Although most people may not know it by its name, restaurant china is easy to recognize and familiar to most people. This is the china that you might typically find in restaurants which has the heavy, thick, solid feeling when you hold it in your hands. It always looks like it could withstand a lot of abuse because it was made to do just that. It had to be durable because it was going to be used on a daily basis. You could also find it in other institutions, such as cafeterias, hospitals and schools, as well as on ships and trains. Although it was made to be functional, it often managed to be attractive, too, with pleasing designs and colors. Over the years restaurant china has become very collectible, with interest centered on specific designs, themes or manufacturers.
The restaurant china manufacturing industry goes back to the late 19th century when there was an increased need for hotel chinaware. As hotels became bigger the patrons demanded more places to eat in addition to the hotel’s own dining room. Restaurants and cafes became popular and there was high demand for attractive, durable china that could be used in these commercial settings. By the early 20th century there were many companies manufacturing restaurant china, including Syracuse China, The Sterling China Company, and Lenox, Inc.
Collectors of restaurant china can choose from many different kinds of pieces. Many choose to collect only specific items, such as creamers, teacups or bowls. Each of these items have several variations and subsets, which can lead to even more specific specialties. For instance, bowls alone have many designations, such as soup, bakers, fruit, cereal and many more. A collector can choose to concentrate on one kind of piece, or on a certain design pattern, or even on the original user of the china, such as a specific railway company. Others limit themselves to pieces made by a specific company, or even a certain color.
Whether a collector seeks out restaurant china for its monetary value, its beauty, or for nostalgic reasons, they will find no shortage of pieces to collect. Interest in collecting this type of china is growing and many enthusiasts routinely spend time in antique shops and libraries researching patterns and markings. Online auction sites such as eBay routinely have thousands of restaurant china listings and are a good place to see and study the various styles and patterns.
