‘Quirky, vintage or retro’ – antiques expert reveals which kitchenware can make you up to £90k & exact details to spot
YOUR kitchen could be home to a treasure trove set to make you a fortune.
Whether it’s that antique crockery set your nan left in her will or that quirky teapot gathering dust on the sideboard, the contents of your cupboards could earn you some surprise extra cash.
So what kind of items could be valuable?
“Quirky, fun, vintage or retro items that look good for display,” says auctioneer Edd Thomas.
“Also, crockery and cutlery with interesting forms and shapes, as these may suggest being made by a top designer or maker.”
Edd, a valuer at RWB Auctions, a new auction house in Royal Wootton Bassett, says that hand-painted or gilt detail on crockery shows a sign of quality, and that antique tableware shipped over for sale in the UK from China or Japan can be of particularly high value.
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“The tradition was to add beautiful decoration to everyday objects, so some unassuming antique pieces from these two countries can be very valuable,” he explains.
Silverware is another great money-spinner.
“Look for maker's marks and sterling silver hallmarks," says Edd.
"If it says ‘EPNS’ or ‘EP’, that means the item is only silver plated and unlikely to be very valuable.”
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Even your old pans and kitchen implements could be worth a bob or two – particularly those made with thick heavy brass or copper.
“These older items appeal to people for their rustic look or for their novelty – though they aren’t worth excessive money in comparison to elegant pieces that were made for show,” says Edd.
While you should look after your items – Edd recommends not being too heavy handed when cleaning copper, brass and silver to avoid wearing away any details – they don’t necessarily have to be in mint condition.
“Rarity and condition naturally go hand in hand, but a rare item in less than perfect condition can still have very good value.
"Damage or restoration on pottery, porcelain, glass and silver will always be apparent to collectors, so these mended items will be worth anything from 30%-90% lower.
"But the earlier the piece, the more accepting of damage people are,” explains Edd.
“Thankfully there are a growing number of people who enjoy antique crockery and kitchenware for its purely decorative and worn appeal.
"These people love the chips, scuffs and clumsy repairs that show the item has had a past life.
"These items may only be worth tens of pounds rather than thousands, but far better that someone enjoys them than throwing these things in the bin.”
You don’t necessarily need a complete set of items to make good money, either.
“Complete sets of anything – be it copper pans, silver cutlery, porcelain dinner services or glassware – will naturally be worth the most, but rare single items can still have a high value," says Edd.
And your items don’t always have to be centuries old.
“Both older and newer items can have a high value, as it will mainly be based on the merit of the maker, designer or decorator," he added.
"Newer items from famous designers will still attract a good resale price (but in good condition only), as will items made of solid gold or silver.
"Modern, discontinued items are only really interesting to those that collect the set.”
Valuable items you could find in your kitchen cupboards
Royal Albert Old Country Rose Tea Set
Your granny or auntie probably had one – and, if you’re lucky, you might have inherited it.
The good news is that this large collection of the classic crockery synonymous with cucumber sandwiches and cream teas sold for an impressive £1,200 at auction in 2020.
Homepride Fred kitchen items
The iconic mascot and chief flour grader for Homepride netted one flour fan a decent £200 at auction, with their box full of old Fred paraphernalia.
The collection included everything from flour jars to aprons to salt and pepper shakers, tea pots and milk jugs.
Herb choppers
If you’ve been handed down a vintage herb chopper, it could be worth a few quid.
A collection of choppers with steel blades and brass, wood, bronze and steel handles went for £1,000 at auction last year.
Spitting image teapots
These teapots based on the Spitting Image caricatures of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan, designed by the show’s creators Luck & Flaw, were sold at auction for £90.
They had signs of wear and tear.
Antique French copper saucepans
A "batterie de cuisine" of seven copper saucepans and three frying pans with iron handles sold for £340 at auction.
Georg Jensen cutlery set
This impressive silver cutlery set – made by Danish silversmith Georg Jensen in 1930 – sold for an even more impressive £8,500.
Featuring sets of 12 of everything from fish knives and cake knives to a large ladle and a mustard pot and spoon, it is fit for hosting one seriously impressive dinner party.
Other more valuable nest eggs
Meissen Wine Pot
This rare wine pot from Meissen, Europe’s oldest porcelain manufacturers, was made in 1725 and sold for a whopping £90,000 at Christie’s auction house.
Paul De Lamerie silver tankard
This tankard, made in 1713 by the royal silversmith during the reign of Queen Anne, sold for £11,000 at Sotheby’s auction house.
12x Sevres Plates for Emperor Napoleon
These plates with a history – they were a gift to Napoleon from an Italian ambassador in 1809 – from Sèvres, the fine porcelain manufacturers, fetched an enormous £90,000 at auction.
Chinese Imperial Wucai Wine Cup
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This fairly unassuming wine cup made an astonishing £160,000 at auction.
The Wucai design is a distinctive way of decorating white Chinese porcelain using a limited range of colours, and the cup was made during the late 16th or early 17th century.