# Currier and Ives ceramic dishes and the dishwasher....Safe?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/currier-and-ives-ceramic-dishes-and-the-dishwasher-safe/221532>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 29, 2003, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/currier-and-ives-ceramic-dishes-and-the-dishwasher-safe/221532 "2003-12-29T05:18:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\
**Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/currier-and-ives-ceramic-dishes-and-the-dishwasher-safe/221532/1 "2003-12-29T05:18:04Z")

</div>

Were the Currier and Ives collectible ceramic plates and such ever NOT dishwasher safe?

If the plates are not marked as such does that mean they AREN`T dishwasher safe?

What could happen if they were run through the dishwasher and they weren`t rated for it?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\
**Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/currier-and-ives-ceramic-dishes-and-the-dishwasher-safe/221532/2 "2003-12-29T11:38:37Z")

</div>

You could wash off the decoration. Automatic dish detergent is rather abrasive, and is known to wear off stuff like gold gilding. I’d never put in a dish that isn’t labeled dishwasher safe.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\
**Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/currier-and-ives-ceramic-dishes-and-the-dishwasher-safe/221532/3 "2003-12-29T12:43:21Z")

</div>

Is there any chance that the dishes could break or get chipped in the dishwasher?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bren_Cameron_1)\
**Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/currier-and-ives-ceramic-dishes-and-the-dishwasher-safe/221532/4 "2003-12-29T14:50:31Z")

</div>

I’m sure there’s a chance any china dish could break in the dishwasher. I also don’t doubt that paint might come off after a long time. I’ve seen glasses that were fogged over, etched by the dishwashing detergent.

That said, I own a bunch of currier and ives dishes. I rarely use them, but when I do I wash them in the dishwasher. I’ve never had any problems. I really doubt they’re officially “dishwasher safe,” since it was made in the fifties–or I think so, anyway.