In search of fine china

Someone told me that a certain Ronnie sells Made in England dinnerware. She said his prices are stiff but the items really come from England.  She gave me a vague description of where I could find him. Somehow I was able to figure out where it is.

I found it after one detour. There are diggings everywhere and the place is  in shambles.

Me——— “Hi, eto ba yung kila Ronnie? Dito ba yung may tindang Made in England na plato?”

I asked the right person,  Ronnie himself.

I had no choice but to risk my safety crossing this wobbly six inches wide makeshift iron legde to cross to Ronnie’s store. His store measures 1.2 meter wide and 3.5 meters deep.  Don’t wonder,  I am good at calculating room square footage.

His sister pala works in England and she sends those china and vases to sell. I didn’t find anything interesting. Plus I couldn’t stand one more second in that place. The noise and vibration coming from the jackhammer was killing me. This place is not for a sheltered person. The sight of istambays, stray dogs, household appliances parked on the sidewalks, could be repulsive. But not for me, I will search high and low to find some fine china.

While I was walking back to my car, which was only two short blocks away,
I stopped and detoured when I saw in my peripheral vision some china plates hanging on a wall in a nearby townhouse. I knocked and asked the woman if she sells those plates. She said yes,
I entered her house and found a stack of dirty, super dirty plates on a side table.
I asked where she got those. She said she found them in an old Spanish mansion in Sampaloc, Manila. There was a garage sale because the owners sold the mansion to a developer.

The plates looked old and they don’t match. Most were souvenirs from travels in Scotland and England. My hands were full of dust na from touching the plates.

I was about to give-up when I saw some dinner plates under the table. I asked if she would be willing to sell  those 4 pieces, she said yes, for P250 a piece. or a thousand for 4.

I said expensive, she said okay P800 for 4.  I said I’ll take them for P500. She said no.

Then I saw  two matching plates. It’s their collection daw.   The stamp on the bottom was very small. I looked for someone to read them.
When the owner heard that it’s from Europe, she said the two plates are 1,600 no less. They came from her sister who works in Germany who brought them home.

Even if she said there’s no discount, I made an offer, P1,000 for the two plates from Czech Republic, and P500 for the 4 dirty Japan plates. I offered to pay P100 for one dirty pink plate from Japan.

After a heavy sigh and some frowning, she agreed to let go of the plates.  I paid her P1,600 total.

The plates were very dusty. I had them soaped and rinsed three times.
They’re now clean and charming.

I don’t really like this pink one, kaya lang kawawa naman sya dun if I leave her behind gathering dust. P100 lang naman.

Pretty hand-painting

Super cheap P500 for the four.  with 24 karat gold trims. Never been used.

I have two of this very pretty scalloped china.   They also have 24 karat gold hand painting. They’re brand new but forgotten by the owners and left under the table to gather dust. Now they have a new home, here in mine.