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(ARA) – When Mary Carson accidentally broke a few pieces of her aunt’s china, she felt bad. When she found out that her aunt’s china pattern was discontinued, she felt terrible. “My aunt was very gracious about it, but I really wanted to replace those dishes,” says Carson. When she discovered Replacements Ltd., a North Carolina-based company that specializes in tracking down discontinued china, silver and crystal, she was relieved – and grateful to be able to replace her aunt’s dishes. “While I was looking for my aunt’s china, I registered my pattern as well, and got on Replacements’ mailing list, but never really gave it much thought,” Carson says.
Imagine her surprise when she got an e-mail from the company notifying her that her china pattern, Halls of Ivy by Noritake, had also been discontinued. “Until I received the e-mail, I didn’t even know that my pattern was discontinued,” she says. “It was only 11 years old, so I was a little shocked.”
Carson now knew where she could find her replacements and the piece she always wanted, a cake plate. There was just one catch – a quick check by Replacement’s research staff determined her pattern never included one.
“Not all china patterns include all the pieces people would like to own,” says Replacements’ Liam Sullivan. “While some patterns include cake stands or dessert trays, not all do. If the pieces were originally manufactured, they can be very rare, hard to find and expensive.”
After fielding thousands of letters, phone calls and e-mails from customers looking for serving pieces and other accessories such as clocks and cheese domes, Replacements began handcrafting these pieces for customers using actual pieces of original china from the company’s vast selection of discontinued patterns.
“We offer around 120,000 different china patterns,” says Sullivan. “The average cost of these special pieces runs between $25 and $100, and we will have one ready for you in 7 to 10 days,” he says. The experts at Replacements manufactured a cake plate for Carson. “I love it,” she says.
Now that her china pattern has been discontinued, Carson also likes knowing that she’ll still be able to replace dishes that are broken. “We’re moving soon, and there’s always that chance that something can happen,” says Carson.
Customers who are searching for a specific pattern can simply call 1-800-REPLACE or visit the company’s Web site, where they’ll find over 200,000 digital images that make it easy for people to identify their china. “If they know the manufacturer and the name of the pattern, that makes it really easy,” says Sullivan. However, the experts at Replacements can also research china using a photo or a photocopy of the front and back of a dinner plate.
The company prides itself on helping customers track down pieces they need, even if they’re not currently in stock. Customers can give Replacements a “wish list,” and the company will notify them when they have the piece available.
To learn more about the new Hand Crafted Pieces or to obtain a free listing of the pieces in your pattern, call Replacements at (800) REPLACE or (800) 737-5223 or visit their Web site at www.replacements.com.
Courtesy of ARA Content
