If you love supporting companies that have a long history, embracing feminine design, and setting a table for guests, then let me tell you about my favorite vintage Royal Doulton china pattern. I recently cleaned and stored this new-to-me china set, so I thought it would be a good time to share it.
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Where I Found My Vintage China Set
Back in the winter, I was in Florida while my father went through cancer treatments. Usually, I like to peruse Facebook Marketplace when I am in a new city, and I found myself on it quite a bit during this particular season as we sat in waiting rooms. I was not searching for china, in particular, but someone had posted a large set, and it caught my eye. Particularly, the femininity of the pattern and the phrase “(Never Used)” was eye-catching.
The asking price was pretty steep. As an antiques dealer and collector of ironstone, I shop for dishes quite a bit, and I see bone china sets for cheap more often than not. I liked the pattern of this set, but not the price, so I saved it in hopes the price would be reduced in the coming days.
As the days passed, I saw no movement on the price. The more I looked at the listing, though, the more I grew to love the pattern. I decided to make an offer, and the seller accepted. (TIP: Scan the Facebook Marketplace listing to see if the seller has said “firm” on the price. If not, ask for a discount if the item is overpriced. However, be prepared for a “no” or the rare heightened emotions from the seller if they are rather attached to the piece. Additionally, because items on Marketplace can sell within minutes, I would recommend not wasting time trying to get a discount on items that are priced well since you could lose the piece.)
Getting a new set of china and dreaming about setting a pretty table with it was a welcomed distraction during this stressful time. I met the seller at a local strip mall, before one of Daddy’s appointments, to pick up the set.
Royal Doulton Juliet
She was accurate in describing the set as having never been used. The pieces were stored in cute vintage bags, but inside of those bags, most of the pieces were in their original plastic covers. I even found cards stuck inside of the covers saying who gifted the particular piece of china.
Obviously, the condition of this Royal Doulton Juliet set was appealing, but the real reason I wanted the set was the femininity of the pattern and that gorgeous dusty blue tone that I love.
Royal Doulton Juliet is a discontinued pattern of fine bone china that was produced from the early 1980s until 2000 by the over 200-year-old English company. It has a creamy background, golden rim, and floral motif. The flowers are pink and mustard and cascading with subtle green leaves and golden scrollwork, with the nominate feature being the chambray and dusty blue squares, backdrop, and basket forms. It is a pattern that reads springtime, but I could easily see it being used during the fall season with that golden mustard tone being highlighted.
Details of My Favorite Vintage Royal Doulton China Set
My particular set has 11 complete place settings and lots of extras. The details follow (*indicates another dish was found after the initial counting):
- 17 Dinner Plates*
- 15 Salad Plates*
- 11 Bread Plates*
- 16 Cups & Saucers
- 4 Fruit Bowls
- 1 Sugar Bowl
- 1 Salt Shaker
- 1 Pepper Shaker
Unfortunately, the set did not come with any serving pieces, but another appeal to this pattern is its popularity. With this set being fairly popular for Royal Doulton, replacement pieces are readily available if I choose to add onto my set. I have seen several pieces on both Etsy and at Replacements. My thoughts are to use the set first before I invest in extras, with one extra bread plate and more fruit bowls being my most likely next purchases.
Plans for my Royal Doulton Juliet Set
Speaking of setting a table with this Juliet pattern, I cannot wait. Most likely I will use my Vietri Optical Gold water and wine glasses, plus my gold Mepra Dolce Vita flatware.
Several of my wish-list china pieces go well with this pattern too. The blue is really pretty with the Estelle Cobalt Blue glassware, but the Waterford Lismore Diamond elevates the pieces so beautifully. Then, there is my love of mixing dishes. I think I could make a beautiful tablescape with the Royal Doulton Juliet and the Oriente Italiano in Pervinca by Ginori 1735.
Related Posts, Pages, and Sources
- My go-to stores for hospitality are Amanda Lindroth, Crate and Barrel, and Le Creuset.
- If you are looking for more hospitality sources, check out my Hospitality Shop Page.
- You can also head to the “Entertaining” board on my Amazon Storefront for more resources.
Start Your Collection
I have listed a couple of sources for this Royal Doulton china pattern just below the following image (as well as the padded storage containers) should you want to start your own collection of this beautiful Juliet.
Royal Doulton Juliet, Source #1 | Royal Doulton Juliet, Source #2 | Padded Storage Containers
Stay Tuned for the Styled Tablescape
For now, my Royal Doulton Juliet set is stored in heavier duty containers than I purchased them in. These hard shell and stackable china storage sets were an Amazon purchase and work quite well. I will be revealing where they are and my hospitality hack involving them within the next few blogs posts.
Subscribe to my newsletter, so you do not miss seeing that hospitality hack and my Royal Doulton Juliet tablescapes when I style this set.
If you are inspired to start collecting this china pattern, I would love to see which pieces you get and how you style them. Be sure to tag me @inheritedadco in your photo. Happy Entertaining!
