VINTAGE AND NEW CHINA MISMATCHED TEA SETS

Do I choose Vintage or New China for my mismatched afternoon tea set?

Well we think you can mix both.

A selection of mismatched china.

Let's start with vintage china. What exactly is it? The term vintage has become synonymous with china made 35 years ago or more. So that makes anything manufactured between 1913 - 1978 vintage. Of course each year that passes puts the date range up by a year - so in 2014 the range will be 1914 - 1979 and so on. By the way for an item to be classed as antique it must be 100 years old.  

ART DECO MISMATCHED TEA SET

The confusion occurs when manufacturers of new china call their range 'Vintage'. What they really mean is 'in the vintage style'. Most modern china has simple clean lines and is often of a mono-colour. New 'vintage style' china will be more elaborate in shape and pattern and usually have a floral or bird design copying the gorgeous patterns of years gone by.

 

NEW ROY KIRKHAM 'Vintage Style' CHINA

 Many authentic vintage china pieces were individually hand painted especially those made in the Art Deco period and earlier. To purchase a new hand painted piece today is much more expensive than most pockets feel comfortable with. 

 

Hand Painted ART DECO teacups and saucers.

Today's new techniques in transfer printing have made it possible to produce some beautiful designs.

ENCHANTE New Bone China Collection.

SHELTONIAN CHINA Teacups and Saucers.

VINTAGE SADLER TEAPOT c.1950's

Many vintage tea sets were sold without a teapot. The teapot was also the first item in a set to become damaged probably because it was used so often. The alternative of course is to add a new bone china teapot to your mismatched teaset.

'Vintage Roses' a new bone china teapot in the vintage style.

So why mismatched tea sets? That one is easy to answer. Not only are mismatched china tea sets very fashionable at present but should a piece get broken then the whole set is not spoiled. You can replace a single piece or a teacup, saucer and tea plate trio with another.

Maxwell Williams ENCHANTE Collection of new afternoon tea china.

...... And finally this seasons colours are bright. Just take a look at the fashions in the shops.

Check out our Vintage and New china. Stock updated almost daily.

 

Looking For Some Spring Sunshine?

It may not feel like spring just yet but it has definitely arrived.

Our gorgeous vintage china decorated with spring flowers will brighten your teatime on the dullest of days.

1940's Tuscan China Trio

 

Start with a beautiful teacup trio. This one was made back in 1947 by R.H.and S.L.Plant Ltd. A famous Staffordshire pottery renowned for their patterns and quality.

Art Deco Shelley Trio

 Add a contrasting colour and style. Shelley Art Deco decorated with sunshine yellow primroses and a gorgeous yellow teacup handle. Made at The Foley in Longton, Staffordshire c.1935.

Melba Hand Painted Trio

 Now combine the colours of the first two trios with this lovely hand painted 1940's Melba china. The yellow daffodils, little blue crocus - more spring flowers, and the green rims start to bring your unique vintage china tea set together.

1930's Wellington China Trio

    Now bring in a little more colour. We keep the theme going with hand painted spring flowers and this time a pale green teacup handle. The dainty blue flowers repeat the blue crocus in the previous trio and add another dimension allowing us to include this colour in our next trio.

Shelley Wild Flowers Trio

A beautiful Shelley trio with a pale blue rim and blue teacup handle. Adding this trio with its multi-coloured floral pattern opens up the choice of colours for more trios and tea set accessories. We have three teacups with coloured handles, a floral theme and a green, yellow and blue colourway.

You could keep this theme going or add in more bold colours - it's your choice.

By selecting mismatched china you can grow your afternoon tea set as large as you please. We have a selection of teapots, milk jugs, sugar bowls cake stands, cake plates etc., to choose from.

Make the most of any warm and sunny days this year and serve a stylish afternoon tea party on beautiful English vintage china. By using a pretty table cloth it won't matter what the 'table' condition is in. Mismatch your chairs and provide cushions and some throws for comfort and light some scented candles to keep the insects away.

Visit Us To See Our New Stock of Vintage and New China 
Available From Monday April 1st. 

 

We have a competition winner !!!

We are pleased to announce that we have the Winner of our Million Competition.

CONGRATULATIONS J.C. you are our WINNER.

The prize is a set of six Sheltonian China teacups and saucers.

The winner was drawn at random from all entries in our One Millionth visitor competition and all our Newsletter subscribers. No purchase was necessary.

J.C. has already been contacted and we will be shipping the prize in time for Christmas.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ONE AND ALL.

   

So what is this Vintage china anyway?

Many manufacturers are now calling their china 'Vintage'. How can it be vintage when it was made just yesterday? Well it isn't. What they mean is that it is in the style of vintage china. That means pretty china decorated with similar patterns of time gone by. Well there's nothing wrong with pretty china as long as it is of the quality of past productions but surely it should be named 'vintage style'?

Alfred Meakin 'Posy' VINTAGE china c.1940's

There are very few manufacturers who still make their china in the U.K.

Our vintage china was made in and around the Staffordshire potteries between 1913 and 1977. We use a 35 years date guide from this year to arrive at a vintage date line. Anything prior to 1913 -being 100 years old - is antique. 

ANTIQUE china - cake stand created from 19th century plates.

We have many enquiries from our customers asking when we will have an out of stock vintage item back in stock. This has been something of a puzzle to us until we realised that some people think we can order more because they connect the term vintage with new china. 

Shelley ART DECo period cake plate c.1920's

So maybe we should ask manufacturers to stop calling new china 'Vintage'!

At least now YOU know the difference.

A New Collection of Vintage Style China in Stock

Our One Million Visitor Competition will be drawn on Friday 14th December.

The winner will receive a set of six Sheltonian bone china vintage style teacups and saucers in the patterns of their choice.

All newsletter subscribers are automatically entered into the competition.

All we ask is for you to flex a finger. Please would you click on a like, share, pin or follow button when you see something on our website that you like. This can be an item or a page and only takes a second or two.

For those who are not newsletter subscribers you can still enter our competition. Send us the message 'One Million' when you have liked, shared, pinned or followed our products by using the contact us tab on cakestandheaven's website.

Thank you!

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We have a new collection of vintage style china arriving next week.

Beautiful Teapots

Tea for One

Teacups and Saucers

Covered Sugar Bowls

Breakfast Teacups and Saucers

Pretty Milk Jugs or Creamers

Tea Plates and Napkins

Melamine Trays and China Teaspoons.

All available to mix and match from Wednesday 12th December.

ORDER BY SUNDAY 16th DECEMBER FOR DELIVERY BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

As a special Thank You to all our Newsletter subscribers we are offering Free UK Standard Delivery on all orders of £100 and over until December 31st. Just tell us you are a newsletter subscriber in the gift message box when you place your order and we will refund your standard UK postage cost of £5. Don't forget that all orders of £50 and over also receive a £5 Voucher to use against your next order - so that could be another free delivery in 2013.

WE WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS.