How should I clean dirty antique plates?

Wash them by hand in warm water. Use a mild soap and a soft cloth rather than abrasive sponges. Dry the plates immediately with a soft towel. Leaving them to drain can cause hard water spots to form on the surface.

I have inherited some plates that have small wire frames attached to the back for hanging on the wall, should I take these off?

Leave the wire hangers on unless you plan to use the plates for dining. Old wire frames often grip the rim tightly. Pulling them off can easily chip the glaze or cause fritting on the edges. If the wire is rusting, you might want to replace it. Snip the old wire carefully with pliers rather than dragging it across the porcelain surface.

Can they go in the dishwasher?

Never put them in a dishwasher. The harsh detergents and high heat ruin the finish. They strip the overglaze red enamel and gold detailing fast.

There are small rough patches on the underside of my plate that look like grit caught in the glaze, is this normal for older pieces?

Those are usually spur marks or kiln grit. Potters rested the plates on small clay spurs in the kiln to stop them sticking to the surface below during firing. When the spurs broke off, they left small unglazed dots. Ash and grit also circulated in wood-fired kilns and sometimes settled into the cooling glaze. It is a standard feature of early production.

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Antique Imari Plates

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Antique Imari plates are Japanese export porcelain wares defined by their bold palette. Combining underglaze blue with overglaze iron red and gilding, they were made in Arita from the late seventeenth century. Merchants shipped them to Europe from the port of Imari to furnish aristocratic dining rooms.