I love all the BelKraft china patterns.

 

In 1977 I visited the factory in Bavaria Germany and witnessed it being made. I was amazed at the craftsmanship and watching the guy paint on the platinum outer edge with a paint brush. If you look closely at the plates you can’t even see where he lifted the brush. He put the plate on a potters wheel and as the plate turned he laid the brush down. I was impressed.

One of the reasons serving pieces are so costly is energy costs. It takes a full week to make one piece, but one of the firings is 3 days and nights at 3000 degrees in the kiln. So as a teapot takes the same space as 8 dinner plates they are more expensive because large serving pieces take up so much room in the kiln ovens.

Another reason for high costs is quality. Only one out of three pieces makes it through final inspection and is packed for delivery. Plus unlike crystal that can be melted down again if a flaw is found, flawed or broken china can’t be used for anything. And as our patterns are exclusive to us, they can’t sell the pieces as seconds.

Fine hand crafted German porcelain are individual works of art and actually increase in value even if you use them.

On average, they double in value every ten years.

I only use my china three to four times a year. But when my family or friends come over for that special dinner, they feel special with my beautiful candlelit table with china and crystal all set up. The dinner becomes more of a special occasion. I have also found that people are less likely to ‘eat and run’ when the table looks like a million dollars. There always seems to be time for dessert and coffee.

I hope that the next generation who will inherit the set from mom, will understand the value of nice set table and family dinners.