Vintage Dishes

“Old Town Blue” Pattern Vintage Corelle Small Plate, c.1972-1982: 18,200 ppm Lead (90 ppm and up is unsafe for kids)

December 11, 2018December 28, 2023

For those new to this website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Since 2009, Tamara has been using XRF technology (a scientific method used…

Tamara’s Toxic Dishes Guide: “Do my dishes have Lead?” Read this article to check if YOUR china has Lead!

November 22, 2018May 15, 2024

77 Comments

For those new to the Lead Safe Mama website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her four sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Tamara owns and runs…

Duchess Bone China Saucer, Made In England – Rose Pattern: 70,900 ppm Lead

November 4, 2018

Please click the link below for help finding safer choices for your holiday table. Duchess Bone China Saucer, Made In England – Rose Pattern: 49,000 ppm Lead When tested with an XRF instrument, this dish had the following readings: Lead (Pb): 70,900 +/- 2,300 ppm Mercury (Hg): Negative/Non-Detect Arsenic (As): Negative/Non-Detect Cadmium (Cd): Negative/Non-Detect Barium (Ba): 269…

Vintage Queen Anne “Country Gardens” Pattern Bone China Teacup: 81,300 ppm Lead [90 ppm is unsafe for kids.]

November 4, 2018March 18, 2019

Please click the link for help finding safer choices for your holiday table. Vintage Queen Anne “Country Gardens” Pattern Bone China Teacup. Made in England. When tested with an XRF instrument, this teacup had the following readings: Lead (Pb): 81,300 +/- 2,800 ppm Mercury (Hg): Negative/Non-Detect Arsenic (As): Negative/Non-Detect Cadmium (Cd): Negative/Non-Detect Barium (Ba): Negative/Non-Detect Chromium (Cr): Negative/Non-Detect…

Vale Saucer Made in Longton England: 54,600 ppm Lead. 90 ppm Lead is considered unsafe in items used by kids.

November 4, 2018September 1, 2019

Please click the link for help finding safer choices for your holiday table. Vale Saucer Made in Longton, England. Floral Pattern (pattern name not marked on piece). When tested with an XRF instrument, this saucer had the following readings: Lead (Pb): 54,600 +/- 1,600 ppm Mercury (Hg): Negative/Non-Detect Arsenic (As): Negative/Non-Detect Cadmium (Cd): Negative/Non-Detect Barium (Ba): Negative/Non-Detect…

Vintage Johnson Brothers Fish Plate (Design No. 3), Made in England: 70,800 ppm Lead (90 is unsafe for kids)

November 2, 2018March 13, 2024

Please click the link for help finding safer choices for your holiday table. Vintage “Fish” dinner plate by Johnson Brothers, “Made in England” “Design No. 3” “A genuine hand engraving” “All decoration under the glaze. Detergent & acid resisting colour.” For those new to the Lead Safe Mama website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning…

This vintage Lenox china has glaze that’s more than 13% Lead! [136,000 ppm] – 90 ppm is unsafe for kids.

October 22, 2018May 18, 2019

9 Comments

Lenox “Brookdale” Pattern, Made In USA china. This little dish was brought to me at an event in New Hampshire recently. My facebook friend sent her mama to my event and told her to bring a few dishes with her, in case I would be able to test them. She brought these and a couple…

Johnson Bros. Willow pattern china. Post 1912, England. 43,100 ppm Lead in the glaze. 90 ppm (& up) is unsafe.*

July 21, 2018December 1, 2019

2 Comments

This vintage Johnson Bros. blue Willow pattern shallow bowl/ saucer (made in England), was likely made after 1912 (based on the back mark, source.) Related: #AskTamara: What do you use to test for Lead? As with nearly all of the Willow pattern china I have tested, it was positive for very high (unsafe) levels of lead…

Vintage English Johnson Brothers Mill Stream Ceramic Ironstone Plate: 54,700 ppm Lead, 90 ppm is unsafe for kids.

June 23, 2018September 1, 2019

3 Comments

This vintage Johnson Brothers Mill Stream ceramic “Ironstone” dish tested positive for the following levels when tested with an XRF instrument: Lead (Pb): 54,700 +/- 1,700 ppm Barium (Ba): 489 +/- 104 ppm Tin (Sn): 1,261 +/- 78 ppm Zinc (Zn): 3,461 +/- 178 ppm Iron (Fe): 540 +/- 181 ppm For more information about…

English 1976 Liberty Blue saucer with Boston’s Old North Church: 44,100 ppm Lead. This should NOT be used for food!

June 20, 2018March 15, 2022

2 Comments

Published: June 20, 2018 So many families have these dishes! They are truly works of art, and a piece of history (even though they were mass-manufactured only about 40 years ago.) My understanding, from doing a little online research, is that this line with the “Historical Colonial Scenes” was manufactured in 1976 for the United…

Do Franciscan Potteries vintage dishes have unsafe levels of lead? Does Mexican pottery that is marked lead-free have unsafe levels of lead? (video)

June 19, 2018April 23, 2020

5 Comments

Here are the blog posts related to the video below: Franciscan Ivy. Franciscan Desert Rose. Mexican “Lead-Free” Pottery. Comments to the “viewers” in this are from the original posting of the video as a Facebook Live video! Video is about 6 minutes long, and also shows you how to stretch one LeadCheck swab out to…

Franciscan Desert Rose Earthenware China — c. 1941, Made in USA: 122,200 ppm Lead! (90 ppm is unsafe in kids’ items)

June 14, 2018September 24, 2023

39 Comments

For those new to this website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Since 2009, Tamara has been using XRF technology (a scientific method used…

Franciscan Ware Potteries (c. 1948) Franciscan Ivy Pattern Serving Tray: 304,000 ppm Lead [90 ppm is unsafe]

June 14, 2018September 1, 2019

4 Comments

This is a Franciscan Potteries vintage “Ivy” pattern serving tray that I got at the Good Will Bins a while back (to add to my “Museum of Lead” collection!) The interesting thing about glazes (especially on pieces that are handmade or hand-painted) is that the levels of lead can vary significantly across the surface of…

Vintage Spode Christmas Tree Plate, Made In England: 71,900 ppm Lead [90 ppm Lead is unsafe for kids.]

June 14, 2018November 23, 2023

11 Comments

For those new to this website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Since 2009, Tamara has been using XRF technology (a scientific method…

Vintage Spring Blossom Green “Crazy Daisy” Pyrex cup: 39,300 ppm Lead + 833 ppm Cadmium (90 ppm Pb is unsafe for kids!)

May 5, 2018January 5, 2024

7 Comments

Vintage Pyrex Spring Blossom Green “Crazy Daisy” patterned cups For those new to this website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Since 2009, Tamara…

“Old Town Blue” Pattern Vintage Pyrex Tea Cup, c.1972 – 1982: 17,700 ppm Lead [90 ppm is unsafe for kids.]

April 19, 2018September 2, 2019

9 Comments

Vintage Pyrex mugs/ tea cups in the “Old Town Blue” pattern: The dark blue paint on these mugs tested positive for the following elements at the following levels (with a one-minute test, using an XRF instrument): Lead (Pb): 17,700 +/- 500 ppm Cadmium (Cd): 154 +/- 12 ppm Arsenic (As): ND Mercury (Hg): ND…

Vintage “Horizon Blue” Pattern Pyrex Casserole. c. 1969-1972: 72,000 ppm Lead [90 is unsafe for kids’ items.]

April 19, 2018September 2, 2019

3 Comments

This vintage “Horizon Blue” casserole by Pyrex tested positive for the following elements at the following levels (on the painted exterior design with a one-minute test, using an XRF instrument): Lead (Pb): 72,000 +/- 2,200 ppm Cadmium (Cd): 33 +/- 11 ppm Arsenic (As): ND Mercury (Hg): ND Gold: (Au) 504 +/- 170 ppm…

Spode Vintage “Fairy Dell” English China: 36,400 ppm Lead + Arsenic! 90 ppm Lead (& up) is unsafe in kids’ items.

March 21, 2018November 21, 2023

Copeland Spode Vintage “Fairy Dell” China, Made in England. This dish the following test results when tested with an XRF instrument: Lead (Pb): 36,400 +/- 1,400 ppm Arsenic (As): 2,332 +/- 288 ppm Cadmium (Cd): “ND” (non-detect)/ Negative Mercury (Hg): “ND” (non-detect)/ Negative To learn more about XRF testing, Click Here. For context: The amount of…

Vintage Hand Painted Nippon China: 3,115 ppm Lead. 90 ppm Lead is considered unsafe in items used by kids.

March 3, 2018September 1, 2019

Vintage China, “Hand Painted” – Nippon. Positive for Lead at 3,115 +/- 121ppm. This dish was “Non-Detect” (negative) for mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic (As). Read more about the concern for lead in dishware here. Want to see a pretty lead-free dish set on Amazon? Click this link! * Thank you for reading and for…

Vintage Rosina China: 68,500 ppm Lead on the food surface. 90 ppm Lead and up is considered unsafe in items newly manufactured for use by kids.

March 3, 2018May 3, 2021

Rosina Fine Bone China, Made in England. Positive for Lead at 68,500 +/- 1,800 ppm. This dish was “Non-Detect” (negative) for mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic (As). Read more about the concern for lead in dishware here. Want to see a pretty lead-free dish set on Amazon? Click this link! * [*It’s an Amazon affiliate…

Vintage China “1424”; 2,989 ppm Lead. 90 ppm Lead (& up) is considered unsafe in items used by children.

February 25, 2018September 1, 2019

Vintage China, #1424 (no other information about maker). Tested with an XRF instrument. Positive for lead at 2,989 +/- 121 ppm. For context: the amount of lead that is considered toxic in an item intended for children is anything 90 ppm or higher. Vintage dishware is not regulated for total lead content as detectible with…

#Leaded: Athol Fine Bone China, England

February 25, 2018February 25, 2018

Athol Fine Bone China. Made in England. Tested with an XRF instrument. Positive for lead at 61,400 +/- 1,500 ppm lead. For context: the amount of lead that is considered toxic in an item intended for children is anything 90 ppm or higher. Vintage dishware is not regulated for total lead content as detectible with…

#Leaded: Royal Sutherland Fine Bone China

February 25, 2018February 25, 2018

Tested postive for lead with an XRF instrument. 52,100 +/- 1,300 ppm lead (Pb). For context: the amount of lead that is considered toxic in an item intended for children is anything 90 ppm or higher. Vintage dishware is not regulated for total lead content as detectible with an XRF instrument. This dish was also…

Plastic Vintage “Grumpy” Plastic Disney Mug: 449 ppm Lead (90 ppm Lead is considered unsafe for kids.)

December 19, 2017February 7, 2019

This vintage plastic cup from Disney – with a picture of Grumpy the dwarf on it – is positive for Lead both in the plastic and in the paint for the Grumpy design. This yellow mug had the following XRF readings: The plain yellow plastic part of the cup: Lead (Pb): 387 +/- 22…