Quake Relief Served With Fine China to Victims : Assistance: A Santa Maria maker of porcelain wares has donated 8,000 plates, cups and saucers for those who lost dishes in the temblor.

The Salvation Army has always provided emergency supplies and relief after a disaster--but fine china?

Thanks to Golden State Porcelain Inc. of Santa Maria, that’s exactly what may be available at some centers later this month.

The company, which manufactures china for such brands as Mikasa, Fitz & Floyd, Dansk, and Tiffany & Co., recently donated about 8,000 plates, cups and saucers to the Salvation Army for earthquake victims who need dishes. The china usually sells for $100 to $150 for a five-piece set.

“It may sound like extravagance in a time of need, but this is what we make, and this is what we can offer to people,” said Brent Boyer, a spokesman for Golden State Porcelain. “We’re just trying to pitch in.”

The company didn’t send the Salvation Army its finest stock, opting instead for a mish-mash of “cosmetic seconds,” or items with slight blemishes, “blanks” or undecorated dishes, and discontinued patterns.

But according to Boyer, “For someone not in the business, most of the defects would not be noticeable.” He said the company throws away anything that is chipped.

Capt. Neil Timpson of the Salvation Army, who is handling the donation, moved the china into a lockup because he was afraid it would break in a Bell warehouse. He said the Salvation Army plans nothing out of the normal for the china.

“If they’re plates, and people need plates, we’re not going to hold them because they’re china,” Timpson said. “We’re going to do a check to see who needs dishware, and if a family needs dishware, they may receive this.”

Timpson said the Salvation Army plans to sort through the different dishes and put them together into good-looking sets.

“I opened one box today and it was Mikasa. Very nice stuff,” Timpson said.

It will be three to four weeks before the china is distributed, Timpson said, because the Salvation Army is still focused on emergency relief. He said he didn’t know exactly what centers will be distributing the china.

The Salvation Army has received many requests for dishware, especially in the San Fernando Valley, said spokesman Russell Prince.

To help meet the demand, Corningware announced Thursday that it will donate a truckload of dishware to the Salvation Army Command Center in Van Nuys.