Looking for info on a dinner and tea service left by great aunt

An acquaintance at a lunch I attended told me she took a complete set of Royal Albert Old country Roses (I think) to a charity shop and they wouldn't take them as they had so much of it they couldn't sell it. When a friend celebrated her silver wedding about 30 years ago we all clubbed together to buy pieces from it as it was so expensive. How taste changes.

I have a very pretty Royal Albert tea set that was my aunt's, it is the Sunflower pattern, and I have never seen another like it. But I have only used it once when I had some friends to afternoon tea. It is a shame, but it spends most of it's life in a cupboard.

It was very expensive then but worth little now, does anyone buy a complete dinner service or teaset now?

I never had a complete dinner service so I treated myself to a fairly plain Royal Worcester set; however, I don't think it was made in the UK
We use it for high days and holidays

I still have two or three tea sets, one MIL's from the 1930s (Royal Doulton and quite art deco in style), another cheaper one from the 1950s and my own Colclough one from the 1960s.
They are never used and sit in a cabinet (the 1950s one is in a box in the attic).

I know that they're not worth much these days, although someone told me that Russians coming to live over here snap them up from charity shops for some reason!

J52, that is so interesting. Do you have a link to any of those 'matching' companies?

This thread reminded me that I have a wonderful Royal Copenhagen tea service with one of the cups broken- so I have e-mailed a friend in Copenhagen who will try and find a match- as it is a very expensive service- never use it but it looks really nice on the dresser.

I got a Wedgewood "Ice Rose" dinner service as a wedding present in 1969. I loved it then and still love it now and have added lots more pieces.
It was very expensive then but worth little now, does anyone buy a complete dinner service or teaset now?

Have you thought of selling it to a China matching service. A friend of mine was left some tea and dinner services and she sold them to a company selling spares to make up sets.

They do have to be in perfect condition.

X

Yes Nellie, I was born near Potteries and still look at the makings! Although been in Scotland for 30+ years!!

I also have the Colclough Harlequin tea set. It was my mothers pride and joy and is packed up in a wardrobe somewhere. I might start to use it. I envy you the Noritake dinner service Katek.

I have a lovely Colclough harlequin tea set and a complete Noritake porcelain dinner service left to me by my parents. It's beautiful but never used. I couldn't bear to get rid of it though- perhaps that's a job for the next generation.

I also have China tea set which was my Nanas , l think it's known as a Harlequin tea set,it's in a cardboard box under the bed.Cant quite bring myself to move it on even although I don't use it.

Oh it is pretty Stansgran. I have just 4 cups and matching saucers from a 1940's tea set of my Grans. I use one saucer all the time as a pretty soap dish, cups hold fallen rose heads from the garden in summer, along with daisies, buttercups, thanks GD. Other saucers hold shells, beach treasures from both GC, potpourri, conkers, pine cones in winter.
A few years ago I was able to put the age to a sort of cake stand I used from Mum, for ripening Toms in my kitchen. I found a website with the history of the Potteries. Plain little stand, but, I believe, 1890's.

Here it is on ebay.

My DGM gave us as our wedding present a tea service she had collected as a bride. Fragile and gold edged and and blobby rust colour. I thanked her and noticed my aunt with pursed lips making a face. Roll on ten years, my DGM long gone and aunt recently died. My mother rolled up with a cardboard box of china. Evidently the aunt had refused to let the china come to me and for years after I used it (ten cups saucers and plates so very useful for coffee mornings) . I then saw its twin in an antique/ junk shop. Evidently it was sold piecemeal by the co op and was a very popular idea pre hire purchase. I'm very fond of it but it's not very pretty.

Example of auction room prices: 40 piece Minton bone china dinner and tea service, very pretty floral pattern, good condition, knocked down at £25 yesterday, before sellers fees are deducted and buyers fees are added on! Nothing really, is it?

My mum bought this in the 50 or 60s. Royal Doulton Cascade . I still have it but it's not really used it is very pretty though. (My mum strove to be posh but never quite made it.)

It is a very pretty pale sage green. The colour does not show too well on here.

It's about time I read all the previous posts.

My grandparents lived near the Potteries and when I was thinking of selling some of their lovely tea services I discovered that they were all seconds.

I now live near the Potteries. It is said that after a few years living around here you always start turning the China upside down to see if it's one made in Stoke on Trent.

Is there not a makers mark on the bottom?

teacupfairy.co.uk
Try sending the picture to these people They might be able to help or point you in the right direction

I got side tracked looking at some of these very pretty tea sets.

Agree, I wouldn't sell in an auction house, unless the auctioneer agrees on a sensible reserve - but they will tell you what it is, date and probable sale value.

I love to watch the Antiques Road Show, and others- but I am always so surprised that people will sell real family heirlooms with a huge sentimental value, for very little anyhow. But yes, if you hate it, sell it to someone who will love it.

I would be wary about selling it through an auction house, although they will give you advice. Go to any auction house when there is an antiques and collectables sale on and there is always heaps of china - dinner and tea services and part services - for sale, and frankly they don't sell for lots of money unless it's a 'name' like Suzy Cooper or Shelley. By the time you've taken auction fees and vat into account you'll probably end up wishing you hadn't bothered. There is a market for vintage china, but people seem to make more use of the cups and saucers and small plates these days. They are popular packaged as trios with chocolates or biscuits in the cup and sold as gifts. I will be interested to hear you decide to do with yours.

At least it has a bit of character unlike the soulless white china everyone seems to have these days. I loved working in a china dept in the 70s. There was such a huge variety then. Brides would come in and choose 'their' china then add to it as time went on. Sadly no more. I must confess though that I have a dinner set and 2 teasets in boxes that I inherited, am not likely ever to use but can't bring myself to sell. Too much family history. They were ancient relatives' pride and joy and it would feel a betrayal to get rid of them. Will just pass on the responsibility to DD (who will probably chuck it all without a second thought. ) Oh tempora o mores (or something!)

Oh JBR beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
althoughiagreewithyoucompletely

Definitely sell it. It's pretty horrible. And it would collect the dust on display, even in a cabinet.