Wait for someone to verify, but this chart says 1940-1963 (see bottom) for Sunshine mark J & G Meakin (Ltd) (thepotteries.org)
I see a lot of 'crazing', but that's also an interesting texture!! Do ALL of the pieces have that amount of 'crazing'??
I agree with Kiko, 1940-63 seems right for the style of decoration. I'm afraid these dishes, though pretty, would be a hard sell in my neck of the woods (Midwestern USA)... even without the extensive crazing. But you never know for sure until you try! Personally, I'd put the set on Craigslist/FB Marketplace for $50 and see if there were any bites. Others may feel I'm underpricing, however.
Ok! No the crazing is only on roughly one of each kind , the others are in great shape ( the top ones got more exposure to air and such).Thanks!
Hello @Elaine Saulnier & welcome to the forum!! I agree with @bluumz about these dishes. They would be a very difficult sell in SC also. A lot of people refer to these types of dishes as "Grandma dishes" because that is the style that everyone's Grandmothers had & used for family dinners. Unfortunately, most folks no longer have big family dinners served on the "good china" anymore & these would have to be hand-washed due to the gold trim so that would be another reason folks would not want them. I have my Mother's china that she bought when I was about 10 & will likely never part with it. I have it all displayed in my china cabinet but it hasn't come out in the 8 years we have lived in this house. The main reason being that it has platinum trim so it would have to be hand-washed & quite frankly after cooking all day the last thing I want to do is hand wash dishes. Besides no one at my table would care besides me because they don't have the memories of them that I do. So I am content just walking by that cabinet every day & just looking at them. Until someone like Oprah starts touting this type of dishes they will likely be pushed to the bottom shelf to collect dust.
I still have my "fine china" received as a wedding gift in 1995... in sealed boxes. It's never seen the light of day. And the maker/pattern doesn't appear to be desirable for resale (Mikasa Classic Flair peach). When I was doing the gift registry for my wedding shower, my mother convinced me that I had to have "good" china as well as everyday dishes. Well, I've never hosted a formal dinner in my life.
The thing about picking a china pattern especially when you are young is that your tastes will certainly change as you get older & then you have this set of dishes you really no longer like. I did not get my Mother's china until I was 40. We did use to use it for holidays as well as other special occasions & I know they would begrudgingly along with it if I insisted but... I am not sure what will happen to it someday but hopefully maybe one of my nieces might want to take it.
The lower registry mark is probably the shape, circa 1888. The other will be the decoration, circa 1899.
