China & Porcelain:
It turns out that China is big category. Does China mean plates? Plates with Elvis painted thereon? Or must China come from China? And for that matter, does China with a capitol C only come from a particular dynasty? Where does percelain end and China begin? Or have I gottenit backwards? Frankly, it beats the heck out'ta me. But this I know. China is delicate. Fragile. Easily broken even. So here is what I say about China and Porcelain.
STORAGE & DISPLAY:
1. Get your self some quake wax. This is the sticky moldable stuff that costs about $12 a pound. If this price disturbs you, go the good'ol Home Center Store, -the plumbing department and get yourself a toilet seal. Preferably one without a neoprene seal. Don't be bashful about this. It hasn't been anywhere near a toilet yet and is made out of this great sticky stuff that will hold your China where you put it, and yet wipe off when you want it to. It's not quite as pretty as the authentic stuff which is white / clear. A bunch cheaper though!
2. The folks at Elegance in Easels seem to take the whole idea of hanging plates pretty seriously. Don't have strong feelings in this area myself, but I do respect commitment to fine china and collectors. And they are nice people.
3. Consider one of my Shadow Boxes as a display case for your very best items.
4. For larger items of bigger collections, have a close look at my Architectural display cases. Your very best fine china deserves the protection that these cases provide -perhaps even under lock and key.
5. If you have a big collection of items that vary in depth (plates are pretty thin when they are on edge but coffee cups are wide no matter which way you turn them), consider building your own Custom Built-in Display Case. Here's how.
INTERESTING LINKS:
For the sentimental sort, Cherish Collectables has some lovely china stuff. Hand painted even! And they are very nice people.
I think this site is for pretty advanced collectors. Antique Marks is a guide to pottery, porcelain and other antique marks. Lot of other interesting & useful stuff too
Gaylord Brothers is where to go for tarnish cloth -you have to have this stuff if you collect silver. You can call them at 1800-448-6160. Nice people and they have lots of other interesting stuff for collectors -particularly books.
This site has it all. The Collecting Network -is a Directory of Antiques, Collectibles, Auctions, Collecting News and Trade information.
These are the nice folks I mentioned above -the ones who do things with plate-stands etc.