China Cups And Saucers

[Bramleyboy]

My wife recently found some 'antique' cups and saucers of different manufacturers, eg Coalport, Stanley etc in an antique emporium. A cup and saucer sold for £2.50 and there were lots to choose from. I think it's a con somewhere because the antiques are so cheap and plentiful. Are people buying up old stock or what? Any ideas as I'm sure it's a con! Bramleyboy

[heathfield]

Lots of people have old pieces of crockery they've inherited one way and another. Some ends up in auction salerooms where antique dealers get hold of it. They're cheap because there's so much of it, and because not everyone wants it.

[EcclesCake]

I'm not sure where you are seeing a con?

That aside, vintage crockery is really popular for weddings and afternoon teas etc. and increasingly people are moving away from matching dinner services and favouring the vintage look.

Many people have dinner and tea services in their lofts that have been inherited from grandparents and parents that are gathering dust moving them onto someone who wants them and freeing up the the loft space is quite appealing.

[bert_h]

There's a pretty rapid drop in value from very desirable pre-1820 cups and saucers (£25 and upwards) to commoner post-1850 ones (£2.50 as you have seen). Many of these famous factories were producing from 1780 right through to the early 1900's, so the factory name itself is no indicator of value.

[Mosaic]

Like wot Bert said - plus many of the transfer-printed pieces were being produced to the 'old' designs for decades after the designs were new.

[woofgang]

I have got a harlequin teaset collected like this. Odd cups and saucers don't sell for a lot and make a pretty collection. As has been said, many of them aren't antique, just vintage.

[Bramleyboy]

Thank you all. It's just EcclesCake that there were so many, such a variety and they were replaced when my wife went back a few days later. She ought 6 sets and loves them! Thanks.