Why People Collect Antique Plates

Those who don’t have a passion for collecting antiques often wonder why people collect these objects at all. Usually they see the items as worthless or junk, things that clutter up a home. Maybe it’s because the objects don’t fit in with their design philosophy, or maybe it’s because they don’t see the point in keeping such things. One often misunderstood item are antique plates.

Because they are functional and useful, people use plates, even old ones. They don’t understand why others will simply keep these items in a display case or tucked away somewhere. The truth is, these plates are often collected for sentimental value more than anything else. And the people who tend to collect them are those who have a love for porcelain.

There are many types of antique plates that can be collected. The most common are dinner plates and the items that go with them such as bread plates and soup bowls. Next are platters or serving dishes, butter dishes, and gravy boats. Afterwards, special plates, such as those made of orange porcelain, those with an art deco design, and those that depict a scene (such as a Christmas scene) are quite popular. All of these pieces are beautiful and timeless in their own way. They reflect the period they were created in, especially those that were hand painted.

When collecting antique plates, make sure you check the items for cracks and chips. Cracks can get bigger over time, so you if you want to keep a piece for a very long time, it’s best that it doesn’t have any cracks. If you want to wash the items, hand wash them with some gentle soap and lukewarm water. Washing them can make them sparkle and bring out their true beauty so try to do this once a year. What you should never do, however, is use them to eat. When you use plates, they tend to get scratches from the knife marks. Also, food can stain or ruin the items, while very old objects can ruin the food. Not to mention the fact that you increase your risk of breaking them.

If you inherited your grandmother or great-grandmother’s china set, you may already have some antique plates. Be sure to keep the set safe and try to stop using it. You can go to an appraiser to see if this particular set is rare or is a known collectible. If it isn’t yet, just hang on to it because it may be someday.