US $65.55
Cleaning Your Vintage China
I love the thrill of hunting down vintage items for myself and for my stores. But it can be dirty work. Finding pristine mid century items, for example, can mean digging around in the back of kitchen cupboards at estate sales for the quality wedding list pieces, the treasured dinnerware or glassware which has been carefully stored, seldom used, often forgotten …
Spotting a gem through decades of kitchen grime is only the first step. The next challenge is the cleaning. How do you best remove years of accumulated grease and dust without spoiling your prize?
Of course, the first place to start would be warm water and mild detergent. But be careful! Please ensure your china is at room temperature first - do not bring it in directly from a cold car in winter and plunk it into warm water. Vintage china can be very susceptible to extremes of heat and cold, and this kind of treatment may cause it to crack, chip or craze.
Before starting, check the label on your detergent to ensure it does not contain any bleach or lemon, both of which can be too strong for old china.
Pad the hard surfaces of your sink area to prevent accidental knocks. Immerse each piece separately and rub gently with a soft cloth. I would not use a scrubbing pad or brush as this could cause scratching or worse. Rinse with warm water and air dry.
Often a gentle wash is all that is needed. However, there are times when even hot soapy water will be powerless against the grease monster.
I have seen a product called Spray 9 recommended, but this is a professional product and cannot be bought at your local store. If you have a large amount of china to clean up it may be worth a try. There are many other products out there, such as Formula 409, which are also known to work against grease and grime, although they are not recommended for food preparation surfaces, which makes me hesitant to use them.
So far the best product I have found for cleaning vintage china is our old helper Bar Keepers Friend. I first saw this recommended on Pyrex Love for cleaning Pyrex dishes (it has proved very helpful for removing metal marks!) and decided to try it on some particularly grubby dinnerware. You can plainly see the results in the photo below.
Bar Keepers Friend is non-toxic and safe to use on objects and areas which will come into contact with food, and this is why I feel most confident recommending it. You should be able to find it at your local supermarket or DIY store, if not it is available online. The outcome can be spectacular, but as always, use your common sense and do not use on areas where there is gilt or decoration over the glaze.
So, you have cleaned up your item and maybe you now discover that there is crazing present. The worst kind of crazing comes with brown staining in and around it, and this can totally ruin the look of a piece. As a dealer, I don’t usually sell anything with this type of damage, except very occasionally when I feel it adds some character. One thing I am definitely not comfortable with is cleaning up the staining before sale. However, this is quite a common practice and there is a technique which works very well. You may want to try it if you have stubborn stains to remove from your own pieces.
To remove stains from crazing you will need to obtain peroxide from a beauty supply store, and cut it with water at 1 part water to 2 parts peroxide (note, these instructions are for peroxide - do not use bleach! Also, ensure you wear gloves and appropriate eye protection!). Immerse the item in the solution in a tupperware or glass bowl, cover with a lid or saran wrap, and leave. It may take up to a week for the brown marks to disappear. Do not use this method where there is cold glaze, gilt (gold) or other decoration over glaze.
So there you have it, a step by step guide to cleaning up your found vintage china. Now that you have achieved the desired result, please remember to take care of your special items. Rinse stored china every few months under warm water to remove accumulated dirt, and you should never again have to subject it to the deep cleaning procedures I have described.
Disclaimer: The techniques above are provided for information only. Please use your own discretion at all times. I cannot be held accountable for the results of using these procedures.
The products cited are not paid references. They are simply products which I have used or had recommended to me.
Stunning Sevres Porcelain and Gilt Brass Clock Set ~ French - Circa 1880.
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Vtg Nippon Hand Painted Porcelain Roses Floral Gold Gilt Enamel Filigree Plate $24.99 |
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Vtg Nippon Hand Painted Porcelain Roses Floral Gold Gilt Enamel Filigree Plate $24.99 |
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vintage Porcelain Bunny with Gold Gilt from Japan $4.99 |
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Antique Porcelain Saucer (Only) Gold Gilt Trim M.Z. Austria 5-1/2 Inches Dia. $3.99 |
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Stunning, Beautiful, Perfect, Antique Noritake/Nippon Porcelain & Gold Gilt Vase $271.99 |
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GORGEOUS RPM German Molded Porcelain Elevated Shell Compote, Gold Gilt $39.99 |
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Vintage Moriage Hand Painted Porcelain Nippon Hair Receiver Gold Gilt Footed $27.95 |
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Fine Porcelain Turkish Collector Gold Gilt Plate COA $75.00 |
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Vintage Porcelain Teapot Tea Pot Music Box Vintage 22k Gold Gilt Made In Japan $49.95 |
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Antique Czech Czechoslovakia European Gold Gilt Porcelain Ashtray Soap Dish Art $69.99 |
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Oriental porcelain vase, Nippon, Mwreath, Classical,castle, gilt,gold, 10" t, $825.00 |
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Vintage Moriage Hand Painted Porcelain Nippon Hair Receiver; Floral & Gold Gilt $125.00 |
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Antique Porcelain Reticulated Pin Trinket Dish Floral Pheasant Gold Gilt Germany $49.00 |
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Vtg Nippon Hand Painted Porcelain Roses Floral Gold Gilt Enamel Filigree Plate $24.99 |
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Black Porcelain OTAGIRI Bud Vase Hand Painted RED CARDINAL Gold Gilt Trim $9.95 |
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Russia, St. Petersburg, Photo Mugs Russia, St. Petersburg, Pushkin, Catherines Palace, gold mirror and table, RESTRICTED Not available for use by any River Cruise operator. Call for more Information..... |
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Decorative Porcelain Mini Dishes This set of 2 mini dishes are a great addition to any table. These are both practical and decorative. They are shaped like mini soup tureens and are very versatile. Add a teaspoon to each and they can be used to serve salt, pepper, spices, sugar, etc. The floral pattern has a glossy golden finish that offsets the black and orange backgrounds. Also makes a great collectible. Approximate Dimen... |
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French Gold Gilt Porcelain Compote Dish Centerpiece This brand new, French compote is simply stunning. Done in a traditional royal blue porcelain, this compote or centerpiece is a perfect accent to any table. It is then nicely accented with 18 K gold gild floral designs, as well as an image of French court ladies talking under a tree. APPROXIMATE DIMENSIONS: Height: 6", Length: 9".... |
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Arteriors Home 17419-553 Ravi Scratched Gilt Gold Glaze Porcelain Lamp $336.91 A statuesque base of porcelain and glazed in magnificent scratched gilt gold makes this table lamp an impressive addition to any room. The beautiful taupe sheer fabric rectangular shade adds the perfect cap to this distinctive design. A warm and comforting design from Arteriors Home.... |
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1950s - Post War Produced - Arizona State Toy Porcelain Miniature Tea Set - Service for Two - With Roadrunner Bird on Plates & Tea Pot - Arizona Gilt in Gold on Cups - Very Rare - Out of Production - Mint - Very Collectible - New $33.99 1950s - Japanese - Post World War II Produced - Arizona: The Grand Canyon State - Handpainted Roadrunner on Plates and Tea Pot - Arizona is painted in gold gilt on cups, sugar bowl & creamer - Never out of box - Antique, Very Rare - Out of Production - Retired - Limited Edition - New in Original Box - Almost Impossible to find - A Must have for serious miniature collectors - This Tea Set is exceed... |
