Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-10-18
DECORATED CRoCKERY,
The Origin and Secret Of the Craze for
This Kind OF Table Ware.

prominent Providence dealer In crockery,
In conversation with q reporter Of that city re-
Gently, said: "Up to the time Of the Centennial
exposition there was very little demand for any
kind Of dishes except the plain white: Occa-
slonaly. 1t is true, some wealthy person would
purchase decorated dinner set; but the deco
lions consisted chiefly of gold bands, or Of bands
In colors. and were very simple compared with
what you see all over this store to-day. But
after people had been to the exposition and seen
the handsome decorated sets from foreign man.
ufactories that were shown there they
began to look for something of the same
sort for their own dining tables, and
the the. dealers had to meet the demand
decoration, chiefly from wealthy families. and
after that the demand grew more general and
extended down through different classes of
goods. everybody falling into line. We sci
very little of the plain white china nowadays
and the ware decorated with bands is entirely
out OF date. A good many old STYLES were found
there, and / think that the rage for old china
antique wares was largely indebted to the sam @
influence. Odd styles prevail i'm chamber sets
however. more than in table ware. Notice
the shape OF those ewers. They look more like
ancient Egyptian water jars than ANYTHING else
and so you see all along under the shelves
various curiously patterned sets. Now here Is
something else. In the era of white china and
WHICH tie Ola style OF 0eCOratiOnS, such bands.
was In vogue. all the courses at a dinner party
were served upon plates. which. except in the
matter Of size and shape were very much alike
Now you see we have a different pattern for each
course. The oysters. for instance. are served
on these dishes appropriately decorated. and
divided into compartments-one compartment
for each oyster. Then comes the FISH set with
fish-snaped platter perhaps. and the piscatorial
designs upon the plates. and SO on through the
game, meat, salads, fruits. ice creams and nuts
That Is Chinese ware. The Chinese never change
and their style of crockery. like everything else
they nave Is just the same as it was centuries
ago. while ago some American merchants
were in China, and succeeded in getting them
to put handles to some of the teacups. 1t was
hard for them to make the innovation but they
did 1t has proved costly one, too
Now here's cup without handle
That sells at So. IS per dozen. Here is one with
handle attached. and the price is Sl5 1t
takes just three times as much as is asked for
the cups, you see, to buy the handles"
What is the most popular style Of coloring
and decoration"
There is no prevailing choice. Since the
bands went ont of style all these new patterns
receive about equal favor. All colors go into
the decorations, and they vary from one to any
number that is required. We have sets on hand
here in which there are no less than twelve
colors. We call them harlequin sets. Now.
think have told you about all there is to say
on the subject. 1 suppose. however, that you
would be interested to know that decorated
china has come to be very much sought after
for wedding presents. since the new departure
in decorating. Formerly. people who had
friends about to get married would go straight
for store where silver ware is sold. and buy
for them something i'm the way of forks or
spoons or cake dishes. or some other piece of
table ware. But that custom has been super
seeded to great extent in this era of decorated
china, and wedding guests find that fine. ar
tistlcaily finished table set Is always an appro-
pirate gift on such occasions Just one thing
more. The fact that pieces missing from deco
rated sets can be easily replaced has in no small
degree increased their popularity"