Picture this scenario if you will. You have a fabulous meal planned, the silver is sparkling, the flowers have been ordered and arranged on the table and now your guests are arriving. Would you plan such a wonderful dining experience on your everyday dishes? Of course not! You would need a set of fine china that will impress your guests.
Fine china has been around for several centuries and has been enjoyed by the wealthiest of people worldwide. China and porcelain can trace their roots from ancient China where porcelain was developed thousands of years ago. Centuries later it was brought into England and Germany where different styles of china were developed using various techniques. The production of fine china has become more of a science over the years in the fact that these early producers of fine china and porcelain have had to use different firing processes as well as different clays and mixtures of chemicals to produce the fine china that is available today.
There are two main types of china. One being fine porcelain and the other being bone china. Porcelain is usually ivory in color and consists of a mixture of kaolin, flint and feldspar. Bone china on the other hand generally includes ash from animal bones, hence the name and is usually pure white in color. Most fine china comes with some sort of maker's mark on the bottom or side of the piece, however, many of the very old pieces may not have a name or number. If this is the case, check to make sure it is antique and not just an imitation piece. Be cautious when purchasing regular porcelain or stoneware as these types of material are porous and are fired differently than fine china. One way you can check to see if the piece is high quality fine china is to carefully hold it up to the light to see if the piece is translucent or not. Translucency is a mark of fine china because of clay content. If you can see your shadow behind the plate it is most likely a piece of fine china but if your piece fails this test, chances are it is not the good investment you had hoped it would be.
If you are looking to begin your collection of fine china, you can expect to pay up to and upwards of $500 for a set of four place settings. It depends on the availability and the maker of the style and type that you are wanting. If you are interested in purchasing fine china why not deal with a company where fine china is their specialty, such as common names like Wedgwood or Spode?
While most china is made by machine, it is still possible to find handmade fine china. It is also cheaper for the company to make a complete round shaped plate or a square shaped plate, but there are other shaped plates out there such as a hexagonal shaped dinner plate. There are also types of “designer” fine china which are designed by such famous clothing designers as Vera Wang, Marc Jacobs and Versace.
There are literally hundreds of patterns of fine china to choose from. It is all up to you to decide what color, shape or style you wish to own. Purchasing fine china is a large investment but it is one that can last throughout many generations and be something to treasure for years to come.
