Can't you find similar plates, but new? Better safe than sorry!

I took a look at some of the Spode Woodland on ebay. Don't know if I was looking at the old or new, but it is very beautiful. You must be an animal lover! If you buy the older, it will only wear more over the years, and maybe you'll be wondering why you didn't get the new stuff when you purchased. If you get new, you can enjoy it without worrying about it for years and years.

How do you know which is the new and old on ebay?

Socks, You're right on all counts (reasons for getting new, and animal lover). You can tell the old from the new mostly by the description, they say whether it is new or used, and the condition will tell, and if all else fails I email them and ask. I like to email the seller before buying anyway because the nature of the reply (or if there even is a reply) tells me if I want to do business through the mail with this person. For example, there was a plate I really wanted and the person was so grumpy and uncooperative in a simple reply that I realized my gosh what are they going to be like after they have my money! so oh well, so much for that plate. Anyway, I think you are right about the new plates for food use. I really appreciate your input.

I quite often email ebayers with simple questions and even regular online stores just to see the promptness and nature of their response. It can tell you something about the vendor. If "nobody's home," we don't want to be doing business with them.

I have Spode Christmas dishes and have enjoyed them over the years. Have had a slight amount of cracking on the green paint around the edge with them.

Have a pleasant Thanksgiving holiday, and I hope you get some dishes you like. If you get some nice new ones, the set could become a family heirloom.

I have a Staffordshire transferware for my every-day dishes....had them for more than 45 years....
Yep some have crackeling of the glaze.....and I do suppose that some microbes might enter those cracks...
But it doesn't worry me....I figure that after being in the dishwasher they are likely clean as anything else.
Linda C

Socks, interesting about the Spode Christmas plates, I have a whole bunch of blue and white transferware Spode plates and find they chip very easily.

Linda, hmmm, that is very interesting, and good news. Thanks much for that point of view, now I'm getting hope back again to have the prettier older ones. Do you ever use your old plates in the microwave?

Being a certified ceramic instructor, the answer to your question is, no, do not use crazed dishes for reasons you mentioned.

Having said that, my parents used crazed older dishes for 72 years and were in excellent health.