Before You Donate Grandma’s Old Dishes, Check For These 10 Vintage Patterns That Collectors Still Search For Decades Later

Grandma’s dishes tend to be the first thing families argue about and the last thing anyone thinks to look up. Before a set goes into a donation bin, it is worth spending ten minutes with the bottom of a plate.

Two published guides, Hunker’s list of valuable vintage dinnerware and LoveToKnow’s guide to vintage dishes worth money, name patterns that collectors keep looking for. Here are ten of them, with the prices those guides report and the years they were produced where the guides give them.

A reminder before the list: these are reported prices for specific sales or listings, not promises. Chips, cracks, worn gold trim and missing pieces can send a value tumbling, and a complete set in good shape is a very different thing from a single stained plate.

Wedgwood Florentine Plates Brought Around $250 At Auction

Hunker points to Wedgwood’s Florentine plates and saucers, noting that a 12-piece set went for around $250 at auction. Wedgwood was founded in 1759, so the name on the back carries a long history.

That is not a fortune, but it is a lot more than a donation-bin price tag. Check the backstamp and count the pieces before deciding.

Fire-King Jade-ite Jane Ray Sets Run Upwards Of $700

Hunker says a complete set of Fire-King’s Jane Ray pattern in jadeite can run upwards of $700.

The same guide notes that a single Philbe mug in the Fire-King line can bring over $500. Hunker adds that these are the kind of pieces to hunt for at estate sales and thrift stores.

Royal Copenhagen Blue Fluted Lace Sold For Upwards Of $1,200 As A Full Set

According to Hunker, a full set of Royal Copenhagen’s Blue Fluted Lace can sell for upwards of $1,200 at auction.

If Grandma kept a few pieces in a cabinet rather than the whole service, the value drops. Even so, a single plate in this pattern is worth a look before it goes into a box.

Flora Danica Plates From Royal Copenhagen Have Come Close To $10,000

This is the big one on the list. Hunker reports that Royal Copenhagen’s Flora Danica plates have sold for nearly $10,000.

The line is a good example of why checking the markings on the back matters. If a plate carries the Royal Copenhagen name, take a careful photo before it goes anywhere.

Spode’s Blue Italian Pattern Dates To 1816, And Older Versions Are Worth A Second Look

Hunker explains that Spode’s Blue Italian first appeared in 1816, and that 19th-century versions with a back stamp reading “Spode’s Italian, Copeland, England” can bring hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Spode itself was founded in 1770.

Newer Blue Italian pieces are common, so the age of the backstamp is what separates the ordinary from the valuable.

Haviland Limoges Schleiger Pieces Were Reported At $500 To $1,500

Hunker lists Haviland Limoges Schleiger Service pieces at $500 to $1,500 at auction. Haviland has been in business since 1842, and its French porcelain is a favorite of collectors.

Because the guide gives a range, the price will depend on which pieces you have and how well they have been kept.

A Royal Worcester Evesham Dinner Set Came Close To $2,000

Hunker says a full dinner set in Royal Worcester’s Evesham collection has sold for close to $2,000. The pattern was introduced in 1961, and the company itself dates back to 1751.

If you see the name on the back, check whether the set is complete, because a full set is what the reported figure describes.

CorningWare’s Blue Cornflower Ran From 1958 To 1988, But One Casserole Sold For $2,500

Hunker notes the pattern was produced from 1958 to 1988. LoveToKnow reports that individual Blue Cornflower casserole dishes from the late 1950s can be worth around $1,000, and that a small casserole sold for $2,500 on eBay. The same guide says less useful dishes in the pattern may bring just $20 to $50 and that common patterns often sell for $50 to $100.

That spread is the lesson. The pattern is famous, but the specific dish, the year and the condition decide the price.

Pyrex Turquoise Diamond Was Sold From 1953 To 1960 And Still Draws Bids

LoveToKnow says individual pieces of Pyrex’s Turquoise Diamond, made for the Dainty Maid line, run about $100 to $150, with larger sets bringing hundreds. The guide mentions a juice carafe listed at $160 on eBay.

The pattern was sold only for a few years, which is part of why people still look for it.

Franciscan Starburst, Released In 1954, Sold As A 60-Piece Set For $1,288.87

LoveToKnow reports that Franciscan’s Starburst, released in 1954, brings $25 to $80 for individual pieces, while a 60-piece set sold on eBay for $1,288.87. The atomic-age design is a favorite of mid-century fans.

How To Check Grandma’s Dishes Before They Leave The House

Turn each piece over and photograph the backstamp, which usually names the maker and sometimes the pattern. Then search that name together with the pattern and look at completed sales, not asking prices.

Wash gently by hand, skip the dishwasher on old gold trim, and wrap pieces separately if you need to move them. If a set looks like one of the ten above, an appraiser or a dealer who specializes in china can give you a firmer number than any list.

Whatever you find, the real value may be the table it sat on at holidays. Keep a few favorite pieces, and let the rest go to someone who will use them.

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