MY FIRST FRANCISCAN WARE

Q: I have used a set of Franciscan Apple dishes for over 60 years and my mother used them before me. I have one 8-inch plate that is marked "this is my first piece of Franciscan Ware." Can you tell me when these dishes were first made and why "this is my first" is stamped on one?

A: A piece of Franciscan Ware was given to each girl graduating from high school in the Los Angeles area in the 1940s-50s, probably marked like yours. We have seen an Apple mug with the "this is my first" marking. Franciscan dinnerware was made by Gladding, McBean and Company of Glendale, California. Gladding, McBean was founded in 1875 and began selling dinnerware and art pottery under the name Franciscan Ware in 1934. Two of the most popular Franciscan patterns are Apple, introduced in 1940, and Desert Rose, introduced in 1941. They are both still being made. Franciscan became part of the Wedgwood Group in 1979 and production was moved to Staffordshire, England.

WINNING THE LOTTERY

Winning the lottery is every collector's dream--a chance to buy whatever you always wanted. But a lottery winner in Indianapolis spent so much that the family couldn't pay the bills. So the contents of the house had to be sold in a huge liquidation sale ordered by the court. It took 25 people and four semi trucks to cart all the furniture and bric-a-brac to the auction house. They sold it using three auction rings all day. And of course many antiques dealers and collectors came to bid.

Included in the sale were hundreds of teapots, sets of dishes, 50 salt and pepper sets, bobble heads, glassware tables filled with over-sized Asian vases, two dozen china cabinets, church figures, large and small foo dogs, large carved furniture, many dining room and bedroom sets, and several huge gold Buddha statues. Many of the pieces were duplicates. We noticed they had a Berkey and Gay painted china cabinet, Drexel dressers, Baccarat, Fenton glass, Bohemian glass, Carnival glass, Lenox, Lladro, Franciscan, Royal Doulton, Nippon, Spode, Noritake, Limoges, McCoy, Royal Worcester and Royal Vienna pieces. There were also fifteen or more outdoor statues and fountains, and patio furniture.

The online bloggers couldn't believe it all came from one family. But one blogger claimed to know the family and to have been in their house. At least they bought antiques and collectibles instead of shoes. They enjoyed their purchases, recycled goods, and helped the economy.