Goodwill Hunting: Tips for Buying China

Let me guess, you're getting married. Congratulations on finding love (and a tax break)! But be warned: chances are you're making a big mistake when it comes to your registry. You've probably picked out all your favorite things at Pottery Barn, hoping that a loved one will splurge on that cheeky set of artichoke print salad plates. But a set of four will set you back $40, and, in my humble opinion, they can't hold an Altru candle to a set of antique porcelain dinner plates made over 100 years ago, which you can find at Goodwill for around $5. (Case in point: I found mine three weeks ago.)

Sure, I'm a china snob. I won't buy a teacup made outside of England, France, Bavaria, or Japan. I know that Goodwill prices their dinner plates around $0.99 and their teacups around $0.79. The saucers? Maybe a quarter. Sometimes, I'm in luck; I'll spot the estate sale leftovers and leave Goodwill with a set of 42 gold leaf pieces for less than $30. Other times, I might only find a few soup bowls and a tea tray.

But this doesn't bother me one bit, and it shouldn't bother you, either, because mixing and matching your dinnerware puts the entertainment in entertaining, and is also a much more modern look than the matchy-matchiness of the standard home stores. So forget the White Pearl Dinnerware from Crate & Barrel. A blank canvas won't inspire you or your guests. Find quality and character on a Shoestring budget by going Goodwill Hunting for china this week.

Here are my top 5 tips for bargain shopping for china, learned by trial and error over my years of scouring both American thrift stores and the flea markets of Europe:

1. China is Rarely Made in China.
It's counterintuitive, but follow the golden rule of china shopping: set the teacup down if it says it's made in China. Not only was it probably made in China by a 13 year-old girl who will probalby never have a wedding registry of her own, it's also often poor quality and worth less than the tea you're brewing. (Unless you're planning to use these as candleholders, for which they work great.)

2. Search for Faraway Lands that No Longer Exist
Bavaria and Czechoslovakia, while no longer on maps, will always make grandma’s favorite patterns. German porcelain and Czech crystal are often of high quality and are sure to enhance your food's presentation.

3. French food. French Plates. Period.
While little girls dream of Paris, you should be dreaming of Limoges. Whether it's David, Charles, or Theodore, Haviland China is of the highest quality. Limoges porcelain is always accessible at estate sales, on eBay, or hidden in plain sight on a Goodwill rack, waiting to be scooped up by those in the know.

4. Forget Guinness. Ireland's National Treasure is Waterford.
It's not formal entertaining without crystal goblets. Secondhand shops on the Emerald Isle sell Waterford crystal at discount prices. In the States, Waterford often blends in with cheap Goodwill glassware, so look for the name etched into the pieces.

5. God Save the Queen's China
In 2009, Royal Worcester’s manufacturing facilities closed after 258 years in service.  The Queen's favorite china, as with most with bone china manufactured in England, is durable, beautiful, and always a wise investment.

To see some of my personal favorite fine china finds, check out this Goodwill Hunting set on Shoestring's Flickr page.

Copyright 2010 Shoestring, LLC.