Have you seen the prices of china services lately, outside the retail market?  What a nosedive!  China services, from my perspective, are low and heading lower.  Several reasons explain this.

1. Too much supply, not enough demand.  Our Depression Era mothers who loved their china are sadly passing away.  This will flood the market with a huge supply.
2. Our Boomer generation already have their china services and don’t have the space to take more, because we have too much already.
3. The Boomer’s children, Generation X and Y, have no interest in it whatsoever.  They simply do not want grandmother’s “old stuff.”
4. Generation X and Y want to visit IKEA and buy an everyday set in their colors, and when they tire of the color, go buy another set in a year.  Why?  They come in great colors and are affordable.

So as you can see, we have a definite downward turn in the market.  There are some very fine porcelain manufacturers in the world and some of them are extraordinarily and beautiful.  There will always be some people in the world who will pay exceptionally well for a china service, because they feel it is heirloom quality.  The question is: will they want it?  And will they ever get the $$$$ back out of it.  The majority of the time, the answer is no.

Are there some clients who are grossly disappointed by this?  Oh, yes!  My elderly female clients are aware the grandchildren don’t want these things.  They have confided in me that they wish the grandchildren did, because the china was so important to them and their generation.  People change, and times change!

Rarely do we entertain anymore, let alone cook.  Most women will tell you they do not desire that cooking and cleaning overload, after a tiring week at work.  Remember that our mothers generally did not work out of the home.  Today’s woman is a professional multi-tasker, part of the sandwich generation, works full time, travels, raises kids, care-gives for older parents, and is absolutely exhausted!! 

If today’s woman can’t put it in the dishwasher, she doesn’t want to use it.  Our mothers washed it all by hand, and with pride! 

These are my thoughts on why china, like Hummel figurines, is almost a thing of the past.  The young girls are simply not interested.

© 2010 Julie Hall