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Old St. Nick by Vietri is the most popular Christmas pattern at Cunningham Jewelers in downtown Brunswick.

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Old St. Nick by Vietri is the most popular Christmas pattern at Cunningham Jewelers in downtown Brunswick.

Setting a beautiful table for a family and friends to gather around for meals and celebrations is certainly an art form, and it is something that must be carefully curated. Most people begin by covering the table with a tablecloth or place mats to protect its surface. However, it’s what goes on top of the table coverings that catch the eye of most people. Dinnerware, whether it is bone china, stoneware, earthenware, porcelain or melamine, sets the tone for a meal.

Cunningham Jewelers in downtown Brunswick carries bone china, stoneware and some melamine, according to Alexia Miller, co-owner of the store, with her mother, Durett Moermann.

This time of year people’s thoughts turn to seasonal china, and it’s no different for Cunningham Jewelers’ customers.

“We sell a ton of seasonal china – Woodland by Spode and Wildlife by Vietri are typically fall or Thanksgiving patterns,” said Miller.

As far as choosing the material for your dinnerware all comes down to personal preference. Just know you’ll be participating in a tradition that goes back thousands of years – the plates, saucers and bowls we commonly use were first developed by the Chinese.

Of the various materials, bone china is considered the highest quality, and as a result is the most expensive. Bone china shares commonalities with stoneware, but it is the differences that account for the price point between them. Stoneware was created by the Chinese and has been used in Northern Europe since the 14th century, whereas bone china is an English creation, introduced by Josiah Spode around 1800.

Bone china became popular quickly, partly because of the expense of porcelain, which was made in China and subject to high shipping expenses and heavy import tariffs in Europe. European porcelain, considered of lesser quality than bone china, wasn’t developed until the early 18th century.

The composition of bone china is organic – 50% animal bone, 25% china clay and 25% china stone. Stoneware is made of 25% ball clay, 25% china clay, 35% flint and 15% china stone. Both materials have to fired in a kiln, and bone china requires two firings, whereas the second firing is optional with stoneware.

Stoneware is strong, non-porous and opaque, and bone china looks deceptively delicate, but is extremely strong. It’s also non-porous, but unlike stoneware, is translucent. It doesn’t chip easily.

Both stoneware and bone china are microwave- and dishwasher-safe, although Wedgwood warns not to use more detergent than the amount recommended by the dishwasher’s manufacturer and recommends using a gentle detergent. Stoneware is well-suited for oven use. Wedgwood advises bone china should not be subjected to rapid change in temperature but should be placed in a cold oven and heated gradually.

Bone china has a delicate appearance and may be intricately decorated. A wider range of color and materials can be used to decorate bone china than other ceramics. Bone china is lighter weight and has a whiter color (immediately after firing) than any other form of dinnerware. Stoneware has a dense surface and variegated color. If unglazed and undecorated, stoneware ranges in color from brown to blue-gray.

Melamine was one of the first plastics, and dates back to the 1800s. It’s made from nitrogen, carbon and hydrogen with formaldehyde as its catalyst. When exposed to heat, it becomes a flexible plastic, but when it dries and cools, it becomes a smooth-surfaced material that can be used in a variety of ways. Unlike bone china and stoneware, melamine cannot be used in microwave or conventional ovens. It also is subject to dents and needs to be replaced more often than other types of dinnerware.

These are all things to take into consideration when purchasing new dinnerware – whether it’s for every day, special occasions or holiday seasons.

“I would say our top-selling Christmas pattern is Old St. Nick by Vietri, then Lastra Holiday, also by Vietri,” said Miller. “We do still have the traditional Christmas Tree by Spode, but we definitely sell more of the other.”

Cunningham Jewelers is at 1510 Newcastle St., in Brunswick. Business hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and Saturdays by appointment.

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