Restaurant ware is popular for many reasons. It is a great example of Twentieth Century industrial art. It is functional and extremely durable. The roadside diner has an enduring place in history and culture, therefore restaurant ware has great sentimental value to many. In every day use, restaurant ware is not only uniquely attractive, but any number of effects can be achieved by using a single pattern, or a combination of patterns, as it is so easy to mix and match!

Do you have a storefront?

Currently, no. But our business is growing rapidly (and space is shrinking just as quickly)!  We do expect to open a physical location in the near future....watch for announcements!

Do you have a catalogue?

We do not produce a printed catalogue, due mainly to the fact that our online sales and daily acquisitions would render one obsolete, practically overnight.

Isn't it expensive to ship restaurant ware?

Yes and no! Restaurant ware is generally thought of as being very heavy, and indeed the gauge (thickness) of commercial ware is substantial; but there is not a tremendous difference between the cost of shipping commercial, restaurant grade ware and domestic (household) china. As an example, the standard weight of the average piece of domestic china (we used a Noritake "Warrington" dinner plate) is 1 lb. 6 oz., while a Syracuse Econo-Rim dinner plate weighs 1 lb. 7 oz..

Though postal fees can seem excessive, when one considers the expense in time (and gasoline!) which would be incurred in locating one's own patterns and items, the cost becomes quite reasonable. 

I don't see my pattern listed, and I don't know the pattern name. How can I register?

If possible, you may send us an image of your pattern, and we will try to identify it for you. The simplest way to do this is to make a photocopy of both the front and back of a plate, and send it to us . (If your photocopy is in black & white, remember to note the colors!)  Should you have a digital camera or scanner, you may forward a .JPG to: patterns@cabinclass.com . If you don't have digital imaging equipment, try your best to describe your pattern. Begin with body color (color of the china, itself) and then with the color of decoration. Is the decoration a single color, varying tones of the same color, or multicolor? If it is multicolor, is there a predominant color; (mostly green, mostly brown, etc.)? Tell us about the design itself. Is it a floral? Lines and bands? Geometric? A combination?  Is there a theme, (western, animals, children)? Is the decoration only on the rim, in the center of the plate, or does it cover the entire item? A detailed description of the manufacturer's mark will be of help in ascertaining an approximate date of manufacture. We may need to ask you a question or two, but we'll do our best to identify it!

Where does the china come from?

We search for items in all venues; estate sales, flea markets, antique malls, auctions, used restaurant supply vendors, and shows. We also are extremely lucky to have developed a wonderful network of general antiques and collectibles dealers who travel extensively and bring us their finds. We also acquire items from clients who may spot quantities of ware in patterns other than those they collect.

Is there really such a thing as rare restaurant china?

Indeed yes! In fact, though there are patterns which one sees frequently, virtually no restaurant ware can be said to be "common." Take a walk through the average flea market, and you might see any number of sets of domestic dinner ware, but likely no sets of restaurant china. Unique patterns were produced for a single customer only. A change in color scheme, or the addition of an extra line, may have been requested by a client for a single order. Designs which required a talented decorator to apply pigment with a brush were much more expensive to produce, and therefore ordered, and produced, in fewer quantities. Since virtually all ware was destined to be used, one can imagine that the number of surviving examples of any given pattern, fifty years later, can be small.

How do you assess rarity?

We employ two criteria to assess rarity. The first is availability - based mostly upon how frequently we are able to locate a particular pattern, and in what quantities. The second is collectibility. A relatively common pattern will receive a higher rating if it is highly sought-after; whereas an uncommon pattern might receive a slightly lower rating if it is of a design few collect.

How do you grade condition?

As our merchandise consists of vintage items, the vast majority of which have seen actual use in restaurants, diners, and the like, a number of considerations come into play when assessing condition. Some utensil marks, rim wear, roughness on extreme edges (e.g. handles of cups or mugs) and occasional nesting wear (wear from items being stacked) are considered normal and acceptable. Though we attempt to keep our standards uniform across the board, a bit more wear is tolerated on very unusual, very collectible, or very rare patterns.

Manufacturing standards for commercial ware were a bit less stringent than those for domestic china, therefore minor flaws in the surface or decoration, or minor damage which may have occurred during manufacture but prior to glazing, are not considered by us to be detrimental unless terribly obvious. Items which exhibit a small nick or flake incurred during use, normally on the foot or under the rim where this would not be obvious during use, are considered to have a "minor imperfection."

An example of a "noticeable imperfection" would be an obvious impurity in the body of the ware, a large, open bubble in the glaze or surface, a major flaw in the decoration or its application, excessive surface wear, or a large chip. The presence of these flaws will be obvious, but will not affect the usefulness of the item.

We do not accept items for our stock pattern inventory which exhibit either hairline or "star" cracking as this would render the item un-useable in most cases. Vintage ware which exhibits surface cracks or crazing and has not been exposed to temperature extremes (e.g. hot food) for a number of years may be prone to catastrophic damage if used. Note that, on occasion, rare items in our collectible, topmarked categories may exhibit a fine, surface crack; however these items are generally intended for display only. These flaws, if they exist, will be clearly noted in the description.