Published: November 22, 2018
Updated: March 23, 2023
Welcome to the Lead Safe Mama, LLC website! I am sure this post will engage quite a few new readers, so I thought I would start it with an introduction…
Introduction (for those new to this website):
Tamara Rubin is a Federal-award-winning independent advocate for consumer goods safety and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children, her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005. Since 2009 Tamara has been using XRF for testing (a scientific method used by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) to test consumer goods for toxicants (specifically heavy metals), including Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Antimony, and Arsenic. All test results reported on this website are science-based, accurate, and replicable. Items are tested multiple times, to confirm the test results for each component tested. Tamara’s work was featured in Consumer Reports Magazine in February of 2023.
Over the years since my children were Lead-poisoned I have tested more dishes (using both XRF technology and chemical reagent swabs) than I can count — and have probably tested more dishes and consumer goods for Lead than anyone else on the planet!
Some additional links that may be of interest
- Click HERE to learn more about how I test for Lead.
- Click HERE to see options for Lead-free dishes.
- Click HERE to watch a video showing you how to efficiently search the nearly 3,000 posts and pages with information here on the Lead Safe Mama blog.
- Click HERE to better understand the concern for Lead in dishware (and why we have allowed manufacturers to use Leaded glazes for more than a century!)
- As a consumer, you really cannot test your dishes for Lead yourself, which is why I do this – and make this information freely available on my blog. Click HERE to learn more about home test kits and the issues with testing dishes.
In general, how much Lead is “too much” Lead?
Modern items manufactured for use by children today are considered unsafe if the glaze, paint or surface coating tests positive for 90 ppm Lead, or more. Dishware (both modern and vintage) is not considered to be “an item intended for use by children” and as such, is not regulated for total (XRF-detectable) Lead content. As a result, many of the dishes on the lists below test positive for levels much higher than 90 ppm Lead (levels like 900 ppm, 9,000 ppm – and even 90,000 ppm and higher!) As a consumer, you have a right to know this information, given Lead is one of the most potent neurotoxins known to man. I would bet (in most cases) that if you knew your dishware might be covered in Leaded glaze, you would never have chosen that brand (or pattern) in the first place. If you are concerned about the potential symptomatic impacts of Lead exposure (in both children and adults), please check out this post – LINK.
Can Lead in dishes actually poison the user?
The short answer to this question is “YES”. Both in my personal experience working with families, and in case studies reported by scientists and public health officials, Lead in dishware has been shown to be a real concern as a potential source for Lead exposure. The primary concern is regular daily use of high Lead dishware (including ceramic mugs and teacups) with acidic or hot foods and beverages (lemon juice, tomato sauce, vinegar, coffee, tea, etc.) You can read more about the concern on this post and this post.
Why I test and report on Lead (and other toxicants) found in dishware…
I have sort of a strange fascination and interest in the discovery of very high levels of Lead in antique and vintage dishware. It’s fascinating to me, because while lead in china per se is not generally a “big” issue, it is a concern that in most cases can make the overarching issue of environmental Lead-exposure and poisoning (and the fact that there are potential sources of Lead in your home) “hit home” for the vast majority of folks out there.
No matter who you are — rich, poor, or somewhere in-between; black, white, or any other color of the rainbow; born/raised-in-America, Europe, Australia, Asia, India, Africa, or almost anywhere on Earth (with VERY few exceptions) — you have almost definitely eaten off of vintage china at some point in your life: family heirloom?… wedding set?…your friend’s china?…your mother’s china…your grandmother’s china?…military service china?… cherished antiques/collectibles?…travel, restaurant or hotel?… Consequently, this issue should be of concern to everyone.
It is for this reason that I consider my work finding Lead (and other toxicants) in vintage china a useful tool – one that has the potential to engage people everywhere in learning more about potential toxicants in their homes and communities. Usually, if a person finds out their china (or everyday dishware) contains Lead, they start thinking about other potential sources of Lead in their life — especially sources that may be impacting their children and grandchildren.
Scroll down for a list of china I have tested
- Below is a list of links to each of the categories of branded china on my site which I have tested and for which I created posts.
- When you click on the link it will bring you to a LIST of blog posts that are each representative samples of china by that brand, style, maker or store – OR to a specific post for that specific pattern. [Sometimes there will be other products by a brand in the list as well.]
- By looking through the different examples, you may see your exact china – or perhaps something similar, which may help give you an idea of whether or not yours might have high levels of Lead in the glaze – and how much Lead that may be (and if you read my posts – instead of just looking at the images – in many cases you can actually learn whether or not I think your particular type of china might be a problem or not… some are a problem now; some, not so much.)
I will be updating this as I have new test results to share, so if you have not yet seen your dishes listed, please check back periodically – or send me an e-mail (tamararubin @ Mac dot com) or post a comment below with a link to an image of your particular dishes, and I can let you know if I have tested them (or something similar.) If you are interested in having me test your exact set of china, please follow the instructions on this blog post – LINK.
Please let me know if you have any questions. While I do my best to answer all questions personally, with over 1,000,000 unique visitors a year here at LeadSafeMama.com it may take me a while to get to your question. Thank you for being here. Thank you for reading and sharing posts from the LeadSafeMama blog. When readers share posts from the Lead Safe Mama blog it helps to cover the costs of the work we do here.
Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama
Mother of Lead Poisoned Children
To make a contribution in support of this independent consumer goods testing, Click HERE.
This list includes examples of both vintage & new dishes. You can also scroll down to the bottom of the page see list of china organized by Country of Origin (for example “Made in Japan”.)
“A” China & Products
- Adams – all patterns
- Adams Calyx Ware, Real English Ironstone – England
- Adderley
- Anchor
- Andrea Fine Bone China
- Athol
“B” China & Products
- Bauer Potteries (Los Angeles)
- Baum Potteries
- Bernard Limoges – Artois (France)
- Blenheim Palace
- Blue Willow
- Buckingham Palace China
- Bunnykins
- Butterfly Meadow
- Butterfly Pattern – all brands
“C” China & Products
- Cameo Blue
- Concerto
- Corelle
- Corelle – Bella Faenza
- Corelle – Butterfly Gold
- Corelle – Key West (2019)
- Corelle – Portofino
- Corelle – Prairie Garden Gray (2019)
- Corelle – Spice of Life
- Corelle – Spring Blossom Green (“Crazy Daisy”)
- Cordon Bleu
- Crazy Daisy
- Crown Royal
- Crown Trent
- Crate & Barrel
“D-E” China & Products
- Dollar Store
- Dorset
- Duchess Bone China – England
- Dunoon Find Bone China
- English Fine Bone China – all (generic)
“F” China & Products
- Fiesta / Fiestaware – all colors / all patterns/ all years
- Fine China – all (generic)
- Finlandia
- Floral Patterns – General
- Franciscan Apple
- Franciscan Desert Rose
- Franciscan Ivy
- Franciscan Madeira
- Franciscan Masterpiece Minaret
- Franciscan Potteries
“G-H-I” China & Products
- Golden Cove
- Grace Fine China
- Grace Fine China – Concerto (Japan)
- Grace’s Teaware
- Grimwades
- Heinrich & Co
- Historic Colonial Scenes
- Homer Laughlin
- Ironstone – all brands / all patterns
“J-K” China & Products
- Johnson Brothers – all patterns
- Johnson Brothers – Fish, Design No. 3 (England)
- Johnson Brothers – Franciscan Desert Rose (England – 1995)
- Johnson Brothers – Greydawn (England)
- Johnson Brothers – Hearts & Flowers Pattern
- Johnson Brothers Ironstone – Mill Stream Pattern (England)
- Johnson Brothers – London Pattern English Fine China (Staffordshire, England)
- Johnson Brothers – Rose Chintz Pattern (England)
- Johnson Brothers – Sheraton Pattern (England)
- Johnson Brothers Wedgwood Group – Willow Earthenware (England)
- Johnson Brothers – Willow Pattern (England)
- Johann Haviland (Bavaria, Germany)
“L” China & Products (Lenox)
- Lenox – all patterns
- Lenox – Butterfly Meadow
- Lenox – Brookdale
- Lenox – Casual Images Rose Garden (Japan)
- Lenox – Continental Dining – Gold
- Lenox – Jewel (1957-1969)
- Lenox – Opal Innocence (2010)
- Lenox – Opal innocence (2013)
- Lenox – Temper-Ware Fall Bounty (USA)
- Lenox – Tin Can Alley Seven
“L” China & Products (not Lenox)
- Libbey
- Libbey – Christmas Themed
- Liberty Blue – all patterns
- Liberty Blue – Historic Colonial Scenes, Old North Church (England)
- Linens & Things
“M” China & Products (Mikasa)
- Mikasa – all patterns and styles
- Mikasa Continental Silk Flowers
- Mikasa English Countryside (1993)
- Mikasa French Countryside
- Mikasa Maxima Sorrento (Japan)
- Mikasa Platinum Matrix
- Mikasa Potters Art Country Cabin
- Mikasa Ultima +
- Mikasa Verna
- Mikasa White Silk
“M” China & Products (not Mikasa)
“N” China & Products
- Noritake – all patterns
- Noritake – Colorwave Fine Porcelain Bob Swirl Pattern (Indonesia)
- Noritake Dining Kitchen Gala Cuisine – Dutch Tile Pattern (Japan)
- Noritake – Golden Cove Pattern Fine China (Japan)
- Noritake – Keltcraft pattern (Ireland)
- Noritake Progression China – Blue Haven Pattern (Japan)
- Noritake – Rosedawn (Japan)
- Noritake Stoneware (Japan)
- Noritake Stoneware, Madera Ivory Pattern (Indonesia)
“O” China & Products
“P-Q” China & Products
- Pioneer Woman
- Pfaltzgraff
- Portmeirion
- Pottery Barn – all designs
- Pottery Barn – Emma
- Pyrex
- Queen Anne China
“R” China & Products [Royal]
- Royal Albert
- Royal Birdsong
- Royal China
- Royal Crown
- Royal Doulton
- Royal Grafton
- Royal Heritage
- Royal M
- Royal Norfolk
- Royal Staffordshire
- Royal Sutherland
- Royal Winton
- Royal Worcester
“R” China & Products [NOT “Royal”]
“S” China & Products – Spode
- Spode – all designs / patterns
- Spode “Consul Cobalt” Pattern
- Spode “Italian” Pattern Bowl
- Spode “Italian” Pattern Dish (older)
- Spode “Italian” Pattern – Newer Dish
- Spode “Copeland Wicker Lane”
- Spode “Christmas Tree” pattern
- Spode “Fairy Dell” pattern
- Spode “Delamere Blue” pattern
- Spode yellow “Albany” pattern
- Spode “Blue Chintz” pattern
- Spode Gainsborough England China
“S” China & Products – NOT Spode
- Sango
- Sanyo – Blue Elbe
- Sasaki Colorstone – Matte White (Japan)
- Spring Blossom Green
- Staffordshire China
- Staffordshire Ironstone
- Sterling China
- Sterling China – Nestle’s
- Sur La Table
- Sweese – general category
- Syracuse
“T” China & Products
“U-V-W-X-Y-Z” China & Products
- Unbranded (no visible brand or back mark)
- Vale Bone China – Longton, England
- Vietri
- Waechtersbach
- Waterford
- Wedgwood
- Williams Sonoma
- Willow Ware
- World Market
- You Are Special Today (Red Plate)
Country (or City or State) of Origin Links
- Made in Bosnia
- Made in California
- Made in Canada
- Made in Chicago
- Made In China
- Made in England
- Made in France
- Made in Germany
- Made in Hong Kong
- Made in Illinois
- Made in India
- Made in Indonesia
- Made in Italy
- Made in Japan
- Made in Los Angeles
- Made in Malaysia
- Made in Mexico
- Made in Ohio
- Made in Poland
- Made in Portugal
- Made in Russia
- Made in Spain
- Made in Sweden
- Made In Taiwan
- Made in Thailand
- Made In USA
Last updated: Friday, May 29, 2021 – 13:17 p.m.
Oh my! Lucky me. I haven’t eaten one of my plates in years.
?
Glad you haven’t eaten a plate in years, i wouldn’t recommend eating any plates.
Definitely unsettling how does one go through their entire house I don’t think I’ll have anything left..
Hi Tamara! You do in fact have our ‘family dishware’ listed here as containing Lead..
It is precisely the model you show, above. The MEMORY LANE one…
I’m just curious as to ‘how much lead’ in fact they contain, or measured
in ppm?
Sincere thanks! Shane
Does tenshan China made in China have lead?
Hi Tamara,
Do you have any info on Nitto fine china dinnerware? I can’t find anything on Google.
I have not heard of it – please send me pictures:
https://tamararubin.com/2019/08/tamara-can-i-send-you-one-of-my-dishes-to-test-for-lead/
Tamara
Hi Tamara,
I’ve just stumbled across your website and am stunned to say the least. I have Corelle “Lace Bouquet” purchased in 1986. They hav everyday dishes for almost 40 years. Have you tested those?
Thanks,
Susan
I have found that many of my & passed down dish sets are unsafe. I’ve been trying to research for myself & my future daughter in law. I found two companies that say their dishes have no lead, other heavy metals & cadmium. They also follow CA Proposition 65. I emailed them & they do not share the reports of the lead, etc. Both companies manufactured in Portugal.
1) Year and Day
2) Rigby
Have you tested either of these brands?
Thank you so much for your knowledge & efforts,
Darha
I appreciate the info on Spode Delamere, however not knowing the year of manufacture of the dish tested how is it possible to determine if newly made dishes (2020 -2022) of Delamere are not lead safe? I have a copy of the 2006 regulations from the UK concerning allowable lead content for ceramic dishes, however since I am not a chemical engineer I cannot interpret them. Don’t know how they compare with USA regulations. Look up – STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS 2006 No. 1179 FOOD The Ceramic Articles in Contact with Food (England) Regulations 2006
Help !
?
I have and use daily the Corelle Woodland pattern and haven’t seen any findings on it. I also have the Pfaltzgraff all baby blue dishes that have a white dainty flower on them..I’m not sure of the name, they are vintage and they are new in the original boxes…never used them..
Can you offer any advice about these sets i have. Blessings Tracy
Have you done any testing on tienshan fishware made in china?
Do u know about noritake karen ?
Hi. I have Gibson Christmas set. Blue snowflakes and blue snowman and red holly in the middle. I also have Corelle Rosemarie set. Is this included in your test?
Hi Annie,
Please watch this video that shows you how to search the website:
https://tamararubin.com/2022/05/how-to-use-the-lead-safe-mama-website-video/
Please also read this post for context:
https://tamararubin.com/2022/05/why-i-do-the-consumer-goods-testing-i-do-why-you-cannot-do-this-at-home/
Here’s the post that explains how to participate in the work here on this site: https://tamararubin.com/2019/08/tamara-can-i-send-you-one-of-my-dishes-to-test-for-lead/
Tamara
That seams to include everything. What is non-toxic?
Check out this video which shows you all the ways to find Lead-free things on this website:
https://tamararubin.com/2022/05/how-to-use-the-lead-safe-mama-website-video/
T
Hello Tamara, have you ever come across dinner plates that the brand; Retroneu shown on the bottom? I’m wondering about the lead content.
Ours say :
RetroneU
Baroque China
China 4266
Regards,
James R.
Edit that post of mine, the plate says “Baroque Cream”
I came across your article by accident when I was researching my new vintage dinner dishes I just purchased yesterday at thrift store, to see their replacement value. Your site popped up and caught my interest as the brand was in your lead line. Was horrified to discover they were like 38,000 ppm’s of lead. These were going to be my everyday dishes. Hadn’t worried or thought about lead before. So today I spent all day studying your page. Discovered most of my dishes I use every day are all toxic, except the Polish Pottery. After reading your recommendations just ordered tons of white Corelle to replace everything that will soon be in the trash. Thank you Thank you for your article and research. I am a new fan.
Have you tested any lusterware so far? Especially ranging from the 1910s to 1950s? I have demitasse cups that are embossed lusterware from both Germany and Japan, and I’m guessing that there’s lead in them, but it would be great to see some results of similar items.
Are you familiar with camelot china carrousel 1315 japan? I’m curious if it contains lead. It looks like it was made before 1970.
My 94 yr old mom has plates given to her by her mom. They are called Golden Wheat made in USA 22K gold. Do you know if they are safe?
I would like to know about the Golden Wheat dishware too. I have a set and don’t want to use them if they are unsafe. Thank you.
Thank you for doing this work – very important!
Have you tested Corelle in the plain ivory color that is no longer made? No painted decoration on it.
Yes – those are generally Lead-free.
Yikes! That Homer Laughlin pattern in your photos was my mother’s set of “good china.” I still have that very serving platter in my buffet. Fortunately we don’t use it. I keep it as a memory of my mother. I have SO much old and not that old “stuff” that you’ve tested as positive for lead and other hazards. I’m wondering how we made it through childhood in the 50s. No seatbelts, no car seats, and lead and asbestos everywhere. Thank you for your work and information.
I have some Noritake Casual Gourmet, Gourmet Garden made in Sri Lanka. This was purchased around 1984.
and Noritake Progression, Bright Side made in Japan. Not sure how old this is. This could be from 1974 or earlier.
Can you tell me if these are safe to use?
I have Dansk, some from Japan (no lead) and some from Portugal (lead–they are now gone). As I try to find replacements to fill out the set, I’m seeing Sri Lanka and Thailand. Have you tested any Dansk made in those countries?
Hi, I just found your site looking up my husband’s mother’s old dishes. She had a set from Noritake called Althea. Seems they’re from the 30’s. Based on what I’ve read I’d assume there’s lead in the paint since they were made so long ago?
I’m also wondering if you have any info about the Royal Copenhagen blue fluted line? Their site says they’re made with an under-glaze technique and are suitable for microwave and dishwasher use. I’d assume they’re safe to eat off of then? But who knows….