19 Most Valuable Antique Lenox China Patterns

Lenox china

The American-based Lenox China, which was established in the 19th century, is the maker of the incredibly well-known Lenox brand of china. Both vintage and contemporary Lenox china are regarded as collectibles, however vintage items are worth significantly more on the secondary market. You can learn more about the 19 most valuable antique Lenox china patterns in the accompanying guide, which also includes some key information about the brand’s history and how to identify and value Lenox china for your collection.

What is Lenox China?

American exquisite porcelain manufacturer Lenox china was founded in the 19th century. It is the most esteemed American dinnerware manufacturer and the first USA exquisite bone china that six US presidents used in the White House.

Lenox china, a mainstay at many traditional American holiday dinners, comes in a variety of patterns, from classic to vibrant abstract artwork. According to Walter Scott Lenox, who founded the company in New Jersey in 1889, the dinnerware originated from the art ceramics manufactured there.

History of Lenox China

Walter Scott Lenox, a businessman, founded Lenox China in 1889. The initial business, which was based in New Jersey, did not manufacture vast quantities of china; instead, it created American-style pottery in small quantities, practically all of which were strictly one-of-a-kind. The rise in demand for Lenox products at the start of the 20th century prompted the owner to switch to factory manufacture.

The corporation was able to create new dinnerware sets because to this factory production, which started in 1917. The company’s goods were so favorably appreciated that the White House utilized them as the first bone china created in the country. Lenox has created tableware for all six U.S. presidents as well as a large number of vice presidents. So it’s clear that Lenox is known for its high-quality china.

Exceptional Company Designers

Lenox never moved too far from its origins in art ceramics. The company hired renowned designers to produce distinctive and timeless designs when it started producing entire dining sets in 1902. Many of the patterns that were chosen for display in museums all around the world and won significant honors were created by Lenox’s famed designer Frank Holmes.

In 1926, Holmes created Fountain, a floral explosion with angular Art Deco lines. Simpler patterns with roses, wheat stalks, and other modest natural motifs in keeping with the absence of adornment in the Depression era were featured in 1939’s Rhodora and 1940’s Harvest. From 1905 to 1954, Holmes’ careful attention to detail produced dinnerware that was an enduring favorite.

Lenox China Patterns

Lenox China produced a wide variety of patterns in both more classic and contemporary aesthetics. Of course, some of the most well-liked Lenox China designs are as follows:

  • Lenox Christmas China
  • Lenox Autumn Pattern
  • Lenox Butterfly Meadows
  • Lenox Solitaire China, which features a silver banding
  • Lenox Charleston Pattern
  • Lenox Solitaire Eternal, which features a gold banding

Where is Lenox China manufactured?

Because of the name, many people frequently assume that all Chinese goods are produced in China or other Asian nations. Lenox China, on the other hand, is not.

See also  15 Most Valuable Antique Glassware: Patterns Identification Guide

Made in the USA is Lenox China. Originally known as the Ceramic Art Firm, the company in charge of this manufacture went by the name Lenox Incorporated in the early 1900s.

Originally based in New Jersey, the company had to move once scale manufacturing got going. From its facility in Kingston, North Carolina, Lenox Incorporated first conducted business. The plant occupied more than 200,000 square feet, while the entire building was around 40 acres. The factory specializes in creating enamel dots, colors, microwave metals, and etch designs.

Even though Lenox Incorporated no longer owns the factory, tableware, modern Lenox dish wares, and other collectibles are still made there today.

How to find Value of your Antique Lenox China?

Lenox china is still a fantastic option for dinnerware in any home. Naturally, the more contemporary Lenox is remarkably resilient, largely oven safe, and classically lovely.

Of course, there is still a market for vintage Lenox china. A dinner plate from a large company selling old Lenox china can cost as little as $10 or as much as $50. Costs for the Lenox Christmas dinnerware range from $25 to $45 per piece.

Here are the few steps in order to find value of you antique Lenox pattern:

  • Identify the stamp

You can find the stamp on the china’s base. Reverse search online or use a maker’s mark database to determine its identity. Any china that is unusable because it was produced by a mysterious or fake manufacturer will be instantly weeded out.

  • Examine the numbers 

A number code in addition to a stamp can be found on many pieces of china dinnerware, notably those produced in the 20th century. If the number is six or eight digits long, it can represent a date indicating when the item was manufactured. Another possibility is a pattern number, which designates both the date and the particular pattern on the china.

  • Analyze the pattern carefully

If there is no pattern number, you can use this to compare the pattern to the manufacturer’s catalogue. Additionally, it presents another chance to identify a fake product. It’s similar to “spot the difference”

  • Determine auction prices

For your china items, check out auction websites (and perhaps eBay). Finding a price for your item is simple with this method. It can be extremely rare if you can’t discover your porcelain online or on any auction site.

19 Valuable Antique Lenox China Patterns

Throughout the more than 130 years that Lenox has been producing china, there are hundreds of popular vintage patterns. But some designs stand out and are highly appreciated by collectors. Since most of these designs are no longer being produced, their value may increase. Examining the pattern specifics and comparing them to other items Lenox has produced over the years are typically necessary to identify antique china patterns.

Here are the 19 valuable Antique Lenox China Patterns:

1. Lenox China Autumn Pattern

Although Autumn, which was published in 1918, likewise has an ivory backdrop, the floral decorations are colorful. Each item is decorated with a core floral pattern. This design is still being produced.

Lenox China Autumn Pattern
Source

2. Springdale Platinum pattern

Springdale Platinum pattern
Source 

3. Lenox China Fountain Pattern

The 1926 Fountain pattern, which incorporates vivid colors, geometric lines, and floral designs, is one of the most sought-after vintage Lenox porcelain designs. 1948 saw the end of this Lenox pattern.

Lenox China Fountain Pattern
Source 

4. Lenox China Florida Pattern

Introduced in 1922, this distinctive pattern is no longer available. Two tropical birds decorate the rim, and it has a purple band.

Lenox China Florida Pattern
Source 

5. Lenox China Lowell Pattern

This straightforward pattern, which has been out of production since 2021, has a gold rim and a delicate design. There is an ivory background.

Lenox China Lowell Pattern
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6. Lenox China Monticello Pattern

This multicolored floral pattern, which first appeared in 1928, is no longer available. It has teal highlights and gold trim.

Lenox China Monticello Pattern
Source

7. Antique Lenox China Belvidere Pattern

This 1941 design is from the era of World War II and has no gold accent. It has an ivory background instead, with a simplistic design of blue flowers and pink ribbons. In 1978, it was discontinued.

Antique Lenox China Belvidere Pattern
Source

8. Vintage Lenox China Cretan Pattern

This classic design from 1938 features gold highlights on an ivory background and clear Art Deco inspirations. A gold geometric border and fluted rim decoration add visual interest. The product was dropped in 1985.

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Vintage Lenox China Cretan Pattern
Source 

9. Antique Lenox China Harvest Pattern

Harvest is a well-known Lenox china pattern with an ivory backdrop, gold trim, and a gold wheat motif. Harvest was created by Frank Holmes. It made its debut in 1940 and is no longer being produced.

Antique Lenox China Harvest Pattern
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10. Antique Lenox Rose Pattern

Lenox Rose, a stunning, enduring design, was originally produced in 1934 and was continued up to 1979. On an ivory background with gold border, it has roses in various colors.

Antique Lenox Rose Pattern
Source

11. Antique Lenox China Rhodora Pattern

Frank Holmes created the feminine Rhodora pattern in 1939, which features an ivory backdrop with a pink rose in the middle. Each piece is adorned with a gold rim and gold leaves. In 1982, the style was dropped.

Antique Lenox China Rhodora Pattern
Source 

12. Antique Lenox China Rutledge Pattern  

This delicate flower pattern was first made available in 1939 and was produced for more than 80 years until being phased out. It has a fluted rim, a backdrop that is ivory, and little flowers in various colors.

Antique Lenox China Rutledge Pattern  
Source

13. Antique Lenox China Caribbee Pattern

This straightforward pattern is adorned with a delicate pink rim, gold accents, and a rope motif. It was introduced in 1954 and ended in 1970.

Antique Lenox China Caribbee Pattern
Source 

14. Antique Lenox China Princess Pattern

The Princess pattern, which had its debut in 1954 and was retired in 1981, had a relatively straightforward design with a neutral platinum and gray floral motif in the middle of an ivory background.

Antique Lenox China Princess Pattern
Source 

15. Antique Lenox China Kingsley Pattern

From 1956 to the 1970s, this recognizable china pattern was produced. It contains platinum embellishments, an ivory center with a spray of flowers, and a teal rim.

Antique Lenox China Kingsley Pattern
Source 

16. Antique Lenox China Musette Pattern

Musette is a design that debuted in 1961 and was retired in 1982. It features gray flowers, light green foliage, and platinum accents.

Antique Lenox China Musette Pattern
Antique Lenox China Musette Pattern Source 

 

17. Antique Lenox China Roselyn Pattern

Roselyn, a pattern from 1952 with a gold rim and a single pink rose on an unadorned ivory backdrop. The product was terminated in 1980.

Antique Lenox China Roselyn Pattern
Source 

18. Lenox China Monument Green pattern

Even though this set is the least priced on our list, it is just as gorgeous as the more expensive ones. It has a Monument Green pattern and is from The Accent series. Though it has a few wear and tear stains, the set is in fantastic shape. 

Lenox China Monument Green pattern
Source

19. Lenox Westchester Gold Encrusted China Service

This Lenox Westchester set is ideal if you want a lovely, elegant set for drinking coffee or tea. They are ivory/gold in hue and free of flaws like chips, cracks, or crazings.

Lenox Westchester Gold Encrusted China Service
Source 

Lenox Pattern Identification

If you want to identify antique Lenox china, you should start by looking at the back stamps. The marks on antique pottery were used to identify the maker and the piece’s age.

Between 1906 and 1930, Lenox wares featured a green wreath stamp. The words “Made in the USA” were added to the stamp in 1931, and the green color of the wreath was changed to gold in 1953.

For collectors to date and identify Lenox china, Harvey Duke’s Official Price Guide to American Pottery and Porcelain is a valuable guide.

Stamps, codes and their meanings

Lenox gives each pattern of their tableware a name, and many of these titles are stamped on the underside or back of each item. Alphanumeric numbers that can be used to distinguish between named and unnamed patterns are also stamped on the underside and back of every piece.

On the stamp of its items, Lenox employs two sets of numerals separated by a slash. The pattern code appears in the second group of numbers. The Lenox pattern code consists of a letter, a number that represents the date, and occasionally another letter that designates a custom backdrop color for the item.

Lenox saw the need to streamline manufacturing in the late 1940s and stopped making numerous designs. The business gave names to all subsequent patterns as well as the ones it preserved. After 1950, Lenox gradually stopped using the date-code system.

Lenox patterns were adapted to tableware in 1910 and hand-colored. After then, lithographic decals in full color were employed. Lenox imprinted a green wreath on the back of each piece from 1906 to 1930. The business started putting “Made in USA” on the stamp in 1931. Lenox started stamping a gold wreath rather than a green wreath on the backs of its products in 1953.

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Tips for Buying Lenox China

Lenox china has a huge variety of pieces and patterns and is highly well-liked. It might be difficult to find used Leno china, especially if you’re looking for older items. You can get Lenox china for your collection with the help of the following tips.

  • In order to quickly determine the production year, look for the “made in…” logo

Examining the maker’s mark is the quickest way to determine the creation date of a piece of Lenox china. A green wreath can be found on the maker’s stamp on Lenox items created between the years of 1906 and 1930. Lenox items created from 1931 onwards will be marked “Made in the USA,” while those made from 1953 onwards will have a gold wreath rather than a green one. For instance, you may limit the year to 1931 through 1953 if the item has a green wreath and was created in the USA.

  • For the affordable vintage pieces, consider patterns from the 1930s and 1940s

The most expensive vintage Lenox items were produced in the first pattern runs of the business, which began in 1916. These early sculptures are in high demand since they included exquisite, hand-painted features that increased their worth.

Look for patterns that were developed in the 1930s and 1940s if you want to find lovely vintage items that are a little more affordable, and then choose a newer run. Since many patterns from the 1930s and 1940s were still produced in the 1970s, you may frequently get them for less money.

  • Identify if a print is the original or a later printing, pay attention to the small details

This can be challenging if you’re seeking for a pattern but want the original or at least an older run. Many popular Lenox patterns were made multiple times throughout the years, far past the original production date. The maker’s sign, whether or not any highlights are hand-painted, and other small characteristics can help you decide whether it’s older or newer and whether it’s an original or a copy.

Conclusion

Lenox china has a heritage spanning more than 130 years. The US manufacturer was the first, largest, and final one. What began as a straightforward art studio expanded into a sizable business that had a huge impact on many other businesses.

Sets and individual pieces of Lenox china are now prized antiques that a lot of people acquire. Antique collectors continue to adore these sets for their superior craftsmanship and unparalleled beauty, and the good news is that they are broadly accessible to almost everyone.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. How do you know if Lenox is vintage?

A piece’s age and Lenox pattern can be determined by looking at the rear stamps. The porcelain bears a green wreath stamp from 1906 to 1930. In 1931, “Made in USA” was inscribed to the stamp, and in 1953, the wreath’s green color was replaced with gold.

  1. How can you identify whether your china pattern is valuable?

You can determine an object’s value by comparing a hallmark or other distinctive characteristic you’ve found on the underside of cups, saucers, or the backs of plates to data on websites or in books, or by taking the item to an appraiser or antique collector.

Our Takeaway

You may estimate the market worth of antique Lenox China Patterns no matter the situation by using our guide to identifying and valuing them. But if you truly want to understand the worth and value of your vintage Lenox china patterns, we strongly advise that you go visit an expert appraiser.

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