Spode Blue Chintz pattern china: 45,700 ppm Lead (90 ppm Lead (+) is unsafe in items intended for use by kids.)

This Spode brand Blue Chintz pattern china (Made in England) was positive for lead when tested with an XRF instrument. It came in at 45,700 ppm lead (+/- 1,400 ppm).

For context: the amount of lead that is considered unsafe in a newly manufactured item intended for children is 90 ppm in the coating or 100 ppm in the substrate. Dishware is not regulated for total lead content as detectable with an XRF. Most vintage dishware was also not regulated for leach testing standards (or other standards) at the time of manufacture. To be on the safe side, I advocate for avoiding vintage china if at all possible (unless you have had it tested and found it to be truly lead free.)

There are documented cases of both children and adults being poisoned from eating off of high lead vintage/ antique dishware.

Most “Made in England” vintage china that I have tested has been similarly high lead (in the range of 50,000 ppm and sometimes higher.)

This dish was “Non-Detect” (negative) for mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic (As).
Read more about the concern for lead in dishware here.

Not all pretty dishes are leaded!
Do you want to see a lead-free dish set that is also pretty? Click this link! *

As always, please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you for reading and for sharing my posts.

Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama