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Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Well it’s finally offical … we’re engaged!  I went to look >at china patters yesterday because I had some extra time >on my hands.  Can you pick an everyday china pattern to use >for your formal china?  I can’t seem to find a very plain >but elegant china pattern that I’m happy with. >Suggestions? >Thanks in advance, >Mandy (and Gerry) > May 10th, 1997 >my views, not Nortel’s

I am really a big fan of simple good china, so here are some suggestions: Lenox makes a variety of cream or white chinas with platinum or gold bands–The pattern names that come to mind are Mansfield, Federal Gold, Federal Platinum, Eternal, Maywood, Solitaire and Hayworth.   Wedgwood makes Signet Gold and Signet Platinum, both plain with a gold or platinum band, and a really nice perfectly plain fine white pattern, in a formal shape, that I can’t now think of the name of it’s something like Plain Bone).  I also think their Nantucket Basket, Festivity and Countryware would make nice good everyday-into-formal patterns.   Villeroy & Boch would be one of the first brands I’d look at if I wanted sort of bridge china–they have a lot of mix and match patterns, and good quality plain versatile patterns. Bernardaud makes a couple of patterns-Smyrne and Sparte come to mind–that are flexible gold and white patterns, and they also offer less formal patterned and more formal color-banded pieces that could dress the basic pieces up or down.   Hope any of this helps!

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My own china pattern (purchased before I ever thought I might get married–single women like china, too!) is very plain: it’s Noritake, white with a rim of black, gray and platinum. I really like using it; it just adds so much to even a simple meal. Plus, you can add any accessories you want to it, making it ultra-formal or pretty informal. We won’t register for any more china, since I have so much from my single days. Doug would have liked a more baroque pattern, I think, but it doesn’t make sense to get more china when I have service for at least 8, and maybe 12. We can "go for baroque" (hee hee!) with accessories. Genelle (& Doug) 5/31/97 – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Well it’s finally offical … we’re engaged!  I went to look > at china patters yesterday because I had some extra time > on my hands.  Can you pick an everyday china pattern to use > for your formal china?  I can’t seem to find a very plain > but elegant china pattern that I’m happy with. > Suggestions? > Thanks in advance, > Mandy (and Gerry) >  May 10th, 1997 > my views, not Nortel’s

Response:

Well it’s finally offical … we’re engaged!  I went to look at china patters yesterday because I had some extra time on my hands.  Can you pick an everyday china pattern to use for your formal china?  I can’t seem to find a very plain but elegant china pattern that I’m happy with.   Suggestions? Thanks in advance, Mandy (and Gerry)  May 10th, 1997 my views, not Nortel’s

Response:

: Well it’s finally offical … we’re engaged!  I went to look : at china patters yesterday because I had some extra time : on my hands.  Can you pick an everyday china pattern to use : for your formal china?  I can’t seem to find a very plain : but elegant china pattern that I’m happy with.   Both Wedgewood and Royal Doulton have some plain but elegant patterns.  I know this because both my omther and my grandmother’s patterns are plain white with gold rims, the other difference being that my grandmother’s pattern has ridged / fluted edges.  My mom’s is just plain with gold rims; it’s California by Wedgewood.  If you go to a big, speciality china shop, you should find lots of examples of this type of ’simple but elegant’ designs. I’ll be chosing something plain, too; a simple red rims instead of gold, on a white plate (probably Spode) -Barbara (who is still trying to convince her fiance that we *need* good china!)

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>Well it’s finally offical … we’re engaged!  I went to look >at china patters yesterday because I had some extra time >on my hands.  Can you pick an everyday china pattern to use >for your formal china?  I can’t seem to find a very plain >but elegant china pattern that I’m happy with.   >Suggestions? >Thanks in advance, >Mandy (and Gerry) > May 10th, 1997 >my views, not Nortel’s

That’s what we’re going to do -we have two cats, no dining table, and a VERY small apartment.  So, it just seems to make more sense right now to just get stoneware.  We’re registering for a Pfaltzgraff pattern with bands of blue around the edge.  They don’t sell the place settings separately (at least, not that I’ve found), so we’re registering for two 20pc sets (not very expensive), and for all the extras -serving dishes, etc.

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