Plural of crockery; collections of ceramic dishes, plates, bowls, and tableware made from earthenware or stoneware.
From crock (earthenware pot) plus -ery (place or collection suffix). Crockery emerged as a term in the 17th-18th centuries as pottery manufacturing expanded.
Crockery used to be a luxury item—before mass production, having a set of matching dishes showed you had wealth and stability, which is why 'fine china' remains a status symbol at fancy dinners.
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