The Vintage Kitchen Dish Set To Look For At The Thrift Store (There Are So Many Styles)

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If you've ever walked around a thrift shop and become overwhelmed with the sheer number of vintage dishes stacked on shelves, you're not the only one. Florals and pastoral scenes are charming, but they all start to look alike when you're not sure what you're looking at. But, if you know what to search for at the thrift store, you could very well find a vintage dish set that's worth adding to your collection. For example, don't skip on Johnson Brothers transferware.

Johnson Brothers is a British company that was founded in 1883 and produced durable dishes in memorable, quaint patterns. The company's most famous products are transferware, which refers to the technique used to decorate the dishes: by transferring a pattern using a copper plate to print a design on paper, then transferring the image to the ceramic. This allowed Johnson Brothers to produce many finely decorated dishes that looked like fine porcelain but were much more durable. It made access to this kind of dishware much more affordable, which significantly contributed to its popularity. Unfortunately, you won't find any modern Johnson Brothers dishware, since new production was ceased in 2015.

These pieces make all of the thrifting and browsing through stacks of dishes worth it. They're timeless, sturdy, and they come in lots of different styles. They have an effortlessly homey vibe, perfect for decorating your home like an English cottage. Johnson Brothers dishes look delicate, but you'll quickly notice that they feel heavy and sturdy because they're made of ironstone. They're practical and have therefore survived years of wear and tear, but what makes them truly unique is the fine decorations on the dishwares, typically small, detailed floral and pastoral scenes and landscapes. These can be found in colors like blue, brown, green, pink, and sometimes deep red. They have that undeniable old-school English style that was so popular in the early 20th century.

Because they were so popular and durable, you're likely to encounter Johnson Brothers transferware at thrift shops and online auctions today. What's important to note is that not all transferware is worth the same, and rare models and pieces are most valuable. The most sought-after Johnson Brothers patterns include Friendly Village, Old Britain Castles, and Historic America. To identify whether a piece is from Johnson Brothers, start by looking at the back of the dish for a stamp. Johnson Brothers England, sometimes shortened to Johnson Bros England, should be clearly stamped on the back of the piece. This method isn't foolproof, as some pieces were marked with paper labels that have since dissolved. So, if you purchase an unmarked dish that looks like Johnson Brothers transferware and want to know its worth, you can ask an expert or appraiser to help authenticate and price your latest thrifting find.

Some sets might be worth hundreds of dollars, with single plates reselling for over $100, while other pieces can cost under $10. In any case, they're a good investment if you're looking for vintage dishware brands to bring your kitchen some retro charm. They're pretty and durable, and you're guaranteed to have a unique piece rather than something anyone could pick up in a brick-and-mortar shop today. There are tons of different designs to choose from, so you can build a uniform collection by choosing a pattern and color, or build a more eclectic one by mixing and matching.