Are you sure that no one touched it? Is the cabinet getting any direct sunlight that might be heating up the china?

I googled and the link below came up. It seems to explain why some pieces might crack.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cracking china

Thank you Chispa for finding that explanation. The china cabinet is in a corner of my kitchen far away from any direct sunlight, so I suppose the information at the link explains it. It's heartbreaking, but I'll repair the piece and use it (and the other cracked pieces) for display. Sigh

Sure looks like the victim of an accident, however if it is just a crack and not broken all the way through then perhaps the explanation in the link is possible. Sorry it happened to such a pretty and favorite piece.

When I read the subject line of this thread, I thought maybe you were talking about heat cracks. I've had that happen when I've poured hot liquids into fine bone china. I try to pour the liquid over a teaspoon as it goes into the pot or cup. Somewhere I read that this helps, not sure it it's true or not.

I have read about that happening. Something to do with stressed areas that aren't visible. Don't remember the details. I think you might be able to detect a problem piece by pinging on it. It will sound different.

Heartbreaker!!!! Beautiful china though :) What a gorgeous print.

Jeez this makes me think I need to start watching my china more carefully!

alermar:

Do you have teenagers or preteens? Do teenagers and/or preteens have access to the China?

Thank you all for commiserating. I can't imagine that any of the kids (ages 19 & 17) would have gone into the china cabinet -- there's nothing else in there. Honestly, I don't know if they even "see" the china. I think it's more of a systemic problem -- I only use the plates twice a year, and I've noticed that plates I've put away are cracked the following year when I go to use them. That didn't surprise me (although it upset me), because they do get used. But I've never used the serving dishes in the 10 years that I've had the china (I'm usually way too unorganized to swap my regular serving dishes for the nice ones lol). I'm terrified of having to move the china to the new kitchen (at the rate we're going, that won't be for at least another year though).

It is beautiful china. If you need replacement pieces to use rather than display, there is a good selection of your pattern on Ebay. Some of the pieces are pricey but I've been able to economically add to my discontinued pattern by creating a "Watch List." I get a daily email whenever a piece of my pattern is listed for sale. I've been adding pieces for a couple of years & have gotten some excellent bargains.

Brilliant idea Romy -- I hadn't thought of doing a watch list. I doubt i'll be purchasing anytime soon, since all my $$$ is going to my new kitchen ;) But it's a great idea to start watching.

The pattern is also available on replacements.com, sometimes its easier to use than ebay.

I have a Fitz & Floyd pattern that rarely is available on Ebay or Replacements. I've been trying to add dinner plates for a couple of years. Currently, there is an Ebay seller that has been intermittently listing individual dinner plates in my pattern. I've gotten a couple for as low as $10 per plate.

I'm reviving and old thread, but the link about the reason for china cracking doesn't seem to be right anymore.

I'm so upset. I have beautiful Wedgwood bone china, and a number of the dinner plates seem to be spontaneously cracking. They're kept in a cabinet, away from any direct sources of heat or anything else. I just don't know what to do.

Any suggestions?

I have the same issue. Large cracks in our Wedgewood plates. Why is this happening? It is the California style.

My never-used bone china Wedgwood teapot from 1982 spontaneously broke in two this morning. I've always kept it in my china cabinet with no sunlight on it. My daughter suggested a ghost lived inside and needed to get out :)

When I had my roof replaced several of my China pieces broke. Could something have shaken the floor near by even if no one touched it?

I had 2 old plates with ruffled edges (from the 60's) that were in perfect condition. one just spontaneously split in two while on my kitchen table before food was even put on the plate! the other split the same way while sitting in my sink...wonder if the age of the glass has some bearing on this?

I have Wedgewood, Royal Doulton, Royal Crown Derby and Royal Albert sets and have lost a couple pieces when I have neglected to soak regularly......:(((((

I have my mother’s 40 yr old old country roses China and noticed a couple of pieces shattered in the cabinet when I went to collect it. She used it maybe twice in its lifetime. I brought it home and soaked a few pieces in the sink for a few hours and when lifting out one of the pieces it broke. How can I save the rest of the set?

I have the same problem - one saucer in a coffee set, not used in over 20 years, and one Doulton figurine (my favourite of 5), all sitting in China cabinets in my dining room, away from sun/heat. I live alone so I know no one has been near them. I'm wondering if the soaking someone suggested is required for figurines

- I've not heard of this before.

I'm also interested to know if my figurine can be repaired?

My Mum lost her fine bone China due to spontaneous cracking. Will using a dehumidifier help or make it worse?

**We live in a humid, tropical country.

Goodness, if old fine china requires so much maintenance and is used so little, is it worth it?

If the China is used on a regular basis there’s no issue. My mom used it maybe 6 times over 40+ years and that’s the problem. If you have the good stuff, use and enjoy it.

I have had a similar problem with my fine china. I rarely use it except for holidays or dinner parties. What I found was that when I stacked the plates too high, the weight caused the plate on the bottom to crack. No longer made, but I was able to get a plate from one of the replacement china websites. Now I am more careful about stacking!

For many of us fine bone china sets are usually inherited heirlooms. Most grateful for any advice on maintaining the longevity of the precious pieces.

Ive read that you should store plates in their rims and if not possible, stack no more than 4. Also leaving your china cabinet doors open once a month, apparently it lets out the heat that a cabinet can hold.

Several pieces (more than 10) of my 40 year old, turquoise Florentine Wedgewood china also have those spontaneous cracks. The top of my soup tureen has the same crack as the one in the picture on above and a 17 " serving platter. It's really frustrating because I have older fine bone china dinnerware sets and they are perfectly fine. My husband says there was a flaw in the pieces. I've never heard of having to soak the china or having to open the doors of a china cabinet. If that were the case, then Wedgewood should have told me to do that when I bought it. I went to the Wedgewood factory took a tour, bought the dinnerware and had it shipped home to the states. I contacted Wedgewood and they said it was not their problem.

I am 71 years old, and was told in my youth, as a young mom, that if I am not using the pieces, which I didn't except for Christmas and Easter & special occasions, to put a cup of water in the cupboard. I now use some of them as daily dishes, but still put a cup of water in each cupboard when I fill up the small container to put in the cupboard, with the ones I rarely use. I want to keep in good condition for my kids, for when I'm pushing up daisies.

I am reviving this thread again. My inherited my grandmother's Royal Worcester china from the late 1920's (so 100 years old). Several luncheon plates and one serving plate have spontaneously cracked (about 1/3 broke off). I can vouch that this does happen. I have been very careful about not stacking them too high. I live in a very dry state. I am not sure if it is the dry climate or the fact that we live not too far from an earthquake fault. We haven't had an earthquake, but I wondered if tiny seismic movements might have made them jiggle enough to make them crack. Maybe I will try the cup of water in the cabinets.

Yes china does get old and spontaneously crack. As my husband always says: nothing lasts forever. I have my grandmother’s set of Medway Alfred Meakin plates (the same set was also used in the hit series “Outlander”). It was in storage for years in my sisters garage, carefully wrapped and boxed,she gave them to me. Several pieces were cracked when I took them out for use. I now use them daily. They remind me of her and the wonderful series: Outlander.