What do I do with all this china?

Everthankful Portmeirion sells very well on Ebay - I buy it myself as the (newer) pieces work well in the dishwasher. The older pieces (with the large green crest on the bottom) sell very well, particularly if they are unusual.

I recently took some Evesham to our local charity shop, apparently that sells well there, particularly the serving dishes which can go in the oven.

I did sell a Dinner Service through an Auction house a few years ago, they will come out to value for free so you could get an idea what they think it will make.

I am horrified that people are talking about breaking up or taking furniture to the tip. Before you do that try YMCA or British Heart Foundation as they sell furniture or find your local "Freecycle" as they will come out & take many items including large electrical in working order. If you can't find name of company locally ring your local Council, they will have a contact number for the company. All items donated will be sold (at reduced prices to people on Benefits including Pensioners).

Such a sad time having to do this, I dread having to dispose of my DM's items when the time comes.

I had tonnes of swing era sheet music as my dad was a talented pianist. They were in prime condition as once he knew the music, he didn't refer to it again! Back in 2006 in the US I thought I could get money for the sheet music, but there is a lot of it out there. So in the end I gave it to his nursing home as there were a few who played the piano there (as my dad did... he was called the Piano Man) and wanted music from that era.

As to china I have a service for TWELVE of Noritake Ashford. I brought it over here in 2000 thinking to use it. I have used it twice. It just takes up room in the cabinet. Sometimes I have seen adverts for caterers who want a full service for 'tea party' events. Vintage is in... so maybe sell to a caterer if you can find one who is interested.

BlueBell what about sending the sheet music to a local music school or loooking up a music teacher that lives locally and givin g it to him or her.

Sadly no one wants the records unless they have pristine covers. I have had to let a whole lot go to the tip.

sorry
chinasearch.co.uk/buy/royal-worcester/astley---gold-edge/

http://chinasearch.co.uk/buy/royal-worcester/astley---gold-edge/
You probably wouldn't get that much for it as they have to make a profit but it would be worth trying them

waste!!

Take it to a local auction house for the full sets

I am gasping at the weaste!!
G plan wall units, lovely china

and the young say they can't afford a mortgage.
We were glad of anything given or 2nd hand when we were young even if it wasn't our choice.

I expect all my furniture will go in a skip one day, even charity shops don't seem to want mahogany any more.

Yes, try the china search websites as people do try to match up old sets or buy out of production sets.
chinasearch.co.uk/
www.chinamatchers.co.uk/
I would buy some - but I daren't because I have tea sets that we never use, but I just like them!

Some cafes use vintage tea cups and saucers for serving afternoon tea and it is always more enjoyable drunk out of a china cup.

Mumski....a lot of people like the sort of china you are describing for vintage themed weddings now. I have sold this type of china on eBay myself. I found that by looking how other people have sold theirs....ie: displayed - described etc you will get more guidance. The best way to sell it is in smaller lots ...for example "trios" of teacup, saucer, teaplate. Plates in smaller sets. However you have to be very careful how you pack/ wrap and also watch the weight re postal charges.You could also look out for "vintage fairs/markets" in your area and book a stall at one of those. This is the time when people are organising summer weddings and on the look out for just the type of china you have.

I love beautiful china tea sets and cant resist if I see any at car boot sales or on ebay, I recently tried to buy a lovely set on ebay and bid but the set went unsold as the seller had set a 'reserve'. My bid was reasonable in my mind. If you really want it to go, then ebay may be your best bet, but, if its just a case of it going to another home, perhaps start your auction price very low, I think it would definitely go. Good luck!

Glad i am not the only one that did not like Nextdoor. Too easy for anyone to see our details so we pulled out!
Really miss Streetlife still for all the local news & what is happening!

It's a dilemma. As you say you could do with the cash, I would explore all selling possibilities before disposing via charity shops etc.
I don't know how much experience with ebay selling you have, but I have a few tips that have worked for me.
Put Evesham crockery or similar in the search box, then when lists appear, select "sold" from the lists on the left. This will bring up all sales within the last few weeks. From studying these over a week or two, you can get a picture of what exactly has sold, how much for & what postage & packaging costs were charged.
My first attempts would then be to split the crockery into small groups or singles, based on your "sold" research. I would price it at very slightly under the "sold" prices. On the first run I'd try for "collect only" & "cash on collection" payment.
This would save packaging.
If this didn't work, I'd relist with a postage option but make sure you have suitable packaging and weigh the whole package adding on a small charge for any packaging you've bought.
Unfortunately, it can take a while to sell and needs patience. My friend sold two full dinner sets eventually and made about £150 after fees deducted. Nothing near what they were "worth" but what people were prepared to pay at the time.

Pleased to hear mention of Streetlife. I miss it. That is how my book group and Italian conversation group got off the ground. It was like a neighbourhood notice board for all sorts of activities, recommendations etc. And it was anonymous. None of us joined Next door, too many issues to do with privacy (or should I say non-privacy).

My sympathies.... we will face sad task in time. My mother s favourite set is Astley..... I bought some cups and saucers on eBay just to replace some saucers she was missing. The problem is modern use of dishwasher... too rough for good China and crystal and the gilding on China makes it unsuitable for microwave use.

Mumski if there are any vintage shops/markets in your area it might be worth taking a few photos of the china and emailing them across..it's worked for me before and saves legwork! Good luck

Even better than selling it, keep it and use it! I will have the problem of what to do with my large collection of Port Merion crockery soon as none of my children want it when I move into the new extension being built at my daughter's house. Can't part with it so I'm going to pack it all up and store it for the time being

I have found something on line called shpock which sells all sorts of stuff eg cars, computers, iphones etc. If you want to sell something and have it picked up, it may be better to look in your area.

I have a large glass dining room table with 4 white chairs, all surplus to requirements so that is one way I will try to sell them. The other is Gumtree.

Fourormore, Streetlife gone forever. It was 'bought out' by nextdoor, which in my area, is not good at all. I have joined Kahuti, which for me is better, though still not as good as Streetlife.
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'goods'. sorry - typing all over the place today as stunned by the election news!

fourormore I am also frustrated at the loss of 'Streetlife'. It was so useful, but we too have been offered 'Nextdoor', which wanted so much information and actually published a full address - I wasn't happy with that and cancelled my registration. However, if there is a local forum - and some towns do have them I believe - that would be a great place to sell good china. We also have a shop locally that will sell your good and give you half - might be worth googling to see if there is similar in your area, mumski . good luck!

I saw a huge dinner set of our 'wedding china' (there's an old fashioned concept!) on one of those antiques programme's auctions. It went for £5!

When DD2 was married, I was charged with collecting 100 sets of mismatched china to be used at the wedding breakfast, which was in a cruck barn (as well as a couple of dozen vintage photo frames to display old family wedding photos in). I bought it over several months, bit by bit, from charity shops and car boot sales, often staggering home on the bus with a heavy cardboard box full of the stuff. After the wedding I hung onto it all for four years, thinking I might come across someone who wanted it, lent it out for two more weddings, offered it without success to local cricket clubs who used to use china but now prefer disposable cups and plates, and took it all to a charity shop just before Christmas. They said it flew off the shelves, so someone still wants it!

Just last week DD2 casually said she is thinking of a 1920s party for her DH's big birthday in December, and did I still have the china? .

My brothers and I have a selection of my parents' china and glassware including a Harlequin tea service and a complete 12 place setting Noritake dinner service with all serving dishes. No idea what to do with it. DH spotted a Royal Doulton dinner service in a charity shop recently with a sold sticker ..... £250!