Wedding Present Dinner Service.

Royal Doulton Fieldflower - the one with poppies. We use it regularly!

I have dark brown very 70s Wedgewood Sterling plates which actually always set everyones teeth on edge in use. So I have made a decision todsy after reading this thread to take them to a nice charity shop not far. They were a wedding present 54 years ago. I wont miss them.

But I do use and like using for everyday my mothers best service.

I dont use though some coffee sets with tiny cups. Very pretty. Floradora which were shown on an episode of The Crown. Maybe I will sell those. I have so much of hardly used things which I like, but my DDs will be overwhelmed.

My mother in law had a vast dinner and tea service that she had collected years ago when they were given away by a supermarket. They were hideously boring but they were her pride and joy. I was so pleased when she went into a home and decided to give the china to one of her nieces.

After the last in law died, there was an enormous bone china dinner service to get rid of - it had everything, including a soup tureen. IIRC it had belonged to MiL’s own mother, but I don’t recall MiL ever using it except perhaps on Christmas Day.

It took up so much cupboard space! And TBH I didn’t care for the colour or pattern anyway (neither did dh) so it was a relief when we finally found a charity shop willing to take it.

I chose a Wedgewood Ice Rose dinner service as a wedding present 57 years ago. I still love it and have added lots of other Ice Rose items. It sits on a big dresser and is always used at Christmas. The idea of using it every day and letting things get broken is horrifying.

Thanks for that Alygran.

I usually empty my kitchen cupboards once a year, and wash all the unused crockery, so not sure if that’s what happened.

If they all crack gradually, my dilemma will be solved though.

I’m not a particular fan of china, but I use everything, on the basis that if I do break or damage something, unless it’s something really very rare I can replace it through EBay or similar if I break it. It feels a waste to keep really nice things hidden away in drawers and cupboards when you can get pleasure out of them every day.

Some advice on your china in the sideboard! A friend told me about this. It may be why you quickly got a crack. Mine hasnt seen the light of day for many years….
“If you don’t want to use your vintage china then you should wash it at least once a year. An immersion in water will help to keep it strong and if you live in a dry climate or use airconditioning, a small bowl of water should be kept somewhere unobtrusive in the china cabinet to keep the air humidified.”

OP here.

Used two of the dinner plates for our evening meal. When washing up, (no dishwasher in our house), one of the plates had developed a huge crack!

DH said the water must have been too hot, as I wear rubber gloves, I don’t agree.

Oh well, one down…..

🤷‍♀️

My parents in law bought us a dinner service when we married. After 52 years it has scarcely been used !

I have a lovely dinner and tea service left to me by an Aunt. My daughters are horrified that they may get lumbered with it so they know that when anything happens to me the whole lot can go to the lovely vintage tea shops in my local area.

I tend to use everything now, thinking about it, I’ve kept nothing for best really, other than a big canteen of a very fancy design of Arthur Price silver cutlery. CBA to clean it, but it comes out at Christmas. A few years ago, I decided to use my cut crystal glasses for garden drinks and if they break, they break. The DDs think they’re very old fashioned, so they’ll end up in the charity shop or in a skip!

Use it and enjoy it, Calendargirl!
Oddly, this subject came up for discussion yesterday and I was reminded of my mother who, in the little-used front room, kept a sideboard full of the Best Crockery, the Good Cutlery and the Nice Glasses - all of which had very rare outings to the table when very honoured guests came to visit.
After her death, my dad downsized and got rid of the sideboard but started using all the tableware everyday - because he liked it.
I think he occasionally looked over his shoulder and glimpsed my mom's ghost shaking her head in sorrow at such profligacy!
I've never kept anything for "best", housewares, tableware, clothing or, heaven help us, a "front room"!

I also use everything if it’s nice, I will use it, if not out it goes.

I have some lovely vintage crockery and although it’s a pain to have to wash it by hand I so enjoy using it.