This Chintz china set is an example of how fickle the antique market can be and why we always opt to buy and collect the items we love, instead of buying based on the perceived value of the piece(s).
In the 80s and 90s, English Chintz china was all the rage in America. Chintzware, or chintz pottery, describes chinaware and pottery covered with a dense, all-over pattern of flowers or other objects. It is a form of transferware where the pattern is applied by transfer printing as opposed to the more traditional method of painting by hand.
The main firms making chintzware were English, such as Grimwades, A.G. Richardson & Co., James Kent Ltd., Shelley Potteries Ltd., and Elijah Cotton Ltd. and between them turned out a great variety of chintz dinnerware, tea ware, and ornamental pieces mostly from the 1920s to the 1960s. There were over 50 different patterns in various colors available.
Chintzware was also copied at the time by German, Czech and Japanese manufacturers while Royal Winton began reproducing a few of their chintz patterns in the mid-to-late 1990s.
However, once the internet became more accessible, Chintz china was everywhere, causing the price to drop significantly.
The owner of the set featured in the clip from Antiques Roadshow below has the right idea. The Chintzware used to belong to her grandmother, and she just wanted to know some history about the tea set that she dearly cherishes.
While they might not be worth as much as they once were when Chintzware was all the rage in America, but they are still beautiful dishes that are somewhat valuable.
What do you think of this china set and what it is worth now compared to a few years ago? Use the comments section below and share your thoughts. We’d love to hear from you!
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