talk about a first world problem. i'd keep them and donate the money i would of spent on new plates to a homeless shelter or spend it on something useful.

Yes! Stuff is just stuff, so sell what you don't like and buy what you do. Currently considering selling my taxidermy collection for one awesome piece instead of many not-so-awesome pieces.

maybe keep one or two unique items for the remembrance, but yes. keep what you love - and sell/donate/give away the rest.

All this over plates? REALLY?

A stylist should be the one advising *us*.

While the Tiffany service pictured is very beautiful, it doesn't strike me as being as versatile as the Heath line. I think there are some lines of china that you can combine and dress up or dress down, and have fun with.

Still, Heath is the "in" thing at the moment; maybe looking at transferware, Royal Copenhagen and blue hand thrown ceramics like this (does anybody know where to find who makes these plates or similar ones?? No one I've been able to find works with this sort of glaze -- and these are *my* dream plates!!):

http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/2008/03/chickeninriesling

So, I'd say try coordinating a little more and keep them.

@onexnwyrkr: I would say "all this over cheap Missoni?" (after reading about the Target craziness in an earlier post) but the plates are Tiffany and a wedding gift, which makes them a little more special.

negative, ghostwriter.

I would keep the tiffany plates. it was a gift!

No!!! She will regret it in the long run. Take your time to collect the Heath when you have the funds for it. My family lost a lot during a hurricane, and it is the special gifts like the wedding china that get missed.

We're probably all on this site because we care more than we should about how our homes look, but...'ponderdous question'? It's not exactly Sophie's Choice, is it?

take pretty photos and maybe have them framed to commemorate the gift and go for what your heart desires now.

@mschatelaine: I think my BFF is hesitant because she really does like the Tiffany china and has created beautiful tablescapes with it. Plus, it was a gift, which makes it a little more complicated. Maybe I also should have mentioned that she lives in a loft and has very little storage, so she can't keep one as backup. I love Heath, but for the price I'd be so nervous to eat off of them, unless they were at her house. ;-)

I think she will ultimately regret selling the wedding gift. And this coming from someone who got Heath Ceramics for her wedding! The Tiffany plates pictured are at least as versatile as Heaths.

the tiffany collection is a timeless, beautiful set with a story. I would definitely keep the current set

gift, schmift... the person who gave it to you wanted to get you something you would like. You should not be emotionally held hostage because it was a gift! Take a picture and save it in a memory album of some sort. Every time you enjoy your new dishes, think fondly of the original person whose original gift financed the purchase of the new plates.

(Of course, by the same token, once YOU give a gift, it is gone and that person has total freedom to do with it what ever makes them the happiest.)

I would keep the Tiffany set, and slowly invest in the Heath; though, my family has some pretty strict traditions concerning China ...

Each woman in my mom's family has two high-quality sets of China or crystal - my mom, right now, has a set that once belonged to great-great-great-grandma who immigrated with it in the 1800s. A second set was a wedding gift. Each set is different - one is very formal, while the other is modern and fun.

By family tradition, the oldest set gets passed to the oldest daughter (me), and the youngest set goes to the youngest daughter (my sister); they're handed over when we announce our engagements - and then, we each receive a new set as a wedding present - And the cycle continues ...

Of course, this heralds back to the 1800s and early 1900s ... I don't think great-great-great-great gran ever counted on one of her grandchildren being married to a PhD thesis instead of a man. ;-)

@p-zek: "Ponderous" was meant to be tongue-in-cheek, but that's funny. :-)

A: Would her aunt wonder what happened to it? If yes, keep it.

B: Was the collection owned by her aunt? If yes, then her aunt may have had some familial / sentimental value in passing it on, so keep it.

I am very sentimental, so I wouldn't sell it if I used it AND especially if it was passed on to me by a family member.

I suspect one day her own neice may delight in receiving heirloom Tiffany ;) I would.

Oh yes! I have many, many times. Did I regret it later? Seller's remorse? I'd love to able to say NO, but sadly YES. There were things I sold I truly wish I hadn't. But, hey, it happens. Ive she really loves the new thing, then go ahead, sell the old thing.

Am I the only one here who, instead of "beautiful and timeless", would characterize the Tiffany set as dated and boring?... the Heath set isn't all that great either.

But then, I'm not all that in to status symbols.

I suspect if she is asking you, then it's become a partly emotional choice, and not really a logical one. That's OK, choosing things based on emotion and sentiment is a totally valid thing to do. In that case, I'd split the difference. Sell half of my Tiffany collection to add some Heath pieces.

The Tiffany china belongs to me. I didn't register for it, but it was a surprise wedding present from my Aunt. While I think it is beautiful I have maybe used the dishes 3 or 4 times in the past six years. With the ever growing popularity of Heath Ceramics and it seeming to be the "it" thing right now I have been collecting Heath for years. I use my dishes every single day. My husband and I are really trying to simplify our life right now. With the birth of our son last year and the fact that we live in a limited space we are trying to only keep things that we use or really love. I do not really love these dishes, but they are sentimental and I think they are beautiful. Also I think the purpose of this post is to see what other people would do with their own personal collections not just what I should do with my dishes. While I know that this decision is not life or death or really even that important in the grand scheme of things its something that I've been thinking about. My aunt will never know and if she did find out I'm sure she would be happy knowing that she helped me get something that we really loved.

I love my Heath, but most of my pieces (and I have quite a bit) are purchased pre-owned off eBay or from the factory as seconds...
...and normally I would be thrilled to own Tiffany china, but that which is shown is about the most drab stuff I've ever seen - I honestly thought it was Bistro-ware from Williams Sonoma.

I say get rid of the Tiffany - which is probably seldom used - and get the Heath which you can use every day.

She should'nt sell it. A treasure is something you keep forever.

So, I looked at the Heath stuff. It's very nice and earthy, but so very different from the Tiffany. Even though I'm drawn to natural, organic things, I would keep the Tiffany. There's sentimental value and I think that this set would go with a lot more decor.

If you really can't pick, pack the Tiffany (that I like better- but that doesn't matter) and store it at a friends place or so. Wait 5 years, and see if you still like it, or, already asked for it back before (:
It can be hard to have multiple collections in a small place, I hear you (me living with 500sf and a big flatware and china collection)....

Clutching my pearls-- a post about first-world problems and material possessions? On a home design blog?! *fans self furiously*

I wouldn't sell the china just to come up with the funds, personally, but I CAN understand space issues and how much one can realistically keep and use. My husband's father passed last year, leaving us all his worldly possessions, and much of it was beautiful, valuable items like china, crystal, linens, furniture. Sadly, not much in my style, but not things you give away or sell at a yard sale. And, ultimately, we DID sell a lot and give a lot away-- because we live in a two-family home and just can't fit it all; we were drowning in someone else's things. We kept what was most valuable to us and things that held meaning to my husband from his childhood, and everything else went out the front door.

I always refused to own expensive china. It wouldn't work with my casual, modest, practical home style. I recently gave my plain white porcelain china to my niece, replacing it with plain white Corel so my recently arrived dogs won't ingest splinters when I drop a piece. There's no room for a second set. I generally let things move on when my husband and I no longer care for them and they start to seem a burden, regardless of how I got them or their expense. Otherwise, our smallish home starts to feel like a crowded museum.

MissingReed, I thought the EXACT same thing before even looking at the comments.

Hello, First World problems.

I would keep the Tiffany and buy seconds or vintage sets of Heath. Maybe it's because I grew up with Heath dishes, but I really think the Tiffany would be a lot harder to reacquire.

I'm with Julie Anita:)

I am leaning towards YB's suggestion of packing the Tiffany's and storing them somewhere for X years and then reconsidering.
Sometimes, the sentimental value is much higher than the actual one.

no way - keep the tiffany.

Oooh, that's a tough one. I get the sentimental attachment to the items and the fact that they're beautiful and timeless doesn't help. It may be painful but I would sell the Tiffany and get the Heath! They are also beautiful and timeless and if you're using them everyday then what more could you ask for. I like the idea of taking a photo of them for sentimental value, you could throw a dinner party themed around the plates and then say goodbye!

for all those commenting on the fact that this is a "first world problem," i have one question. why are you reading this site? everything on this site is about first world problems. seriously! eames vs. knockoff or buying campers or Ikea bookshelves being made for decorative crap due to the rise of Ebooks or spending more on ecofriendly objects vs no ecofriendly stuffs... you get the idea. you think someone in a third world country is worried about Ebooks or knockoffs? clean water is likely their concern, but that's not really what this site is about.

I'm currently grappling with this situation on a much, much cheaper scale. Have a Formica table that I love but everyone tells me is absolutely ugly. I got it for $75 on Craigslist and my best friend really wants it. He's offered to trade me one of his new couches that I absolutely love in exchange for the table (both are now valued around $300-$400). The table reminds me of my grandmother and a simpler time in my life and while it's just a thing, I can't seem to let it go as much as I neeeeed the couch (my current one is stained, old and it's just time for an upgrade).

Well, I can kind of see commenter #1's thought. But, assuming that this individual does contribute to the greater good in some fashion, she is certainly entitled to things she enjoys. :)

I am a sentimental one and would keep an amazing set of vintage plates. Stylistically, I prefer the Tiffany to the Heath. This is also coming, however, from someone who spend $.80 tops on "vintage" plates at thrift stores and mix-and-matches for a unique (aka, cheap) look. I get the storage issue, but maybe she could sell something else? Something she doesn't use as often?

What a precious wedding gift... I cannot even imagine thinking of selling a wedding gift. Muchless Tiffany?!

Sad.

Your friend has no idea how blessed she is. The question itself is kinda shocking.

Apropos Julie Anita: being on the receiving end of a lot of 'heirlooms' can seem overwhelming, but at the same time, you do want something to pass on to your child, yes? My father got rid of a lot of things we kids would have at least liked to consider, but never had the chance. So, the Tiffany - if not for you, maybe someone later down the line?

I think I would keep the Tiffany china. I don't think it ever occurred to her aunt that her niece would let it leave the family.

If the Heath is so affordable, just keep a steady pace of buys, and soon the collection will be huge. It doesn't have to come all at once. I got carried away, and I have more pieces than I can count of my Wedgwood pattern. It's very affordable, and I afforded, every and often.

No, don't sell the Tiffany, if just for investment reasons.

Why not keep them? Didn't cost anything. She could just buy the Heath tableware herself. I'm guessing a freelance food stylist could use them as a write-off. Also, I'm figuring as an aficionado of tableware, she wouldn't mind having another set around. No place to store them? That's what garages/parent's houses/siblings or friends are for.

But if she's going to sell them, she better have her aunt over for dinner one last time before she let's 'em loose.

But the question was "Would you sell one beloved object to finance another?" Depends. Things that I collect, no. Have a bunch of golf clubs, vinyl records and some toys that bring me joy by just looking at them. But I once sold a Corvette for another project car to work on and it wasn't even a big deal (ok, it was a little deal.) A lot of work, time and money went into restoring that car. I'm pretty sure letting it go wasn't a great deal because I wasn't into collecting Corvettes... yet.

One other factor for me is how difficult it would be to obtain a identical replacement. An example, my buddy looks back and wishes he never sold his 1968 GT500 Shelby Mustang. To rub it in, I always tell him "good luck replacing that one!"

of course i would. i recently sold most of my clothes, my art, & my entire mid century collection of furniture to buy the tickets to move to asia. don't regret it for a second. things are just things. & sometimes, those things can help you enjoy your life. that's the THING that matters.

Wow, what a conundrum.

I'd say I'd probably regret it. I can't imagine giving away something so thoughtful from a family member. Wedding china, especially if it is something you treasure, should just be kept. There's nothing wrong with keeping it, and saving for your own set you picked out. It's a little different from getting a cheap set from Wal-Mart. It's Tiffany. Come on, woman! I am leaning toward a minimalist lifestyle lately-and if you have more than you need, don't use it, don't want it, don't like it--than obviously its just taking up space. But its definitely a decision not to be made lightly.

Before going any further, I must confess that I am a dish addict. I own five sets of dishes: two sets of china (one wedding gift and one set inherited), one set of vintage Dutch earthenware, one set of Arabia Ruska stoneware, one set of Dansk Mesa stoneware. I also have other bits and pieces including Spode Sunflower. So I vote for keeping the Tiffany set and continuing to collect the Heath. I combine my dishware all the time. I'm lucky to have ibe very awkward cabinet in my kitchen which isn't good for much besides long-term storage...

Wait I don't get how simplifying your life means selling your perfectly fine collection of one thing to purchase an atrociously priced collection of something else that you use everyday and your child will likely break. Since you seem to have a young family, I say pack it all up and put it in storage or entrust it to a friend with a larger home.

"Now, my BFF takes tableware very seriously... and the Tiffany settings, a wedding gift from her aunt, are beautiful and timeless"

So this aunt, knowing your BFF's love of tableware, thoughtfully got her a wedding gift she knew she would love and your BFF is now bored and wants to chuck it? Worst neice ever!

Why do people come to a home design blog and then complain about the topics being "first world problems"? Why are you reading this blog?

Pick one and move on. It's overpriced dinnerware, not Sophie's Choice. I will say that as the mother of 2 boys, I think I'd be "investing" in Corelle rather than Heath if the birth of your son is precipitating a change in your dishes. Perhaps I'm just unlucky and have particularly destructive kids who would grab whatever plate they want, but my nice china has been packed up since they were born. I didn't hesitate to get rid of my everyday dishes, which were wedding gifts, for something I liked better.

Wow Stationaryfiend you're really rude. My family is in the antiques business. This china is not a family heirloom. I am not bored of the china I just don't use it EVER and rather it just sit in my house collecting dust so thick that its sticky I would rather have something that my family can actually use. Sometimes I can't stand AT. The things that people write on here are so crass and judgmental. People on this blog are so quick to form an opinion of someone without knowing them. Whether its how they painted their furniture to how they decorate their homes. People say the rudest things.

Oops -- I just read my response and saw how incoherent it was...

I was trying to rack my brain thinking of how to coordinate the Tiffany, and at first was leaning towards the more practical solution, which is to get the Heath. But I had a change of heart, because I started seeing it with other interesting pieces.

Keep the Tiffany, definitely. If your friend gets rid of it, she will regret it. It is special. And I think it is beautiful (bepsf and I rarely agree on anything!).

As for not having enough storage -- bosh! There are always solutions! And this isn't her "forever home", is it?

that would be "wrack"

p.s. I have my grandmother's Meissen "Blue Onion" pattern as our only "good" china, and am constantly adding to it (with more Blue Onion, but also with Royal Copenhagen, which I like a bit more, and I am trying to find something more handmade to coordinate with it. Frankly, I want a stylist to help me!). I wouldn't think of getting rid of it for Heath ware, as much as I like Heathware.

i inherited a dining room set from my great grandmother. it came to me in college (and lived in my parents' house until i returned from living abroad and had my own place). when i received it, it was with the understanding that i wouldn't sell/give it away in part or whole, without first making sure no one else in the family wanted it.

it is old, dark, and heavy (both figuratively and literally). i am sure that i would not have picked out myself back in college, and i don't know if i would now. nevertheless, i love it because of the history it has for me. and i have chosen to work with it and use it to contrast other things that i have.

so in cases like the one in the original question, i think it comes down to how much value (monetary and personal) you place on the item. and for me, part of that value is determined by the person who gave it to me and their feelings toward it and me.

See YB's suggestion. When a non-urgent yet significant decision is difficult, sometimes a person can metaphorically set it on a back burner until the best answer percolates up from her ever-active unconscious mind.

Why are people being so nasty regarding this post? If you are nasty about the niece you will despise me. I don't really find much of anything sentimental. I only want to keep things in my home that I use and that I love. I am not keeping things "just because" or because someone wants me to do so. I also just get bored with things or want to switch things out sometimes.

I have been in more family fights about this sort of thing that I can really deal with. My home, my possessions and I get to be the judge. If you can't deal with giving me something that I might part with then don't give it to me at all. If i tell you also that i don't want to item when asked don't push it.

This woman doesn't use the china and knows there is something out there that she will use all of the time. If it can go on to someone that will use it and cherish it themselves all the better than its sitting around collecting dust.

@Astur, Agreed. Heirlooms are rarely worth the entanglements, and I also reject gifts with strings attached. People, including many hoarders, seem to confuse heirlooms with people at an emotional level, too often resulting in disastrously broken families. I declined my beloved deceased mother's engagement ring in part to minimize difficulties with over-controlling family members. I hardly need old jewelry to remember her considering that she'll remain part of me for as long as I'm living.

can't believe how nasty people are. ugh.

Anyway, I have NO PROBLEM getting rid of gifts from others if I don't need/want them. I appreciate the gesture and now that the item is mine I do with it as I want, thank you very much.

Having lived in a loft with no space I can totally understand the idea of getting rid of something that is never used and totally condone it.

I once sold something very valuable from my Dad that others can't believe I would let go. But, it was sitting in a closet gathering dust and not being loved at all. The buyer honors it & keeps it out to view and LOVES it. Such a better place for it, and I could then pay my rent! =) win win.

@ray44 how many pieces is your collection? I'd buy it from you =)

Short answer: absolutely. But I would not sell something of sentimental value for something else I would never use. But to let go of something I don't particularly love or use to get something I do love *and* use makes perfect sense.

Wow, this makes me feel really bad that I posted my best friend's dilemma only to have her bombarded with nasty, judgmental comments. I can only speak for myself, but the reason I write for Apartment Therapy is so I can share creativity, inspiration, and the kind of home and design-related questions a lot of us will grapple with in our lives. Posting this felt more like leading a lamb to the slaughter. I'm all for constructive criticism, but I wonder how many of you would talk such smack if you had to use your real names. Most people would tsk-tsk at the thought of being rude to waitstaff or a cabbie, but for some reason on A-T they just let their rude flags fly. Manners? Also, I've had people with GREAT houses turn me down for a tour because they don't want to deal with the comments. That bums me out! OK, I just had to get that off my chest. Thanks.

@ray44
I'm glad you seem to have it together. XD

@Enialedam
... what if there are more than 2 daughters? :O

@Village
If the Heath is so affordable, just keep a steady pace of buys, and soon the collection will be huge.
??????

@chipmcd
No place to store them? That's what garages/parent's houses/siblings or friends are for.
... I think that's a pretty hard sell... many ppl on this site disapprove of inconveniencing one's friends to help move (assuming one has the financial resources to hire movers), do you really think most ppl are pleased to help store their friends' (expensive, classic) crap when their living situations are probably not that dissimilar?

@stationeryfiend
Worst neice ever!
Wow. If I had an aunt that would seriously react that way (and I don't), I would probably be pleased not to have that drama llama in my life....

@Uccellini, Why not delete the rude comments just like you'd frustrate vandals by painting over their graffiti? I find offensive commenters' indignant responses to having their nasty comments removed to be unintentionally amusing.

Uccellini, you make a good point as far as the business of AT is concerned. When the vitriol/cruel comments get out of hand I just take a break for a while - you lose one set of eyeballs for a couple of months, big deal. But you're right that you start losing content, too.
I posted a question a year ago about fixing up our geodesic dome and got a lot of helpful suggestions. I've been tempted to send in "after" pictures so people can see how it turned out (we are very very happy), but why set myself up for punishment?

@Miami's Elaine: That is an option. I can ask an editor to remove them (can't do it myself), but that requires constant checking up, which is really time-conusming after a while. Plus, people tend to check back often to read comments when the post concerns them. A lot of time, they read the comment before we have the chance to delete them. I did a house tour a while back and the first comment was "I hate this." Luckily, we caught it quickly and that one was followed by much positivity.

@tasterspoon: we'd LOVE to feature a before&after of your geodesic dome. A while back, I asked readers for advice on what colors to paint my house. I then posted a before & after, and although a few people dissented, I got so much positive feedback that I no longer felt bad about having just spent $5k! ;-) Just be confident and ignore the naysayers. If you want to post it, we could also disable comments, but then you wouldn't get to hear all the good stuff, too.

ps @tasterspoon: If you'd like to email me pics of your Before & After, please do so at: annamaria@uccellinimedia.com. Thanks!

@tasterspoon: I'd love to see a before/after of a geodesic dome house. I stayed in one a few years ago in Maine while on a ski trip and I loved it.

Go to the Heath store in Sausalito (or, more accurately, haunt the Heath store in Sausalito), or have someone do so for you, and buy good seconds instead of paying full price. Perhaps you can keep the Tiffany in reserve for when your taste changes in the future.

I have Heath and other dishes; Heath is nice, but the gritty texture of the glaze can make eating off it less than pleasant. It's not so much timeless, as evocative of a certain time and aesthetic.

The Tiffany set shown is lovely and classic. I'd use that every day.

@ray44
Don't know if you're still sticking around, but is all your heath matched/going to match the way your tiffany is (vs. coordinating)?

@lepidopetery all of our dishes, bowls, coffee cups, salt & pepper, covered dishes etc... are Opaque White and the serving bowls are Aqua/Turquoise. We have a few trays that are in Linen and then a handful of bud vases in various colors. I have a pretty big collection, but some things I have 4 pieces where as I would like to have six. I recently drove off with a large coffee mug on the roof of my car so now I'm down to 3 mugs.

@ray44
Although I've seen negative responses on this site before, I'm shocked at what people have said to you here. I for one know how hard it is to make a decision on whether or not to part with something I care about and enjoy, from someone I love, even if I don't use it much. I hope you won't take the negative comments to heart - there's nothing wrong with making thoughtful choices about how to live, even if it's just a detail.

As for advice, I think if you don't have to sell immediately, the advice to put away and imagine you will never see again is good - you can test how you will feel when it is gone. In my experience, if I felt I was "able" to live with out something, I didn't end up missing it as much as I thought I might.

hmmm. here I am wanting a new set of tableware because what i have is a white IKEA set, but i just cant justify doing that because i have what i need. until they dwindle break by break that is.

@lepidoptery - oddly enough, that issue has never come up before!

- I have one sister
- My mom has one sister (with two daughters)
- Grandma is one of two daughters
- Great-aunt has two daughters, each with two daughters
- Great-grandma was one of two daughters

... which, when you think of it, is rather odd.