I should also say that since a niece is moving into a new house and would like to have some family heirlooms, my sister is stepping up and sending some to her via her father (our brother) - depending on how much he can fit in his pickup truck. I have things from the other side of the family, so many things that my children don't need all of them so I'll select something that mails well and gift it - it has a story, and that's really what this is about. She can look at (in the first instance of something I plan to send) or use this platter and know that her great great grandmother purchased it in the 1870s and it was a very large set because it was a very large family. I need to tell her about her great great grandmother.

Unfortunately, the china set was semi-vitreous, meaning it absorbed water so I think they stopped using it as the crazed surfaces discolored. This type of china is better for making subway wall tiles. I sold and donated most of the set but kept a few lovely non-crazed pieces as family mementos. I think the platters went through a different batch than the plates and bowls at the factory and came out in better shape.