This is a little old, but maybe it will help:

hazards from lead

Thanks, Les! I'll take a walk over there and see what it says.

I have a large collection of white English ironstone from the mid-1800's through the early 1920's. I decided to play it safe and not use it for food. However, my former in-laws did actually eat off of the 1900's J& G Meakin "Sterling Colonial" pattern dishes on a daily basis.

I've tried to research it and I get mixed results. There are some who say that the white is safe for non-acidic foods. Others say creamware has more lead. I know I recently read in some magazine that ironstone is safe to use, but I'll have to find that magazine and see if there is a way to contact them about their source of information.

My solution has been to use all of my white ironstone for decoration and buy new white dishes for food so that it all coordinates.

I just sent an email to my archaeologist son to see if some of his colleagues who specialize in pottery can find a definitive answer. He'll back at my house tonight, so I'll see what he thinks.

Cameron

My son just called me. He is going to ask a pottery expert.

Actually, the stuff I'm using now came from Walmart, $1.92 a plate or something, lol. But it was white with a raised relief pattern and I liked it! Just looked. Made in China. No surprise, just hadn't registered.

So, it would seem that, except for the high-fire stoneware I've made myself and use! (made in a food-safe college studio) everything else -- for my entire life, at that -- has probably not been food safe anyway. This would be an entirely new direction, I guess.

Does anyone out there actually use their vintage ironstone? Or other old china? or just collect for display?

Well I guess it's somewhat comforting to know I was only poisoning my kids on special occasions like Christmas and Thanksgiving! :P

I use old glassware but not old china. There was a discussion a while back about whether lead was in old "crystal" or not but I think we came to the conclusion that crystal was a term to describe the color of the glass (clear) and not indicative of it being leaded crystal. I do use the antique petalware in the monax color (it's a gorgeous translucent white glass) for every day.

What did you use for daily meals?

So, we're down to plain white paper plates and glass, I guess.

Like it isn't bad enough that I don't know what to eat anymore .... now I don't know what to put it on either, lol!

I was just reading that -- crystal was a no-no as I remember it, although I was just skimming over that part. Cut glass is often referred to as crystal but isn't the same material, just a more affordable alternative.

Here's what I was reading re crystal and glass:

Now, I've been looking at things like this -- do you think this is something to be concerned about too? Would you not buy pieces like this? I was thinking I could place plastic bags in them or something, too. If that doesn't get plastic into the food. I did find that Alco was made in China. Of course, the silly thing is, is that so much of the stuff is made overseas anyway and isn't to standard anyway if it's new.

{{!gwi}}

On leaded glass ... used for fine crystal glassware:

Lead is also commonly used in glass and enamel. color> In television picture tubes and computer video display terminals, lead helps block radiation, and the inner, though not the outer, portion of the common light bulb is made of leaded glass. Lead also increases the strength and brilliance of crystal glassware. color>Lead is used to make bearings and solder, and it is important in rubber production and oil refining.

Well, I use my grandmother's for serving and I am not sure how much lead it contains or remains in it but she lived to be 86 and my grandfather lived to be over 100 but was hit an 18-wheeler on his way to open his grocery store and it broke his back and he subsequently died from that, but I doubt it had a thing to do with the lead in the ironstone or pottery.

I had heard earlier that the lead in lead crystal was fine for most people, just not for children and pregnant women. Those of us over a certain age probably inhaled lots more in the leaded gasoline all those years than we would get from using the crystal! I have a large collection of Waterford and American cut glass that I inherited, but I rarely use it because I don't like to hand wash! I love to look at it, though!

lol :)

Do you use yours regularly, Patricia? That was their every-day dishware?

You wouldn't worry about using, say, vintage canisters like above?

It was their everyday stuff, Squirrel, but was probably "Sunday" when it started out. I use it for special occasions but at one time used it daily. It just reminds me of all the good food I ate from it. :)

What did I use for daily meals, Squirrel? Most of their childhood, Corningware. I still use the same set for everyday. I like how it resists breaking, and also how it stacks so flat in the cabinets.

Squirrel, I would not worry about the vintage cannisters. You know it's always something and the truth is, some of these things that have been considered so harmful turned out not being so harmful. I just think if all that had been so harmful, it would have eliminated mankind before now. I try not to buy anything with lead nowadays but goodness, I am sure my house was filled with lead paint when I was growing up, I ate off that old lead dinnerware, had my meals cooked in tin, iron and aluminum, got smallpox from the vaccination (which was the first case in my county in about 60 years), got MS which is believed to be from measles vaccination. Our house was sprayed constantly with DDT and our yards to prevent diseases, and yet, all of us have lived pretty normal lives except for the smallpox and MS that I have, which was caused by what government thought was in our best interests. Government control and science du jour worries me more than a cannister.

Thanks Patricia for your thoughts :) I tend to agree, but it is very confusing when you start reading about some of this stuff. It would seem, do better and be aware -- but you'll never get around it all or get out alive! I really like some of these old canisters and things. Wish the wooden topped ones above were still for sale! Even when I start thinking that I'll just put a plastic bag in there -- well, there's probably all sorts of plastic dust and residue in those things anyway. Maybe worse, who knows.

Don't you know -- I finally replaced my bathroom fixtures and got a cast iron tub so I can soak in a hot soothing bath! I read last night how the lead leaches out of the enamel in 77% of these and 25% of the steel ones do too. How depressing is that. Never would have occured to me -- I was more concerned with researching a quality tub that would last forever and retain some heat in a bath :) So, I'll be soaking in lead too, lol!

I think I'll get some of those home testing kits, just to see how bad things are, but I'm not gonna sweat it like I've been feeling right now. Good grief, I ingest these tiny little oh-so-potent chemicals every day directly, in the form of medicine!

It is truly a wonder our parents and we, too, have survived! My grandmother lived to 96 and in rather good health.

(Sorry to hear you have MS. Don't know much about it ... hope it is in the mild form :)

Home testing is a good recommendation. At least that's what the editors at Martha Stewart Living said when they published my question in the Q&A column in the magazine. This was some time ago when there was a family discussion on whether it was safe for the dog's health to have his biscuits in a McCoy planter. Anyway he lived to 16 and has been gone now 10 years.

Thanks Les, WonByHerWits, kgwlisa, Jana, Patricia, and GreatLakes for your thoughts and info on helping me figure out my own little dilemna :)

Have a happy holiday season!

Just mentioned these concerns to my 87-year-old Mum -- who commonly enjoys her evening sherry (medium or dry -- never sweet!) or her Manhattan (with rye and both vermouths, extra bitters) in a Waterford glass ......

She actually snorted (she's reading the newspaper) and mentioned many of the same points as Patricia .......Mum says that she must set off lead-and-radiation (she has survived breast cancer for 50 years) counters .....

Not to dismiss ANYone's feelings over the subject --- just another "pointed-and-direct" point of view. LOL!

Jan (who comes from a long line of women with pointed-and-direct points of view)

I actually had my white (with decoration...blue rims and red ones typcially) ironstone tested way back when this was a big deal. I also had my tanware (ironstone in tan) tested. Both were negative. I had several pieces tested since they come from different manufacturers.

The worst stuff is Majolica ware, and some highly decorated stoneware (painted). Most of the plain stuff is quite safe.

Yellow ware is safe, redware is not, and that completes the list of unsafe and safe items I've had tested. My lead crystal glasses???? Well lets just say we're not dead yet, and we drink A LOT of wine from them. I'm with Jan's mom on this one.

By the way, pewter and tin (antique) are typcially not safe because of lead. Just in case you're sipping a brew in a nice pewter tankered right now and chewing on an antique pull car...

Thanks for your thoughts! The whole thing has become very distressing and depressing. It does seem the old folks have done pretty well though :) Even with the crystal!! wow.

Interesting about the yellow ware. I was remembering Martha and her yellow ware just yesterday -- doesn't she actually use all that stuff .... Didn't find anything on her website yet though.

Glad to hear the ironstone tested alright. I'm getting the impression that's one of the safer ones. I think I'm gonna enjoy using a few things! Horrid to think of the pewter, though, hm.

Thanks! Have a happy holiday :)

Squirrel, don't worry, sweetie. Patricia is right about what our parents and our generation survived. For learning my Bible verses in the third grade, the Presbyterian church nuked me when they awarded me with a radioactive cross. Nice, huh? I used to suck on it and use it to read with under the covers after lights out. Heck, my older sis had a radioactive watch dial. The boys used to get radioactive sculls. Glow in the dark -- very cool.

I remember standing in the x-ray machines at Buster Brown Shoes -- we kids used to fight over the chance to put our feet in there and wiggle our toes just to see the bones. That was before the shoe salesmen started dropping like flies.

I dunno what happened to my sister's watch, or the radioactive cross, but wherever they are, they're still glowing. lol!

Patricia, I'm also sorry to hear of your MS. I hope it is in remission and stays there!

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to all!

lol, Oceanna -- never heard of those. Hmmm, xraying feet? That's scarey. Same with the xray salesmen -- they used to demonstrate on themselves.

(I was just telling my mom how we used to play with the funny mercury balls from broken thermometers!)

Happy Holidays!!

Patricia,

My mother was born in 1912 and had no vaccinations. But she did live her whole life in the northern hemisphere. She was diagnosed at 45 with MS and was told she probably had had it for 20 years. I too worry about the family history, not neccesarily for my self now, but for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Also am concerned about lead etc. But, in spite of those in my family who did not live a long life, many of them did live (and still are) living into their 80's, 90's and 100's. I don't think science as of yet has determined the exact cause of MS or many other diseases.

That said, I wish the very best to you and a long life even in the midst of living with MS! Many blessings for this coming new year.

DS1 has not heard from his friend. Grad students can be anywhere during the holidays! He tends to think that the English ironstone probably is okay, but still...he'd like to hear from his friend.

Thanks. I'd like to hear too :)

I have some antique ironstone serving dishes that get occasional use and are always out on display, and some yelloware mixing bowls that get used all the time. I just don't worry about it. Life's too short. : )

Ivette

Wow. I never even thought about this! Lead in the ironstone? I recently purchased and have loved using (over the holidays) a nice set of vintage Independence Ironstone from Japan... anyway to get information about that? I do love that I can use it in the microwave and it doesn't get hot, like my stoneware!

bloomin...

There are home self-test kits where you can swab the surface or something. Not expensive.

Thanks, squirrelheaven... I'll look for that!

bloomin...

got a cast iron tub so I can soak in a hot soothing bath! I read last night how the lead leaches out of the enamel in 77% of these and 25% of the steel ones do too.

Well, don't drink the bath water!

Regarding lead in china glazes and lead crystal: I would not worry too much about dinnerware, especially if it's china that is not used every day, other than highly colored decorative pieces. But I wouldn't store food in dishes about which I had any doubt, since the food would be in contact with the dish for much longer. I also wouldn't be afraid to use lead crystal (but I don't think I have any), but I wouldn't store wine in a crystal decanter.

lol, okmoreh. Don't you ever swallow water when you're swimming?

I guess it gets absorbed through the skin. I'm hoping Kohler was on to it and watches their enamels.

I think you're right about using the highly decorated ones or storing things in something with lead, is where to worry. Apparently liquids and acidic foods are the ones to worry most about.

I suppose at this point my body is so contaminated with toxic load that it makes little difference what I do anymore. My fate is sealed! Hate to think what's going on around here with that busy road out front.

Thanks all for your input!