Most dinner wares are identified on the back with a mark called a "back stamp." Back stamps typically include the name of the manufacturer and possibly the city or country where the dinner wares were made. Some back stamps may include a pattern name and a date of production.
In the instances where the pattern name is not printed along with the back stamp, a little more research will be necessary. This can be done in several ways:
- The easiest way to find the pattern name is to do a general manufacturer's search on a china replacement web site. Most of these sites have color photographs which allow you to identify the pattern easily. This method will work about 90% of the time.
- If your pattern is not listed with a china registry, the next step is to do a Google search, listing the manufacturer's name and any other identifying marks on the back. A search will pull up all dinner wares by this manufacturer on both eBay and online antique dealers. With a page by page search, your pattern may turn up.
- If searching on-line didn't work, a third step is to visit a local bookstore and browse through their collectibles encyclopedias in the "Art & Collectibles" section. Patterns that are extremely hard to find may be listed in one of these directories.
- Visiting the public library is the final step. While the library doesn't contain current identification guides and prices, they do have some.
A typical antique dinnerware buyer tries to find out the following answers:
- Who is the manufacturer?
- When was the item manufactured?
- Where was the item manufactured?
- What is the item?
- How well has the item been preserved?
- How much price is called to buy or sell it?
- What should I look for?
- What should I avoid?
By finding those answers you can take the decision more quickly.
The following features can help you to find out antique dinnerware:
Shape
In the past, antique dinnerware was round end of story. Today choices include rectangular, triangular and square options. These can be fun but remember that they are also more likely to chip and could wreak havoc when trying to fit them inside your cabinets.
Quality
While preference varies from person to person, the definition of dinnerware quality does not. The antique dinnerware should be consistent in its color and pattern. If there's glaze, it should be unblemished and without bubbles or cracks. There should also be no wobbling when a piece is placed on the table, or when a cup is placed on a saucer.
Designer china
You know all of those major fashion designer names you know and love? Many of them now lend their name to dinnerware collections. This is neither good nor bad. Just don't assume quality based on the recognition of a name well known in a different field.
Color
The rule of thumb with dinnerware is that chefs like clean white patterns because they want you to focus on the food and presentation and not the plate.