Got new dishes.. what to do with them?

[Sage]

Alrighty- apparently I totally scored at the vintage store today and got a two person set of Easterling china in the celestial pattern (very pretty) for about oh.... 1/8th of what it would cost piece by piece at ReplacementsLtd.com.

So, i've never had "nice" dishware before... what should I do with this stuff? I assume not put it in the dishwasher, but... how careful should I be with it? it's so delicate seeming... it's in PRISTINE condition too, so I don't want to ding it. It's got a band of silver around the top rims of the teacups and around the plates... and Easterling is apparently out of buisness so I can't ask them....

SO I thought I'd ask you guys... sorry if this is a little disjointed!

[cellophanedeity]

After a basic search, I came across this article:

Link

Durability. Did you know that quality porcelain and bone china are actually the strongest ceramic dinnerware materials? It's true. They are fired at the highest temperatures and are made of the strongest ingredients. So you can use your finest china as often as you wish with as much confidence, or more, as your "everyday" set of dishes.

Dishwasher safe. Noritake recently conducted extensive tests on several of its porcelain and bone china patterns and found that they are every bit as dishwasher safe as our everyday dinnerware. So feel free to use your "good china" whenever you want to make an occasion special, or any time at all.

But keep this in mind about all of your dinnerware, glassware and tableware: treat them with the respect that high quality, beautifully crafted products of any kind deserve. Although very strong, porcelain and bone china are still breakable if abused.

* Don't overload your dishwasher with anything. Not only will you risk chipping or breakage, but your dinnerware won't get clean either because the water and detergent won't reach everything!
* Never use too much detergent.
* After the drying cycle, let your tableware cool down to room temperature before handling. The heat temporarily softens metal such as gold or platinum.
* Never put anything with metal (gold or platinum in the pattern or on the rim) in the microwave oven.

Most Noritake casual dinnerware is oven and microwave-safe; detergent, refrigerator and freezer-safe. However, certain precautions should be taken.

* Avoid any sudden temperature change, such as putting a hot item into cool wash water.
* Never expose your casual dinnerware to direct flame, such as the top burners of a gas stove.
* Always be sure that food or liquid is in every piece before it is exposed to heat.

Detergent safe means Noritake technology has protected the delicate decorations from the effects of harsh detergent chemicals.

And follow the same basic logic for loading and washing casual dinnerware in a dishwasher as for formal china.

Hope that helps!

[Redlemon]

I've heard that you are supposed to avoid the lemon-scented stuff in the dishwasher; I have no idea if that "fact" is bogus, however.

[777]

You mean, besides store them until a special occation, right?

[Cynthetiq]

Originally Posted by 777

You mean, besides store them until a special occation, right?

why? use them as you please.... waiting for a "special" occassion means that they'll never get used.

I try to use our china at least once a month. It's a little extra work to use because I clean it right away and put it away immediately but still I'd rather enjoy them then just "own" them.

[Siege]

Do what my family does. Place them in a nice windowed cabinet so that all your guests can see them, but never use them.

[Sage]

Thanks guys- I just don't want to end up like my mom, with granmother's china in the cabnet, taken out once a year to be washed, dried, and put back in the cabnet!

It's a really awesome set, too... I love it a lot!

[Cynthetiq]

Originally Posted by Sage

Thanks guys- I just don't want to end up like my mom, with granmother's china in the cabnet, taken out once a year to be washed, dried, and put back in the cabnet!

It's a really awesome set, too... I love it a lot!

then use it.

my father the practical man he is decided that we'd have Monday night dress up dinners. It was easier than Sunday night for many reasons, but Monday night gave us the opportunity to eat dinner on fine china, good silverware, crystal and we got to drink wine and champagne. It also gave us a little practice so that when out in fine restaurants we didn't look at the line up of silverware and go,"Which fork do I use for this..."

[snowy]

My family uses the china for any "fancy" dinner we have--Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, birthdays, guests, etc. Sometimes it also serves as our extra "plates"--we bring it out when we have too many people and run out of the everyday stuff. My mom's had her china since 1976 and though some of the pieces have broken, the stuff still looks brand spankin' new. We run ours through the dishwasher without any problems.

On a side note, I also bring out the china to use when we have parties and I am setting out hors d'ouevres because the china makes a better presentation.

[j8ear]

Don't put the tea cups with the little band of silver in a microwave. You'll notice some nice sparking if you do, which probably does more damage to the trim then the microwave.

I'm with most when I say: Use the stuff, and don't worry about replacement value or any of that other nonsense. My mom recently obtained her parents fine, old school, wedding china, to the tune of a 16 person setting with all the additional serving, baking, plattering and gravying, etc, etc...pieces, and when she went to have it appraised she was informed that there is currently a flood of these sets, and pieces of sets and they aren't really worth all that much. Not even for a rare and complete 16 person set up. Since you have no sentimental or familial attachment to the stuff, don't worry about a thing, use it to your hearts content, and be aware that there is plenty of fine china to be had, and it isn't really all that expensive.

-bear