antique dishes and other china patterns you want to identify
- China identification book
- Computer with Internet access
Instructions
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Turn It Over
First, look at the bottom of the piece of china you want to identify. Often the china is marked with the maker or manufacturer's mark. If the china is marked, read the name or initials.
The cups in the photo are from two manufacturers: P.B.R. and Victor.
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Identify the Mark
The maker of the china pattern in the photo is Hall China, an Ohio manufacturer of dishes, tea pots, restaurant ware, and more. A search online for the manufacturer you get from the bottom of a piece will net the history of the company and facts about their manufacturing process.
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Consult a China Identification Book
If a manufacturer's mark is not on the vintage china piece you want to identify, consult a china identification guidebook. There are many books that contain pieces from just one manufacturer, such as Noritake, Haviland, Lefton, Nippon, Homer Laughlin, Knowles, Taylor Smith, and many more.
There are also books that contain china identification for types of china, such as restaurant ware and American dinnerware.
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Go to Replacements
Log on to Replacements LTD. For a direct link to their china identification page, see the Resources section below. If you send a photo to Replacements, they can often help identify your china pattern.
Replacements offers replacement pieces to replace missing pieces from your set.
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Tips & Warnings
Buy mismatched china patterns to hang on your wall. Identify them if you want.
Resources
- Photo Credit Peg Hazelwood
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Comments
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ur a dork crit love, mom
