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Frequently Asked Questions - Search Facility |
Q. Why can't I find my discontinued pattern?
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A. First of all check your answers on the search page, and search again. If you still can't find your pattern, try the search again this time selecting "Unknown" in the "Manufacturer" box. Some designs were made by more than one pottery, either when one pottery bought out another, or when the rights to a design were sold. We do try to record all instances of this under each of the potteries that made a design, but the gallery is only as good as the information we have added to date.
If you are still unable to find your discontinued pattern, it may simply be that we have not yet added it to our database. If this is the case, we apologise. We are adding patterns every day, so please come back soon and try again. |
Q. There isn't an option for my pattern colour (or style) in the selection boxes. What do I do?
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A. The style, colour and manufacturer selection options are derived from the patterns that currently exist in our database. Therefore, if for example you are seeking a pattern with purple as the main colour, but purple if not an option in the drop down list, it means we do not have any purple patterns in our database.
If this is the case, we apologise. We are adding patterns every day, so please come back soon and try again. |
Q. I have a china pattern that was sold by a high street retailer e.g. Marks & Spencer, but I do not know who it was made by?
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A. You could try selecting "Unknown" in the "Manufacturer" box. However, check first to see if the retailer is listed. Some of the well know high street retailers commissioned a number of different potteries to make china on their behalf. In these cases, the back stamps would usually have the name of the retailer on, rather than that of the pottery, and the patterns were sold as if the retailer had made them themselves. Where this occurs we list the retailer as a manufacturer, and treat them the same as any other pottery. |
Q. What is the difference between "Tableware" and "Decorative"? |
A. By "Tableware" we are referring to plates, dishes, bowls, cups and saucers, serving ware etc etc. That is china that was manufactured for the purpose of serving food and drink. China that was made purely to be used for display purposes is classed as "Decorative". As far as this website is concerned a plate that was intended to be eaten from when originally made, regardless of how pretty it is, how old it is, and how many people have decided to put it one of those awful plate hanger contraptions and hang it on their wall, is "Tableware". |
Q. What is the difference between "Pottery" and "Porcelain"?
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A. By pottery we are referring to the heavier duty chinas, such as stoneware, earthenware and ironstone. Some potteries only made this sort of china, such as Denby, Hornsea and Purbeck Potteries. By porcelain, we refer to the lighter weight and often more delicate chinas, such as bone china, fine china and translucent ware. Examples of potteries who only made this kind of china would be Colclough, Rosina and Paragon, whereas many of the bigger china manufacturers such as Royal Doulton and Wedgwood produced a mixture of both. |
Q. What is the difference between "Gilded" and "Ungilded"?
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Gilded china has a gold, silver or platinum edging to the rim of plates, cups and dishes. Very often there will also be some gilding on the handles of cups and knobs to lids. If there is simply some gold relief in the main pattern of the china, we would not regard this as being gilded. |
Q. What do you mean by "Style"? |
A. To improve the accuracy of our search results we have attempted to categorise different pattern and design types. Select a style based on the main pattern featured in the design you are seeking. E.g. If it is mainly made up of flowers, select "floral"; of it is just one single colour with no pattern, select "plain". |
Q.What do you mean by "Main Colour"?
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A. We are referring to the predominant colour in the pattern itself. If you have a plain design with no pattern, simply select the colour. If however, your design features a pattern of some description, select the most prominent colour in the pattern; NOT the background colour. |
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