The 500th is China

Wheee! This is my 500th post on Newlywed Bliss. I've decided the 5ooth is china and have the perfect post for you.

This one is good! I've been saving it!

You know my love of china! I also have a deep love of all things old and antique. To top it off, I'm a thrifty girl. Yes, I'm nothing if not Southern, savvy, and thrifty. As if this is possible, I have combined all three.

One Saturday morning in September (the 22nd to be exact) J and I gallivanted about a couple of garage sales on our way to our favorite ministry thrift store. As we were returning home he detoured by a sale he'd seen advertised online. It's in an old neighborhood that we've frequented before. We've attended several estate sales there but are often rather pricey because of the items, and because they're normally ran by an estate and auction company.

On this day, it was just plain ol' garage sales. There were three in a row so we decided to get out. (Too often our garage saling results in more money spent on coffee and gas than anything else. We often slow down and decided to get out only if the presentation is nice.) Upon walking to the first sale there was a large sign that read "Your purchase today will help the Vietnamese children". It was written in both English and Vietnamese (well, I can assume that is what it said.)

Well, we had to buy something there! The Vietnamese children were depending on us. I browsed about and noticed a place setting china on the table. It was an elegant white on white pattern with platinum band-beautiful! It was fifty dollars. Hmph, it's $50 in the stores and why would I want one place setting of china. I admired it and as I was about to move on the gentleman approached me to talk about the china.

"Do you like that? The rest of it is over here in a box."

I snapped around and followed him to the box.

"It's a pretty good deal for fifty dollars, there is probably two or three hundred dollars worth of china in here."

I beheld the goodness in the cardboard box on the driveway and I think a little tinkle slid down my leg. I composed myself.

"Sir, the entire box is fifty dollars?"

"Yes Ma'am."

Yup, definitely tinkle down my legs. I only had forty dollars in cash. Hubs had none. I thought I'd try it.

Acting nonchalant, "Will you take $40?"

Enter Vietnamese wife (use your best voice here): "Na! Na! Na! Chi-Na eez feefty dollaz! Fi-nol!"

"Yes, I understand, but I only have forty cash. Can I give you that to keep (my darling, precious, lovely, must-take-home) this for me and I'll just skip down the street to the ATM?"

The gentleman was very nice and said he'd hold it for me sans deposit and I could return with payment in full. I put on my speedy quick legs (well, my husband's SUV) and we made a mad dash for the ATM returning with the crisp ten dollar bill to make my purchase. It was mine! Mine! Mine! MINE!

You may not be that excited thus far, but this was Noritake china. In the box were eight (8!) place settings, two vegetable bowls, one large platter, salt and pepper shakers, butter dish, and sugar and creamer. The gentleman informed me that the china had been his mother's and she was in a nursing home. He again told me that there were two or three hundred dollars worth of china in the box.

Clearly he's an idiot and knew not what was in the box. Clearly his mother would like to knock him out if she knew. Clearly-the lights shone down, the angel's sang, and the proverbial bells were ringing when I discovered this fabulous deal!

As I've noted the pattern was a very elegant white on white design. Thus I determined it to be from mid nineties at the oldest. To get this pattern in an antique I thought I'd have to go back to the 30s or 4os at least, and that is super pricy. Most china in the 50s through 80s was very colorful and very floral. Imagine my shock and awe when Sir Google told me it was circa 1969! I nearly fainted! It's 12 years from being an antique which makes my heart so happy that it nearly melted to butter!

Sir Google also informed me that all of the pieces I had purchased had a value in the field of one grand! Good grief! For a split second I considered resaling because I could a gazillion percentage profit. But perish the thought! No amount of money would make up for the deal and beauty of this find. Money means nothing, but this china will be cherished in our family for decades to come.

Antique China! Bargain! Wow! Here are pictures of my gorgeous Noritake Kendal china. It compliments our wedding china perfectly (solid white with double platinum band). I've always wanted to find some antique pieces of china (since my family has none to pass down) to mix with our wedding china and now I've found the whole sha-bang! I have twenty place settings of china (yes I realize this information combined with this makes me a dish whore!)--I need to have you all over for a fancy dinner!

Lastly--you know my love of teapots, right? I have a teapot with our wedding china, but I wanted a teapot with this pattern. Sadly, it's $200. Hubs fainted, I cried. Let's take up a collection, shall we?