Porcelain Collectibles Guide » advice

Collecting Porcelain With Common Sense

geekness — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 21:50:37 +0000

One thing most collectors cannot be accused of is having common sense. And yet, if approached with some restraint, one can build a nice collection without forcing the family into the poor house or anyone missing a meal. So, how does one collect within a budget or within “normal” parameters?

Why Collect Anything?

First, let’s consider the act of collecting. To non-collectors, everything has its use, and if not used, should be discarded. If you need one again a few years from now, you will buy another one then, to use when it is needed. Easy peesy.

Collectors, on the other hand, do not require all their possessions to have a use. For those that are part of a collection, the mere existence of the objects is sufficient, and, as a matter of fact, the point. One can collect non-material things, like philosophies or the words to songs, but most collectors deal in physical objects. And their presence in numbers is what makes a collection satisfying.

What is not Collecting

Simple accumulation is not truly collecting. For those unfortunate souls for whom accumulation is the point, and where organization, documentation and preservation are not part of the process, the acquisition of new materials is not collecting, but more likely hoarding. Collectors also focus on a few, or even many kinds of things, but they do not collect everything. I have many collections myself, and it may seem to some that I collect everything, but I do not. There are things I use and throw out, or do not bring home in the first place. The things I collect are generally arranged in groups of like items, and, when I buy additions to an ongoing collection, that intent is very clearly in my mind.

What to Collect

There are almost as many things to collect as there are things. The beauty of collecting is that the individual decides what to collect, and the parameters that bound the collection. Maybe the collection is of black porcelain. A gift of gray porcelain can mean it can be used, traded for black porcelain, or a new collection has begun for the collector, of gray porcelain. This is a frequent happening to collectors, the addition of a new collection or the broadening of the parameters of an existing collection. Now the collection is of gray or black porcelain, or white to black shades of porcelain, or maybe it time to go all the way and define the collection not by color but by some other parameter. The collector decides.

When to collect

The time to buy, or acquire in other ways, something for your collection, is when it is available. Waiting until it is deemed “collectible” means higher prices and more competition. Try collecting something no one you know is collecting. Instead of Lladro porcelain, collect something most people don’t consider collecting, like china drawer pulls. There will be new versions once in a while, so it is not a one-time purchase, but it is also not something you will have to buy more of each week. Thus you can save a little money each week until a new set becomes available, and the financial strain is minimal.

Common Sense Collecting and Cost

This is one place where common sense must rule your collecting. Buying something for your collection when the kids need new shoes or the groceries have not been paid for is not common sense. It is obsession. The collector always puts first things first, and food, shelter, clothing, insurance, etc., all come first. Collecting is a luxury that must wait on discretionary funds. Hopefully, if you collect something that is not rare, these available funds will allow for periodic additions to your collection, which is another reason why collecting something common and readily available makes more sense. The prices are lower and a collection can be built using less money.

No doubt collecting rare Chinese porcelain is as satisfying as any other collection, but it is one that requires deep pockets and higher levels of security. A collection of something less rarefied can be just as satisfying without requiring expert advice and the help of others. Collecting at a more mundane level also allows the collector to keep a lower profile, preserving his or her anonymity and alleviating security concerns to a large extent.

The definition of a collection is within the determination of the collector, who decides, what, when and how much a collection requires. And remember, collect with common sense. It can be done.

Choosing a China Pattern

geekness — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 18:35:08 +0000

If you are contemplating the purchase of the set of dinnerware, how do you decide between the multitudes of possibilities?

First you should consider when the china will be used. It is for special occasions or everyday? China for special occasions, dinner parties, Christmas feasts, visits by the queen, etc. should probably be made from finer materials and have a more elegant look (after all, it is the queen). However, considering how much use this dinnerware will actually get, do you want to spend a lot of money on it? Maybe your children will treasure it and the money will actually be an investment for two generations, or maybe even three. But suppose the kids don’t like your choice, or don’t live the dinner party lifestyle? Then the china will be sold for peanuts at a garage sale or resale shop. So, do you bet on familiarity and sentiment, or differences in taste and unsentimentality?

China for special occasions need not have traditional rim-only decoration.

Let’s talk money for a second. Who will be paying for the dinnerware? If you are buying your own, than the decision is simplified: is the china you are looking at worth what you will have to pay to buy it? Does it fit your lifestyle and personal style? Do you care whether anyone else likes it or not?

Modern styles are bold and make a statement.

Also, you should consider how much someone else may be interested in spending on you. If the china is bought by the place setting, how many do you think you will get? How many do you want? How are you going to make up the difference, if you do not receive as many as you wanted? How do you make up for breakage? Will the pattern still be available years from now? Is the china really worth what is being asked for it? You must consider these questions as you look at the possibilities. (My problem with this approach is that all the place settings are the same. If I could get different patterns for each place, it would be better, or more fun. Probably still not ever get used at my house.)

This china will be very pretty on display in a china cabinet.

Suppose the dinnerware comes as a set. This is good, as only one person needs to be convinced to pay for the china: you, your significant other, your parent, your grandparent. Your only consideration is the style of the china, and where you are going to store it between uses. I recently saw a green and gold set that would be perfect for Christmas, and it was not expensive at all. But where am I going to store it the rest of the year? Or can I justify a one-time use and sell the china after Christmas? The dinnerware remained at the store. Oh, well.

China of a single color can be useful for many holidays and occasions.

For everyday china, there are different considerations. Is it a pleasant color or design? Because you are going to see a lot of it. Is it durable? If not, you may well be replacing it soon. Maybe that is a good thing, because you like change. OK, daily use will bring it. If durable, maybe a plain white will be better for the many years it will be in use. Are there matching ceramic kitchen canisters? For that really put together look.

Everyday china can be decorated with more whimsy than formal china.

As an eater, I would like to add one more consideration. How will it look with food on it? Ever eat spaghetti off of turquoise plates with a red, yellow, green, black, white and dark blue tree and bird pattern? I have, and it was not as pleasant as it might have been, even on a plain white paper plate. One of the paradoxes of china is that what looks good on display is sometimes hard to eat off of, and what looks good with food is fairly boring as decor. So keep this in mind for your everyday china at least.

This plate is beautiful as a collectible, but can you eat off of it?

So, when picking china, consider: Will it be on display when not in use? When will it be used? How many places do you need/want? How durable is it? How will you replace pieces that get broken? Is the price reasonable?

You china does not even have to be round.

Good luck, and good decisions.

Not too formal, but not too ordinary for everyday.

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