Fine bone china is a beautiful and functional way to decorate your table. If you own fine English bone china tea sets or are thinking about purchasing one of these sets, it is a good idea to know how to care for them properly. Here is what you need to know to keep any set looking as beautiful as possible for as long as possible.
There are many different materials used to make tea sets. Some materials such as earthenware, can be heavy and are quite durable. Others, such as porcelain are more delicate and easier to break. Bone china is related to porcelain and fine china but there are a few small differences that determine what the material will be called.
When purchasing a set, you need to find out what the percentage of bone ash is in the china. Higher quality china will have a higher percentage of bone dust mixed in the clay. Look for sets that have between 30 and 45 per cent bone dust mixed in with the clay. It should be translucent- that is, when you hold it up to the light, you can see the light through the china.
Although it is durable, it can be damaged. Handles can break off easily and edges can be chipped. Some sets will develop a network of cracks in the finish. While this may or may not affect how functional the piece is, it can affect the value.
If you are caring for your set properly, there are two times when you have to be more concerned about damage. You will want to be cautious when you are cleaning your set and also when you are putting it into storage for any amount of time. It is at each of these times that damage can occur. There is nothing more heartbreaking than seeing a favorite piece of your set get a chip or fracture.
If you are cleaning your set, it is a good idea to do so by hand. This is especially true if the set has metal accents on any part of the pieces. This is because the heat of a dishwasher can soften the metal and cause it to come off if it is not allowed to cool. You also want to make sure that the handles are not hit or struck during cleaning as they can break.
When storing your piece, how you protect it will depend on how long you are storing it. If you are simply putting it into a china cabinet between uses, you can simply put padding between cups and saucers. Make sure larger pieces are stored with enough space that their handles will not bang into one another. Be careful when stacking tea cups as you do not want the handles to be stressed as this can lead to breakage.
Once you begin using and caring for your set you may be amazed at how often you bring it out. You may find that you look for times to use it other than when you are serving guests. By making sure that you take good care of your set you can be sure to be able to use it for many years and may find that your children or grandchildren want to use it along with all of the wonderful memories that comes with it.
There are many different materials used to make tea sets. Some materials such as earthenware, can be heavy and are quite durable. Others, such as porcelain are more delicate and easier to break. Bone china is related to porcelain and fine china but there are a few small differences that determine what the material will be called.
When purchasing a set, you need to find out what the percentage of bone ash is in the china. Higher quality china will have a higher percentage of bone dust mixed in the clay. Look for sets that have between 30 and 45 per cent bone dust mixed in with the clay. It should be translucent- that is, when you hold it up to the light, you can see the light through the china.
Although it is durable, it can be damaged. Handles can break off easily and edges can be chipped. Some sets will develop a network of cracks in the finish. While this may or may not affect how functional the piece is, it can affect the value.
If you are caring for your set properly, there are two times when you have to be more concerned about damage. You will want to be cautious when you are cleaning your set and also when you are putting it into storage for any amount of time. It is at each of these times that damage can occur. There is nothing more heartbreaking than seeing a favorite piece of your set get a chip or fracture.
If you are cleaning your set, it is a good idea to do so by hand. This is especially true if the set has metal accents on any part of the pieces. This is because the heat of a dishwasher can soften the metal and cause it to come off if it is not allowed to cool. You also want to make sure that the handles are not hit or struck during cleaning as they can break.
When storing your piece, how you protect it will depend on how long you are storing it. If you are simply putting it into a china cabinet between uses, you can simply put padding between cups and saucers. Make sure larger pieces are stored with enough space that their handles will not bang into one another. Be careful when stacking tea cups as you do not want the handles to be stressed as this can lead to breakage.
Once you begin using and caring for your set you may be amazed at how often you bring it out. You may find that you look for times to use it other than when you are serving guests. By making sure that you take good care of your set you can be sure to be able to use it for many years and may find that your children or grandchildren want to use it along with all of the wonderful memories that comes with it.
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