Classic china patterns

Fine bone china was first developed by Spode around 1800 in North Staffordshire. It was a great boon to the ceramics industry in England which had lagged behind the Chinese, Germans and the French up to this point. Most classic china patterns that today are fine bone china, but some are even older and are made of porcelain.

Onion Pattern

The onion pattern is one that many different manufacturers have produced. One of them is Meissen, the great German porcelain manufacturer. Most people refer to this pattern as blue onion, but in truth, it should be blue pomegranate because that is what it actually is. It was interpreted from an Asian design over 300 years ago incorrectly and the designation has stuck.

The color combination of blue and white is a universal favorite, and naturally, other manufacturers realized that this one was going to be big. It has been and still is, one of the most popular patterns for china of all kind.

Blue Willow

Blue willow is a very popular blue and white pattern. This was also copied from plates that were being imported from China. Minton popularized the pattern and it has never completely lost its popularity. It is still in production today by Burleigh in Stoke on Trent. Lovers of the pattern enjoy collecting pieces from many manufacturers; and while it is very usable, it is also great to just display.

White china is a very classic design. Banding with platinum takes it to another level. Most fine china manufacturers have their own version of this pattern. Lennox has Opal Innocence, a pattern banded with platinum and vines and dots that add a textured look. Vera Wang offers a very modern look with a platinum ribbon that she has designed for Wedgewood. 

Waterford offers the Kilbarry Platinum Collection and Noritake gives it a little different look with their Crestwood Platinum Collection. All of these patterns are basic white china with platinum banding but lots of different twists and turns.

Old Country Roses

Old Country Roses is a classic pattern of china from Royal Albert that has been around since 1962. It comes not only in a five piece dinner service but a wide selection of serving pieces and also small collector pieces. This is the perfect pattern for a china collector, especially if you enjoy bright floral patterns and 22K gold trim.

As the name of the pattern implies, it is roses that are red, pink and yellow. The best part is that this collection is also dishwasher safe.

Many classic china patterns were created. Some are collectible and no longer in production, and other are easy and inexpensive to find and own. Whether you want to display your classic china or use it every day, choose a pattern that you love and it will be a pleasure to use and look at for years to come.