Choosing a porcelain service

Nowadays, porcelain dishes are very popular with many modern housewives. Beautiful and durable items are often passed from parent to child. How to choose a quality set for family celebrations and for every day?

Traditionally, China is considered the birthplace of porcelain. Here, for the first time, elegant dishes were made, the production of which was kept secret for a long time by Chinese craftsmen. For the beautiful vases, European aristocrats were ready to give huge sums.

• The material, fragile at first glance, is distinguished by its amazing strength and durability.
• The porcelain service will serve for a very long time and will retain its appearance with careful use. Just look at the old antiques, they look like time has no power over them.
• In this material, the dish will remain warm for a long time or, on the contrary, cool. In many restaurants, tables are served with such devices.
• Porcelain is an elastic material, it is easy to give it the most varied shapes, and the light surface is suitable for painting with the most amazing designs.

There are several types of porcelain sets.

• Canteen (dining) - used for lunch with a change of several dishes: soup, main course, dessert. Includes: a base plate, dishes for the first and second, salad bowls, for dessert, various snacks, gravy boats, tureen.

• Dessert - suitable for serving sweets and fruits. In the set: dessert plates, additionally: bowls for cakes, sweets, jams, fruits.

• Coffee set includes: coffee pot, creamer, sugar bowl, dessert plates, saucers and coffee mugs.

• For tea traditionally consists of a kettle, a sugar bowl, cups and saucers, in addition there can be: a dish for lemon, a butter dish, a milk jug and a jug for hot water.

• Baby kit It differs in a small shape of saucers and cups, often with bright patterns. By the number of objects, large ones are distinguished - for 12 persons, small ones - for 6 persons, small ones for 2-3 persons, there are also for one person. Many well-known manufacturers offer not only sets, but also individual items made in the same style, they can be purchased additionally.

Porcelain has its own varieties.

• Soft - very transparent with a pleasant creamy shade, it is considered less durable than other types. A popular variety, affordable.
• Hard - the most durable, it is distinguished by its pure white color. Has a long service life, retains its appearance well. This is an expensive and elite variety.
• Bone - more durable than soft, but inferior in quality to hard. The fine bone china cups are smooth and translucent, but not as dazzlingly white as the hard ones. Lighter in weight and more affordable.

Narumi - This is an expensive, elite product, produced in Japan. Refined design, gentle colors, an abundance of small details. Gold and platinum designs are hand polished to enhance their shine.

Products of the Japanese factory Royal Porcelain Public are distinguished by their elegance and sophistication in the selection of patterns. Make quality bone and hard varieties.

Modern Chinese porcelain belongs to the category of inexpensive and affordable.

The most famous brand Anna Lafarg creates sets: dining, coffee, tea, for a large number of people and a minimum. Unique design, classic style decoration, gift wrapping, children's series.

Lenardi is one of the most famous Chinese brands in our country. Low price, quality products, gift wrapping. The company produces thin-walled white products with an elegant design. A vivid example is the Sakura tea service.

English porcelain is now produced by companies: WWRD, Thomas Goode, Caverswall. Each of them has been awarded a special certificate and is considered the official supplier for the royal court.

The Wilmax campaign creates a stylish and modern product. Dazzling white, chip resistant, very smooth, suitable for use in ovens and dishwasher. Sets of certain types of dishes are on sale: plates for soup, steam for tea, lids for hot dishes (rams). By design, all items are perfectly combined, plus reasonable prices.

Poland and the Czech Republic produce goods with an optimal ratio of price and quality.

Products of the Polish trade mark Lubiana are popular. Modern production methods, improved composition of raw materials, the ability to withstand physical and chemical influences, temperature drops. A special shape allows you to place items one in another - stack.

For the first time, pink porcelain appeared in the Czech Republic in 1911. In modern times, it is produced by the Leander company. Products in a delicate shade with ornaments and without a pattern look amazing.

The service of this company with geese will be an excellent gift for a wedding or wedding anniversary. Geese are often used in the Czech Republic when decorating household utensils. The goose in the Czech Republic is a symbol of love, fidelity, care and a friendly family.

The European company "Zepter" produces goods for everyday use. Stylish and very durable - this is the main feature of this company's cookware. The cost of the kits is quite high.

The famous Russian Imperial Porcelain Factory is located in St. Petersburg. The world-class brand creates the following types: hard and bone.The original ornament, fashionable decoration technique, devices are painted by professional artists. The factory offers an exclusive assortment for special occasions, produces sets for the kitchen and dining room

The design of the "Gothic" service contains shapes and floral ornamentstypical for medieval European art. A coffee set from the "Ballet" collection with a drawing based on the work of PI Tchaikovsky "The Nutcracker" was made of bone china.

On the products of this brand, you can still see the famous "cobalt mesh", which gives the surface a special blue tint. But only after firing at a temperature of more than 1000 C, before that, the patterns are black.

The Kuznetsovsky plant began operating in 1832 in the village of Dulyovo. The products were in great demand in Russia and Europe. Traditionally, manufacturers collaborate with talented artists. For example, Mikhail Vrubel made a sketch of a decorative dish "Sadko" in the last century. In modern times, the Dulevo factory produces sets of hard porcelain in the Russian tradition, including the Gzhel style. High quality cookware can be selected at an economical price.

Krasnodar plant ("Kubanfarfor") creates products according to international quality standards. Practical and modern in design.

The Ternopil Porcelain Factory ceased to exist in 2006. Vintage sets produced by this company can now be purchased on the Internet. The Riga crockery factory was also closed in the early 2000s.

Dobrush plant uses high quality materials for production. There is an opinion that the design could be more modern. Durable and durable products belong to a low price category.

Now the stores offer dishes made of different materials, including porcelain. Such purchases are planned in advance and carefully considered.

Things to consider:

• for what occasion they choose: for a celebration or for every day;
• number of people;
• learn about the manufacturer and product quality;
• pay attention to the size, how convenient it will be to use;
• inspect for cracks and chips, they should not be;
• the price of porcelain cannot be low, but Russian, Belarusian and Chinese products are cheaper than European and Japanese brands;
• before purchasing, you need to familiarize yourself with the rules of operation (can you put the plate in the microwave for heating or wash it in the dishwasher.)

These simple rules will help the service last a long time.

It is better to wash porcelain by hand. Some brands produce separate series specifically for the dishwasher. It is important to remember: hand painting and gilding is erased after washing in the machine.

• Wash plates and mugs in warm soapy water, rinse with cool water.
• Do not use hard brushes, abrasive products.
• After washing, wipe with a soft cloth.
• Store upright. If products are put in a pile, then soft paper is placed between them.
• It is recommended to heat slightly before serving hot dishes.