Crazed Coffee Cups.

[Tilly2]

I have three really beautiful, old, Art Deco Crown Devon coffee cups that I bought from a bring and buy sale some years ago. I have never used them. The inside glaze is crazed in each of the mugs.

Yesterday, Mr Tilly made me a cup of coffee and used one of the cups. I poured it down the sink when he wasn't looking because I had it ingrained in me as a child that you must never drink out of a cracked cup.

These cups are crazed, not cracked. Is it safe to drink from them,do you think.

(I have posted this realising that you will think me a bit odd. I am.)

[tonyav]

Have they crazed with age or when they were made fired that way to give a crazed appearance, Yilly.

[Tilly2]

As they are old, Yont. I assume they have crazed with age. (a bit like me really!)

[Mosaic]

Basically I would say don't drink from them. The crazing is cracks in the glassy glaze. microbes are smaller than those cracks. Do the math. I dont think this would affect the crockery's resale value though.

[Tilly2]

I don't want to sell them, mosaic, they are really beautiful. My mum was right then...................germs!

[Mosaic]

I'd make a nice little display frame for them and hang em on a wall, permanently

[tonyav]

The reason I asked, Yilly, is I have seen china cups ect fired that way.

[Tilly2]

Yes, Yont. So have I.

I know it wasn't a daft question.

[tonyav]

I know it wasn't a daft question, I just wondered thats all.

[Tilly2]

I'm a wonderer, going round and round and round and round and round.

[Psybbo]

Why no fill them with Milton or bleach, wash well and use them?

[tonyav]

I love to go a wandering.............

[Tilly2]

Sibs, the bleach would get in the little fissures and then I might drink bleach!

[Psybbo]

...among the coffee cups

[Tilly2]

......and as I go.....

[Tilly2]

Mosaic, displaying them is a good idea. Can you make me a little shelving unit?

[Chipchopper]

"Still Crazy Atter All these years" Tilly ?
Use them and enjoy them, what don't kill you will make you stronger!

[diddlydo]

They'll be just fine to drink out of. Just don't put them in the dishwasher!

[Tilly2]

No, I won't, diddlydo. They are too delicate for the dishwasher.

[boxtops]

If they are crazed below the glaze, i.e. in the china itself, but you can't feel any cracks with your fingernail, then I'd count them as safe - but personally I wouldn't want to use them, I'd display them. There is also a current trend for using beautiful cups and saucers as candle stand - you can stand a tealight in them if you didn't want to put the wax directly into the cup.

[Tilly2]

I think you're right, boxy. Displaying them is the best option. Thank you.