China and Crystal - Why Doesn't it Sell?

out Almost every home requiring an estate sale has some china and crystal.  Some homes have more than others.  Our very first estate sale was in South Orange, NJ in a lovely home once owned by an Italian couple who had lived in the home 60 years.  

The couple had taken in china sets from every family member that had passed away, by the time their home was ready for an estate sale the house contained 30 sets of china, hundreds of crystal and an entire garage filled with Christmas decorations.  Most folks don't have that much china but many have several sets.  So the people who are selling the china have this notion that since their china is old that it must have value.   People cannot grasp that their mother's or grandmothers beautiful fancy china does not warrant a hefty price tag, especially since they were told how good china maintains it's value.

Full sets of china can sometimes garner up to $500 but rarely does it ever go past that number and that would have to be for a full set that can serve 12 people in mint condition and one of the better known brands like Rosenthal, Paul McCobb, Grainger, Majolica, Beleek, Herend to name a few.  The china also must be in very good to excellent condition.  No chips, cracks, washed out colors.

So why doesn't china sell, well mostly the millennials have no interest in hand washing dishes after a holiday dinner.  The throw-away dishes are so durable and pretty now that it's so much more convenient to just buy the hard plastic ones that can go right into the garbage when you are done with your meal.  This allows the host to not be glued to her kitchen sink and to sit and relax with his/her house guests.

I don't have real china myself, but I do have sterling flatware and honestly it's a pain to handwash the flatware.  I find myself rarely pulling my beautiful set out and only doing it for special occasions.

I'm not saying china and crystal never sell, I'm just saying it won't sell for the prices your mom or grandmother told you it would sell for as in their day, most families ate on china not paper plates.