The Best Places To Buy Antique Dishware That Aren't Thrift Stores

You're a regular at your local thrift store, er, make that thrift stores. So much so that you know when all the discount days are, and the staff greets you by name as you walk in the door. But as much as you love scouring thrift store shelves for valuable vintage dinnerware, you're starting to feel it's the same old, same old every time you visit. You need to mix it up, breathe new life into your hunt for antique or vintage dishware.

Luckily, you've got plenty of thrift store alternatives, both online and in-person. Flea and vintage markets give you the chance to make an event of your shopping, as you can easily spend all day browsing the tables of different vendors. With online options, you can browse for your favorites, like vintage Fiestaware or Pyrex, any time of day (or night) and save your searches, so you're notified when new stuff appears.

Of course, you don't have to give up your beloved thrift stores. Think of it as diversifying. You're adding more options to your list, making it more likely you'll track down that dinnerware set or teacup collection you've been looking for for ages.

Thrift stores aren't your only in-person option for tracking down vintage plates, dishes, and other dining must-haves. Vintage markets, flea markets, and estate sales are all great places to look. They offer something thrift stores don't — you can often haggle with the person selling the dinnerware to get a better price. In fact, bargaining or negotiating is often part of the experience of shopping at a flea or vintage market (though the rules may be different at estate sales, which may not allow negotiating until the very end).

Before you check out a local flea market, estate sale, or vintage market, know the difference between each one. During an estate sale, an individual's personal belongings are offered for sale, often following their death. The selection will be more limited, unless you happen to stumble across the estate of a major dinnerware collection. Pretty much anything goes at a flea market, while vintage markets tend to be more specific. A vintage market may have a theme, like the semi-annual Pyrex & Vintage Fest in Havre de Grace, MD.

When browsing an in-person market or estate sale, it helps to have a list of what you're looking for and to know how to identify antique dishes so you can confirm you've found the real deal. The great thing about in-person markets compared to online shopping is that you can see and touch the dishes before you buy them, and there's less risk of breakage during transport when ordered online.

The two big places to look for antique and vintage dinnerware pieces online both start with "e" — Etsy and eBay. Etsy can be a veritable treasure trove for vintage porcelain and ceramic plates, with more stores than you can count that specialize in vintage kitchenware. eBay also has stores that specialize in antiques and vintage goods, plus individual sellers who may be trying to downsize or just clear out clutter, offering up vintage pieces. The convenient thing with either site is you can use the search bar to look for exactly what you want, like a lime green Fiestaware mug or Johnson Brothers transferware. It's much more efficient than sifting through thrift store racks and shelves.

If you've got champagne tastes when it comes to antique dinnerware, and a champagne budget to match, another site worth checking out is Chairish. The site has an ample selection of rare dinnerware, often at prices that will make your eyes water. One way to make the most from the site is to check pricing on rare pieces, and then make it your mission to track them down elsewhere for a song.