How Do I Go About Selling Wedding China?

Unless your China has to be hand washed why not use it as your everyday dishes since it sounds like you still like the pattern.

I've sold several china pieces and sets on eBay for clients, although it was all older than late-90s. If you want to sell it online, research your pattern online, check Replacements.com, and use Advanced search on eBay for recently sold listings of the same pattern.

The Craigslist idea is great though, as it will be less work and hassle.

Another thought is that if you really like it, you could ditch what you've been using for 'everyday' dishes and use your china instead. Wedding china should not be saved. Use it all the time because every day of your marriage is a special occasion. :-)

You might try replacements.com

They are located in Greensboro, NC. They buy lots of china and silver and those who have patterns that are discontinued can shop there for replacements or additions to their collection.

My china and silver are both discontinued and I have purchased extra pieces of my china as well as place settings of my silver from Replacements and had a good experience.

I don't know how to go about selling it to them but you could probably get an idea of what it is worth if you speak with them about it.

Of course, you won't get what was paid for it but you could probably get maybe 1/4 its worth. I don't know.

Also, our HOA has a FB page where you can list pictures and things for sell. I am also on a private FB page for my area which is an online garage sale where people post pictures and offer things for sale.

Check out your local area shops as well. I know there used to be a place in Richardson that would buy china and silver. Check with a Gold and Silver store to get a recommendation of who might buy china. Also antique malls across the area might have some use for it.

I don't use my china often but I will save it and pass it on to my daughter. I have my Grandmother's silver and treasure each piece. Grandmother's silver is stored safely and on special occasions we use my good china and silver. My daughter has already asked me not to sell any of those when we decide to downsize.

Good luck.

I've sold stuff on ebay and craigslist. Tyler has listed stuff on our community page on facebook.

For china? I would stop displaying it and start using it. I read a poem once about using the good stuff for every day, instead of waiting for a special occasion, you're alive! USE IT!

I'm sorry to see that people have had bad experiences using craigslist. That's so sad someone died over it. We've never had a problem.

I agree with WW, donate it if you aren't going to use it.
I TOTALLY agree with It'sacrazylife! However, I would say to start in October as many people start looking for stuff for Thanksgiving and Christmas in October.

Not sure if it would hold any sentimental value in the future for one of your children, but I have my grandmother's dowry china and it is one of the most sentimental things I own. It means way more to me than it did to her (and my 3 girls are already fighting over it and it means more to them already than it does to me).

If that isn't your thing (passing things down isn't for everyone), I guess it depends on whether you are getting rid of it and expecting to get some real money for it, or if you want to get rid of it and whatever you get is what you get. If you are just looking to get something reasonable for it, I vote craigslist and sell it as an entire set. If you really think that it has value (I would think at 17 yrs old it likely wouldn't have much) you may have to do some research to see if it is more valuable by the individual piece.

Good luck no matter what you decide!

Just something to consider, if you haven't already...
Is there any chance you might want a full set of china to use in the future? I know you said you "just don't need it"... I assume you have every day dishes that you use every day. But, if your husband is graduating from medical school, is there a chance that your entertaining habits might change?

I was always fine with every day dishes myself. Until the kids were older and we started hosting a few more family holiday type dinners. Then we didn't have enough of the every day stuff that matched. Having a full set is nice. The thing is, you don't have to "save" it for some special occasion or fancy dinner. Just use it when you need more settings. Or use it b/c the colors are the right season. Or to change things up

Julie S is right... unless it is a really high end set, and you can find a willing buyer, you will make less from the sale than it would cost you to purchase a set of 8 in every day inexpensive dinner ware.

You could do eBay but you have to be prepared for the fees as well as the expense/problem of shipping it without breakage. You also are competing with many other sellers. If your pattern is unique, you will do better than if you have a common one that is listed on line with many other sellers.

Craigslist works, but you need to have someone with you if you invite people to your home - otherwise, you're at risk when 2 people come and one distracts you while the other steals from the other room! Or, you can follow recommendations to do the transaction at the police station.

Often consignment and resale shops will take these things - you don't get as much, but someone else does all the work. Your set it too new to interest most antique dealers, but call around because some of them are looser with their guidelines.

You can also check for "china and silver exchanges" who will take it all off your hands and find a buyer for you, and you'll get a flat fee, but you do have the shipping issue. Still, it's one buyer. I used one decades ago for china and crystal - I wish I could remember the name of it. But it was professional and well done. Check for reviews and BBB ratings.

why not get rid of your current china and use your pretty wedding stuff?
if you really don't want to keep it, or store it to pass down, then yeah, consider one of the sites that sells individual bits of sets. i've got a gorgeous set of museum quality wedgewood that my mom bought to be an heirloom for me (and i'm almost too nervous to use), and i know from checking on the value that there are sites where i could buy replacement parts if i klutz out and break one.
can't be much different than selling it on ebay, right?
khairete
S.

Craigslist would be easiest but expect to get garage sale prices for the china set. From our experience Craigslist shoppers are looking for a killer deal so it is good for dumping unwanted items for a very low price.

For what it is worth I use my china on a regular basis. It is not just for special occasions. I personally think Saturday morning pancakes taste just that little bit better when served on nice china. :)

A final thought is just because you have a son doesn't exclude him from wanting your set of china. My husband is sentimental by nature and enjoys passed down pieces from family. He has an interesting perspective - his family immigrated and they have nothing of any sentimental value from any generation beyond his parents. He says it is hard not to feel rootless in a way. He loves that my family has lots of older items and we both being sentimental have enjoyed inheriting pieces which otherwise would have been donated or sold for pennies on the dollar.

I woulde not go to Replacements. They will only buy pieces, not a whole set. If you have a complete set and maybe wait a month, you could probably sell it quicker around Thanksgiving or month before. The more complete, the better. I have a China pattern that is still in the box. I tried Replacements and they would have only purchased a few pieces and I would have had about $8 for all of them. I had listed in Craigslist and got a "dealer" that offered to buy from me. The set was priced at $350, I paid a lot less. The guy that offered to buy it as a dealer wanted to give me $50. I countered with $100 but he gave me a story about the condition and he would have to drive all the way to me and then he has to sell it etc. I spoke to a dealer shop and I was told that he was way lowballing me. He also suggested Craigslist and to give it a bit of time.

I had listed my set at $175, got an offer via text (which I did not get, so mad) to buy it at that price--they were hosting Thanksgiving for the first time. I will be listing mine again next month.

To get a fair price, look at Replacements for place setting prices and then go according to that but a bit cheaper for the set.

Ebay or Craigslist but know you will get pennies on the dollar.

If I didn't use my china I would use it before selling it. Unless you find that one in a million buyer you will get less than a new set of everyday plates cost.

Obviously if yours is a high end set then everything I just said was wrong.

http://www.replacements.com/

you can even punch in the make/model and get the current market value for each piece.

are you sure you don't want to pass down? daughter? neice? daughter in law? grand daughter? you could store it. just a thought, not a judgment. :-) S.

I've always wondered this too. You see it all the time at antique stores, so it might be worth just making a phone call to your local one. They should be familiar with patterns so might be able to give you a quote over the phone.

I've always been nervous about having people come to my home to look at stuff. I have a friend who brings it out to her lawn - never lets people inside her home (in case they are seeing what else you have).

We use my mom's set. I got sick of seeing it in the cabinet, so one night we pulled it out and it's now our supper time set. If it breaks, I don't care.

Good luck :)

My sisters and I are in the same boat. Mom passed 2 months ago and she had a full set of Franciscan Rose dishes. And I mean a FULL set - tea pot, cream and sugar dishes, butter dish, veggie dishes - if it was made, she had it! We were going to to Craigslist also, but are first checking with some consignment shops. We'd like to have it all go at once rather than spend a year or more selling it piece by piece. As for Ebay, i don't want to do that because you may have to ship it across the country. Who has time/money for packing, insurance and shipping costs.

The shipping and competition on Ebay would likely make it a huge PITA. You could go through all the trouble of setting up an account and taking pictures only to have it languish well past your move date. If it's super high end or really unusual then you might go that route.

If you're really in Fort Worth I'd go with Craigslist. Search china set in the for sale items for your area and see what comes up. Price accordingly and take GREAT pictures. Meet the potential buyer in a safe location. I'd have my husband deal with the meet-up entirely after you've found someone who is truly interested. Beware of flakes!

Do you have a rummage sale site on Facebook in your city? We sell on ours all the time. Our items will often sell in 10 minutes or less. It's great!

We also use Craigslist and Ebay. Craigslist isn't inherently dangerous, as some imply. Being smart about where and how you meet a stranger is imperative no matter the method you choose to sell something.

Best of luck!

I would not, in any way, for any reason use craigslist for anything.

We had a girl from a town I've lived in and she had married and moved away. She and her husband decided to sell a car and used craigslist. A man contacted them and wanted to do a test drive.

The husband was at work so the girl took the car to meet the guy to do the test drive. He kidnapped her, took her across state lines, and they found her body later on.

The day of her funeral in that home town was so sad. I have never seen such a long long long funeral procession. They had it in the largest church in town and there was standing room only.

Please find a buy and sell page in your local area and nearby cities and sell it that way. I cringe anytime anyone mentions craigslist because it is so dangerous.

It sounds perfect. My colors and everything. If I had the money maybe I would buy it from you...lol. Our china wore out. I used it all the time for everyday dinners when I wanted a little omph. It was white with a single pinstripe thin strip of platinum around the inner part with the plate dips down then it had a slightly wider platinum line around the outer edge. We had gravy boat, tureens, charger plates, stemware, and everything. I loved setting a nice table.

How much do you want for it? Got a brand and style?