I read this article with a great sense of sadness:
Founded in 1759 by the pioneering Josiah Wedgwood, the housewares brand quickly rose to prominence, earning fans in high places. Its elegant, often hand-painted china was used in Buckingham Palace, the White House, the Vatican, and even the Kremlin.
But fast forward to today, and once-prized porcelain pieces that were lovingly gifted at weddings, and saved for anniversaries and Christmas dinners are gathering dust, or worse, going for pennies on online marketplaces.
The sparkle has well and truly faded for the formal dining crockery, pieces that once fetched hundreds of pounds are now struggling to sell at car boot sales, with some saying they can’t even ‘give the sets away’.
Why?
Expert and prolific author on ceramics and glass, John Sandon, who makes regular appearances on the BBC Antiques Roadshow, revealed the decline in demand for traditional porcelain is less about quality and more about shifting cultural attitudes. He told the Daily Mail: “Most people consider their best china and family inherited crockery is ‘old fashioned’, whatever that means. Most old sets are regarded as impractical for everyday use, and very, very few people want to use them.”
Reflecting on changing attitudes toward inherited tableware, John noted the growing disconnect between sustainability messages and modern family preferences. He added: “The much quoted ‘Antiques are Green’ message has tried to emphasise that old china sets are the ultimate recyclables. And Granny’s china sets should be used. But most modern families don’t want to.”
Highlighting the gap between appreciation and practicality, John pointed out that admiration for antique ceramics doesn’t always translate into everyday use.
“Not using your old china tea services and fruit sets is nothing to do with the reason people choose plain white from Ikea and The Range instead of very expensive Wedgwood.”
One of my abiding regrets about emigrating was that I couldn’t bring over my (inherited) dinnerware with me. What was it?
It was Wedgwood Signet Platinum, and it was the classiest, most elegant dinnerware ever.
At dinner parties, even my rowdy, uncouth friends would comment on how lovely it looked, and how it set off the meal perfectly.
It’s profoundly sad, but not altogether surprising, that people nowadays would rather use cheap shit from Ikea or Walmart than bother to put out a decent table setting for their guests. I guess that utility wins over style and grace.
I think I’ll go and eat some worms. Off a paper plate.
