Royal Wedding memorabilia: how to avoid bad surprises?
Royal Wedding memorabilia: how to avoid bad surprises
?
D-Day for the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton is approaching fast. All the souvenirs shops are packed with a heterogeneous range of gifts. It is very easy to find a cheap deal. If you want to purchase quality, you could struggle to find it. Here are a few useful tips to understand what real memorabilia is, and how to find it.
What types of quality Royal Wedding collectibles can I buy?
Royal Wedding collectibles should not be mixed with souvenirs. Generally speaking, forget about cheap gifts shop. Royal Wedding memorabilia is made by people who love to share their passion.
A good starting point is to remember which memorabilia has been officially approved by Buckingham Palace:
- Fine bone china such as mugs, tankards, plates, pillboxes,
- Tea Towels,
- Small high quality decorations.
Now that we know what we can buy, let's see who produces it.
Which Royal Wedding memorabilia producer is the best?
Don't panic: it is not impossible to find real good quality Royal Wedding collectibles. They are all made in the UK, by traditional producers. All these companies tend to be based in the North of England, near Stoke on Trent. Stoke is the capital of pottery, and the homeland of these hundred years old factories.
You have two choices for real Royal Wedding memorabilia:
1/ The Official Collection produced in agreement with the Royal Family: a mug, a plate, a pillbox, a tea towel, and a small decoration.
All these collectibles are great value for money and will stay with you overtime. Buckingham Palace did not release the details of the manufacturer. But it was obvious the Royals could not rely on one single partner for the first Royal Wedding of the Century! Five companies collaborate to produce the Official memorabilia. If you choose to order, it may take some time (the ceramics are handmade). Until now, delays experienced have been quite reasonable (one week maximum).
2/ If you're looking for something a bit different, but still quality, go for a renowned British traditional pottery maker. They generally propose a memorabilia collection dedicated to the Royal Wedding: often a plate, a mug and a pillbox.
How do I identify real fine bone china?
If you want to buy fine bone china, you made the good choice. It is the best collectible you can find to commemorate the Royal Wedding. It is advised to buy it from a trusted seller on Internet. Try http://www.royalweddingmemorabilia.net/ . Made by passionate people, this site sells quality items, including the Official Collection (which is quite hard to find on the Internet).
You can also buy fine bone china if you are visiting the UK. If you are in a ceramic shop, remember these four tips:
- Fine bone china should display a bright white colour.
- High quality fine bone china should be translucent. To verify, put your ceramic in front of a source of light. You should be able to see the shade of your fingers through the plate/mug.
- You should find a trademark at the back of your purchase. That's how quality producers sign their art.
- Cheap price = cheap quality.
With all these tips, you are now ready to start your quest for Royal Wedding memorabilia!
Enjoy the Royal Wedding, and try to come to London on the 29th of April, you won't regret it!
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