Idiot’s Guide to Collecting English Crockery

So you want to start collecting crockery? Where do you begin? It’s not as difficult as one might think. Ebay, car boots and flea markets will yield the most unexpected surprises to thrill the avid crockery collector. I have a penchant for teasets from the 1960s. This means doing some homework first.

Helpful Tips for Collecting Crockery

The following simple tips will prove invaluable and with experience, you will become more intuitive to finding that something special.
Firstly, go on the internet. Look on Ebay at teapots, tea cups etc: whatever appeals to you and looks attractive. The seller has usually done the hard work for you.

There is usually a picture of the back stamp and a description and date from which the article comes from. If the stamp does not reveal the name, you can get a catalogue informing on the crockery maker. I would recommend the Encyclopaedia of British Pottery and Porcelain Marks by Geoffrey A Godden.

• Look at other seller items from the same pottery maker, you will soon get an idea of different patterns, colours and shapes that are particular to an era. With experience you will discover you will get a feel for how old an item is by its design.
• Before long you will be able to identify if a coffee pot comes from 1960s, or if a certain milk jug is a Johnson, or a Meakin etc: Johnson’s Grey Dawn were conceived before the 1960s. this design has to me become easy to identify.
• Get yourself a little address book from a local stationers, put under the various letters, makers names that interest you. All of a sudden you can come across an interesting piece of china in your day to day life, and your book will be useful as your own personal reference guide.

 Ideal Locations for Crockery Collecting

Visit local collectors and antique fairs, as well as being nice to browse round, you will see lots of china and crockery, look at the back stamps the colours and the shapes, most vendors will be only too happy to give you the history and background regarding their goods.

Some of the items and collectors fairs can be expensive, so if you are interested in a particular piece, don’t be afraid to haggle. Look out for opportunities to lower the price if the maker of the crockery is in question or if there are any signs of damage, although personally, I would steer clear of damaged goods.

Don’t get carried away, especially if you are an enthusiast. Come with a specific amount of money and don’t go above that budget. I would avoid bringing my plastic friend. Stick to what cash is in your wallet.

Ideal Charity Shops for China Collecting
   
A good way of starting your crockery collection, is visiting charity shops. I am fortunate to live near a market town that has around 14 charity shops!

High Street towns, rather than city main streets are a good source of charity shops, donators find the act of dropping off their donated goods far easier at their local town high street, than taking them into cities.

• The charities usually have a section set aside for glass and china ware.
• Stick to what appeals to you. Look for unusual shapes and colours.
• Look on the back of the china, is there a back stamp?
• Get a book on china marks, do your homework.
• Also, regular trips to the charity shops will yield unexpected treasures in that there can be a fast turnover of goods.

Best Times to Find Valuable China

During the summer months visiting local car boots can suddenly unearth a real find, don’t be afraid to sort through the boxes that contain all the oddments. That is where you will find the most interesting articles.

Again don’t be afraid to haggle, vendors do not want to take their goods home again.

Beginner’s Tips to Collecting Chinaware

Any avid china collector cannot go far wrong with Ebay, fleamarkets, car boots and charity shops. Unexpected treasures are bound to be unearthed if applying some research. Don’t be afraid to haggle and watch out for damaged goods. There are also plenty of useful guidebooks to collecting china to use as reference.