I’m a longtime fan of the design style called shabby chic. Whether you call it vintage, mix and match or romantic, this is a lovely way to set your table and decorate your home. There are many, many vintage dinnerware patterns that fit into this style. I remember watching Rachel Ashwell on one of the […]
Federalist dinnerware is one of the most popular vintage china patterns I find when scouting. It’s a beautiful white ironstone pattern. A name like Federalist recalls the American Revolution and the years after, when the young country was refined. It shouts “traditional table setting” by name alone, and even more when you see the shapes. […]
Retro style Mikasa dinnerware from the 1970s is another one of my favorites. particularly the Potters Art stoneware china line. I’ve written about Mikasa Potters Art before. This dinnerware line includes patterns that were designed by Ben Seibel, a well-known designer in the mid-20th century. Mikasa brought out these dishes in the 1970s and into […]
Pfaltzgraff is one my favorite dinnerware brands. And, finding unusual dinnerware and tableware pieces is part of the fun of scouting for dishes. It took me a while to identify this unmarked piece. I could tell by the glaze that it was probably a piece of Yorktowne by Pfaltzgraff. But what? Solving the mystery is […]
Not long ago, I found 12 cups and saucers of Laura Ashley china, in the Petite Fleur Blue pattern. That dinnerware now has gone to appreciative new homes in Germany. One of the new owners, Kim R. was so happy she sent me a photo, to show how the new cups and saucers are fitting […]
A question from a reader, Rebecca, started me on a search for the Halo pattern by Mikasa, part of the vintage Cerastone line. She found some pieces, and wants to add to her set. What to do, when you’re looking for missing pieces in a vintage dinnerware pattern? The hunt starts with finding out as […]
Finishing off the last of this year’s luscious blueberry crop from Michigan farms. It has been a great year for this fruit. And, an excuse to get out a gorgeous bowl for the feast. The Berkeley pattern by Noritake was made from the mid-1950s to around 1960. I’ve only found a few pieces of Berkeley […]
Cinco de Mayo (May 5) is only a few days away, and it’s time to get ready for your parties or special events to celebrate. There are plenty of ways to use your colorful dinnerware to help serve corn chips, salsa, tacos, guacamole or many, many other foods you might be eating to mark this […]
Buttercups are bold? They are when they are featured on dinnerware from the vintage Craftone line by Noritake. Many of the patterns in this product line are decorated with big, dramatic flowers. Many dinnerware patterns from the 1970s have something bold about them. Many of those are classic retro in shape or color, like another […]
China serving dishes made specifically to serve relish trays are not as common today as they were in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. If you are looking for the fine china and glass versions of this dinnerware, many times you will be heading for the secondary marketplace. Many relish dishes were made as an oval […]
Candy and cookies are the best holiday treats. Your vintage dishes can star in the show when you mix and match them in your table setting, and use them to keep the candy handy for guests of all ages. Just like you can repurpose a special canister as a cookie jar, you can repurpose salad […]
Finding special vintage dishes is fun! See what I brought home with me in recent weeks, including some extra special items.
My dishie antennae perk up when I see pieces of Mikasa’s Mediterrania line in my shopping travels. The patterns are so retro. Many of them show the best of modern style from the 1970s. The shapes are simple and sleek. The colors and motifs just work for me. I think Blue Bird is probably my […]