The Overlooked Antique Dishware Brand You'd Be Silly To Skip At The Thrift Store

Hunting for dishware at the thrift store doesn't have to mean competing with all the other local collectors for valuable Le Creuset kitchenware or vintage Pyrex. You may have better luck switching to another brand, and luckily there are plenty to choose from. While antique brands that no longer exist may sound like the most valuable collectors items, you shouldn't overlook long-running companies that are still active! Villeroy and Boch is a dishware company that was founded in 1748, almost 300 years ago, producing a wide range of dishes, drinkware, and flatware. Finding any of their pieces at your local thrift store would be a treat, as they tend to fetch high prices elsewhere.

Villeroy and Boch dishware comes in a variety of patterns, from delicate florals to minimalistic white surfaces. There are more collectible items featuring beautiful relief work, and they even have a Memphis style set to complement your Memphis Design-inspired decor. Some antique pieces, like a rare 19th century "Dresden Flow Blue" dish that sold for over $700, are valuable and coveted. Likewise, a number of vintage pieces (i.e., those under 100 years old) can also sell for hundreds; for instance, "Elderberry" prints range from around $200 to over $500 on the second-hand market. 

However, you shouldn't skip their more modern dishes. New Villeroy and Boch pieces can range in price from $30 for a single saucer up to hundreds or even $1,000 for full sets. Buying them at thrift store prices would be an incredible bargain. Of course, not every piece is going to be as valuable, so resellers should note that some individual plates and pitchers only sell for a few dollars. However, the artistic beauty and craftsmanship of this historic company means you may still want to grab them to use in your kitchen, or as display pieces.

Anytime you're buying items secondhand, you should take care to ensure the piece is authentic. Luckily, Villeroy and Boch dishware is fairly easy to identify. While there are quite a few variations of the maker's mark, they typically feature the names Villeroy and Boch or the initials V and B. If the mark is faded, comparing it to their catalog of known patterns to find a match can help you determine how likely it is to be authentic. While more minimalistic pieces may be harder to identify on sight, distinctive ones such as the white, black, and gold "Audun" pattern or the colorful "Mariefleur" pattern printed with wildflowers should be easy to spot.

Villeroy and Boch dishware is functional, but if their beauty makes you hesitant to use them you can display them instead. You can't go wrong with placing them on a shelf, but don't overlook your wall space. Vintage plate walls can be quite stylish, and even Martha Stewart uses the kitchen staples for this home decor hack. While plates tend to go in the kitchen or dining room, there's no predicting what pattern you'll find when thrifting, and they may not match the decor in those rooms. Treat them more like art and consider the rest of your home as well. Villeroy and Boch also has a unique way to display some of their dishware. La Boule is a set of dishes designed to stack into a sphere that can be placed on a table like a sculpture. If you stumble across one while thrifting, definitely don't pass it up. New Le Boule sets cost hundreds, and discontinued patterns can sell for as much or even closer to $1,000.