eBay is your friend.

I have several pieces that I display in my open kitchen shelves, mixed with good french white bakeware, and original mid-century Eva Zeisel bowls. Wish I had recent pics with all the ironstone, but I don't.

I have mine shoved in a cabinet with my old crystal where nobody can see it locked down against earthquakes and toddlers and just haul it out at holidays too.

So I'm not gonna show you what I've done with mine. I hope your new kitchen displays it more nicely! :)

Bump :)

Hey , Google Images is you friend. Try some variations of this search and see what else you find. I love the ones I got on this first try. Good Luck ! c

Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchen display white ironstone

But we wanna see GW displays!

:)

possible off topic...what makes white ironstone so fashionable right now? I see references to it frequently. A Martha Stewart house I saw had cabs full of it, apparently the preference of the management.

Is this antique stuff? New stuff? Interesting shapes? The appeal of the white silhouette? Inquiring minds...

I echo what fori said - there's just something special about seeing something you like or are trying to accomplish in your own kitchen in that of another GWer. :o) But you're right, trailrunner - there are lots of great photos on the web! :o)

florantha - For me, the appeal has always been the color. I love having all sorts of white dishware (and not just ironstone - I have very little of that) because I don't have to worry about things matching. The shapes and patterns are all a little different, but the white unites everything. There are those collectors who will only touch antique English ironstone, but I like it all. Unfortunately (for me), even the American mid-century ironstone is becoming more popular, so the price is really climbing.

My favorites are pitchers/ewers, compotes, tureens, and cake pedestals, but unfortunately, those tend to be the priciest items. I also like large platters with interesting shapes.

I can't really explain why I'm drawn to it, except that it feeds my longtime love of white, and allows me to have bits and pieces of history in my home.

I don't actually collect it. I inherited it. It's certainly not new! The English stuff has wonderful bureaucratic stamps that will give you the date and location of manufacture which is always sort of fun. It's not terribly expensive although mine dates to the mid 19th century.

I'm with you worldmom, there's a certain serenity I feel when looking at an all white display of white dishware/ironstone. Especially a mix of all shapes and sizes. I have nothing to show you but have planned a shelf on either side of my sink for display. I look forward to seeing what you will do with yours.

I completely connect with the love of white dishes. I have a small collection going, nothing real, of course. I love having white place settings, too, so I can mix/match/layer.

You can even work in a gurgling cod without drawing a lot of attention, which I think says it all. LOL!

Here is a link that might be useful: gurgling cod--the little ones in my family think it's a hoot

young-gardner, Love, Love, Love your shelves and selection of lovely pitchers and especially the gurgling cod. Who could not fall in love with them?

I'm not really sure what "ironstone" is, but I have some white pieces that seem to be some kind of stoneware that I inherited from my great grandmother. I'm 51 and I never knew her. My dad is 80 but he can remember his grandmother using it. That's how old it is.

I also have a large basket that she gathered eggs in. Dad says it's close to 100 years old but looks great. Sad thing is, I'm not really into antiques, these are just sentimental.

moutaineergirl - if the stoneware has any markings, we could help you figure out what you've got! :o)

Well you got me interested, so I looked up what was on the bottom of one piece (the other 2 have nothing on the bottom) It turns out that its PRE- 1897 !!! holy crap! I looked it up on the link below - and if you scroll down to the 2nd one - thats the EXACT thing on the bottom of this little pitcher (creamer?) that's so cool!

Here is a link that might be useful: Alfred Meakin

This is an interesting post about ironstone (with pics) from the "entertaining lifestyle" blog, Reggie Darling.

Here is a link that might be useful: Reggie Darling

mountaineergirl - your unmarked pieces may actually be older, or possibly American. Comparing them to the Meakin piece, would you say they are a bluer/colder white, or warmer?

Go take some pics, girl! ;o)

Why is taking pics and uploading so dang hard? and time-consuming

don't want to hijack this thread, but the OP was looking for pics so here are mine

The 2 larger pieces have nothing on the bottom, but if anyone could determine their age, that would be awesome!

Beautiful. I adore it all. I too have a weakness for white dishes.

I'm not sure that my collection is worth posting but here goes....My ironstone was on display in an antique hutch but after our remodel we did not have room for the hutch. I have not figured out how to properly display it yet but here is part of it in their temporary home. I also collect flow blue....I've included a picture of that as well. Please excuse the poor picture quality (there is a strong glare)

I don't "collect" ironstone, but I am drawn to it as well as brown transferware when I hit flea markets and thrift stores. So I have a few pieces, some to look at and some to use.

To look at, I've hung platters/plates on the wall and on the window trim, and I have a sweet footed compote above my plate rack:

To use, I've got a variety of small oval plates and various platters in racks in my glass front cabinets. I just grab and use them all the time. I also have a rectangular soap dish that corrals my lotion and dish soap, a tiny individual creamer that holds toothpicks for testing cakes, a couple of mortar & pestles on the windowsill, and a big mortar (or is it the pestle?) that I use to hold my onions:

Arlosmom.....love all your pieces and the way you display and use them!

I wish this forum had a like button.

moutaineergirl - As you said, your meakin creamer is pre-1897. The other two pieces may be even older if they are English and unmarked, or it's possible that they're American. American ironstone wasn't readily embraced by Americans right away and English was preferred. American potters either left their pieces unmarked, or used marks that looked very much like English marks - basically in an effort to fool people. Eventually, American ironstone came into its own and the marks became more unique. My favorite American mark is a Homer Laughlin (Ohio) image of the American Eagle attacking the British lion. ;o)

Your matching pair appear to be in really good condition, but when I clicked on the images to try to see them larger, it wouldn't let me into photobucket. I couldn't make out what pattern they might be.

arlosmom - I love the way you've used your pieces, and I love brown transferware too!

coll4 - I'm drooling over that giant bowl and the huge pitcher on the right of your lighted cabinet. Wow!

worldmom-
I was out of town last week and just following up on old posts. thanks for your comments. I think that the unmarked pieces are as old as the other, so they may be American. Sad thing is I guess I'll never know, as anyone who would have had that info is long gone :(