How to Replace Discontinued China & Dishes

You can replace discontinued china.

We often feel very sentimental about our favorite china. These dishes represent family memories and special holidays around the dining table. That's why it is upsetting when pieces are broken, chipped or missing. Fortunately, replacing discontinued china and dishes is not as difficult as it sounds. Even if your favorite china pattern is no longer being manufactured, there are ways to find the pieces you're missing.

Things You'll Need

• Magnifying glass
• Computer

Instructions

1. Determine the name of your china pattern. Look on the back of a dinner plate where the name of the manufacturer and pattern are usually located. Use a magnifying glass if the print is small and hard to read. Check the store or website where you first purchased the china to make sure it is truly discontinued or unavailable. Also, look up the manufacturer's website to see if any inventory is available.

2. Check out online china replacement dealers like Replacements, Ltd., which offer thousands of new and old china patterns on their websites. If you don't know the name of your pattern, send a photo to a replacement dealer and he will identify it for you. With such a huge stock of dishes available, this is the quickest and most convenient way to replace discontinued china.

3. Browse online auctions like eBay, which are good resources for both older, antique dishes and newer, modern china.

4. Go to antique stores and flea markets. Antique stores carry many older china patterns. If you can't find what you're looking for, you can leave your contact information and the store may notify you if your pattern comes in. Flea markets are also a good place to look for pieces of your china pattern. Talk to dealers and let them know what you are searching for. They may have some other ideas for finding it.

5. Look at garage sales and estate sales. This takes time, but you might get lucky and find exactly what you're looking for.

6. Take good care of your china and dishes. Store them in dish storage cases, which come padded for protection. If you want to stack your dishes, cut rounds out of felt or some other soft material and place them between each dish. This will protect the surface of your china from scratches. Wash your china by hand, especially if it is older. Dishwasher prongs can scratch and dishwasher detergents are too harsh for antique china.

References

• Overstock: Table Setting Buying Guide
• Replacements, Ltd.: China Tableware Care
• Dishes from the Past: Discontinued China, Crystal and Pottery