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.
All china is made up of clay. Often, more than one type of clay is used to make up a piece. In the case of bone china, an additional ingredient is added. Bones are ground very finely and the resulting dust is added into the clay mix. It adds strength but it also causes the pieces to be brittle and easy to break. If you want to make sure you are buying authentic bone china you need to look for between 30 and 45 percent bone dust.
While it has a hard surface, the fact is that bone china can be broken. It does not bend well and this makes it brittle. You may also find that older sets develop cracks in the finish. Some can be seen by looking at a piece while others need to be held up to the light in order to see damage. If you love a piece and simply want it to use rather than to collect, these cracks should not cause you any concern.
Cleaning your set is something that needs to be done properly. This is a time when it is easier to accidentally damage one of your items. You also need to be careful when putting your items into storage regardless of whether it is just for a short time or if you are packing items away for a longer period of time.
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.
All china is made up of clay. Often, more than one type of clay is used to make up a piece. In the case of bone china, an additional ingredient is added. Bones are ground very finely and the resulting dust is added into the clay mix. It adds strength but it also causes the pieces to be brittle and easy to break. If you want to make sure you are buying authentic bone china you need to look for between 30 and 45 percent bone dust.
While it has a hard surface, the fact is that bone china can be broken. It does not bend well and this makes it brittle. You may also find that older sets develop cracks in the finish. Some can be seen by looking at a piece while others need to be held up to the light in order to see damage. If you love a piece and simply want it to use rather than to collect, these cracks should not cause you any concern.
Cleaning your set is something that needs to be done properly. This is a time when it is easier to accidentally damage one of your items. You also need to be careful when putting your items into storage regardless of whether it is just for a short time or if you are packing items away for a longer period of time.
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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