RUSSIAN MARK

Q: I have two fancy china plates that have this mark on them. It looks Russian to me, but I haven't been able to find it in any book.

A: You are right, it's a Russian mark. It is one of several marks used by the Kornilov Brothers of St. Petersburg, Russia. The factory was founded in 1835 by V.M. Kornilova. Her sons were listed as the owners in 1839, and in 1886 the company became Kornilov Brothers. The company made fine porcelain and became the Purveyor of the Imperial Court in 1843. In 1886 it began to export porcelain. In the United States and Canada, Kornilov Brothers porcelain was sold through the famous store, Tiffany & Co. Since the country name is not included on your plates, they were made before 1891. The company was out of business by 1918. Value depends on the decoration on the plates, but they are probably worth over $300 each.