QUIMPER POTTERY CASSEROLE DISH

Q: I picked up this casserole marked Keraluc at a flea market and have been unable to find any information about it. Can it be real Quimper, or do you think it is a fake, and what would it be worth?

A: Pottery marked Quimper was made in the town of Quimper, France. The first Quimper pottery was established in 1685. Two other potteries using the Quimper name were established in the 1700s. Typical designs on Quimper pottery include peasants, the sea, and flowers. Keraluc was founded in the town of Quimper in 1947 by Victor Lucas, who had worked at two of the Quimper potteries. Designs were more contemporary than those made at the original Quimper potteries. The company was reorganized and operated under the name Stylform from 1985 to 1993, when it was bought by the Socit Nouvelle des Faienceries de Quimper. Your casserole dish was made in the town of Quimper between 1947 and 1985. Value, $25.

THE BEST OF OUR BLOG

Here's our favorite blog post from the March 10 ezine. It includes more information on the dangers of using bleach:
For pots that may have been washed with a bleach based product repeatedly or simply soaked in bleach, we would suggest a simpler, more environmentally friendly approach.

You should soak the piece in a solution of white vinegar and water. The purpose of the vinegar is to neutralize the effects of the bleach and stop the disintegration of the piece. After soaking the piece in the vinegar solution, clean and soak in distilled water to remove the vinegar.

Should you need to lighten the crazing lines on a piece, never use bleach. Instead, use hydrogen peroxide, the kind sold at the beauty stores for bleaching hair. You can soak the piece in the peroxide, then wash well and soak in distilled water. (Use gloves.) Some pieces may need more soaking than others.

Lenore Gusten
Gusten's Restoration Studio
http://www.gustens.com/

ARTHUR WOOD JACK AND THE BEANSTALK PITCHER

Q: I have a Jack and the Beanstalk pitcher. It's 8 1/2 inches high with a figural giant handle. The maker's stamp on the bottom is "Arthur Wood" on a banner over a globe. How old is it and is it a collectible?

A: Arthur Wood established a pottery at the Bradwell Works in Longport, Stoke-on-Trent, England, in 1904. The pottery made earthenware and was known for its teapots. In 1928 it became Arthur Wood & Son. The mark you describe was used beginning c.1934. The company is now part of the Rayware Group. Value of your pitcher, about $200.

ADVICE FROM OUR READERS

Thanks to all the readers who gave advice about the disintegrating art pottery we wrote about in last week's tip. They suggested the cause was mice, hatching insect eggs, termites, pressboard or Chinese drywall fumes, or an old chlorine bleach cleaning. Other suggested causes include a change in humidity or altitude or temperature. Or possibly the pottery froze while being shipped; then when it defrosted, it chipped. And don't ignore the possibility of old repairs. Here are a few of the most interesting suggestions in the blog. We haven't tried any of these, so be careful. For more, go to (Tip, March 3).

Petercdale, in two posts, said:

It sounds like the pottery was washed in a bleach-like liquid. You must cut off the air around that. A first good step must be to spray a clear lacquer glaze in matte and/or gloss over the whole piece inside and outside. This seals the item from air that is probably causing crystals to form through the normally unseen craze lines and under the outer layer of glaze. The crystals form from the digestion of the middle layer of clay. Pottery and similar items are formed in 3 layers--outside glazing, than clay, and then by inner glazing.


This also may have contributed to the problem: The difference in expansion/contraction characteristics which has the inner layer of clay expanding and contracting at a different rate than the inner/outer glaze does. This forms the craze lines you now see. So it could be the combination of craze lines absorbing cleaning liquids that force the outer glaze to crumble. Again, wipe it carefully to knock off any loose stuff, then spray them. The lacquer glaze easily comes off later by dipping in acetone, lacquer thinner or MEK. Lacquer thinner of the three is my choice. Observe the warnings on the chemical cans and lacquer spray glaze can and wear rubber gloves and approved mask. These may all be available in an auto supply store (Pep Boys or Auto Zone or a pro paint store). Good Luck.

John wrote: One of my customers had the same thing happening. She found out that her grandchildren were throwing darts at the wall!!

Anonymous said: Could this be related to the corrosive effects of Chinese-manufactured drywall? See links below.


http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/11/23/chinese.drywall/index.html

http://www.chinesedrywall.com/

FLOW BLUE PLATES

Q: My sisters and I recently inherited seven flow blue plates from my mother. The plates depict historical events and are marked with the name of the scene, "Staffordshire, England," and "R&M Co." inside a diamond. Some of the titles are "Ride of Paul Revere, April 18, 1775," "Battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775," and "Washington Prayer at Valley Forge, 1777." Can you give us some information about these plates along with estimated value?

A: The "R&M Co." mark on your plates was used by Rowland and Marsellus, an American importing company in New York City. The company was in business from c.1893 to 1938 and used this mark from c.1893 to 1900. Rowland & Marsellus is best known for its souvenir wares and many American views were made. Plates like yours sell for about $45 each.

KOVELS TOP 10 TIPS TO BUYING SMART IN 2010

In spite of the economy, antiques can still be fun and could be profitable. Here are some collectibles that seem ready to go up in price over the next few years. So go to garage sales, flea markets, malls, and shops and look around. Even if you don't spend any money, the walking is good exercise and it's an inexpensive way to spend the day. Good luck--go find a treasure.

1. Chinese and Japanese furniture from the nineteenth century, whether dark wood or lacquered, is down in price and not selling well at auction. If you like it, buy it.
   
2. 
   
   Carved wooden sculptures made after 1920 are now low-priced, but they're starting to sell at top auction houses. Look for works at least 12 inches high by known artists like Hans Hagenauer.
   
   
3. Eighteenth-century Chippendale desks with dropdown fronts are very low-priced because they are not practical as computer desks. Some desks have an open area near the drawers in the dropdown section. It can store a laptop--a new idea that makes the desk usable again. Prices will go up.
   
   
4. Enameled metal ashtrays, bowls, vases, and jewelry were very much in style in the 1950s. They were made with colorful, often abstract, decorations. Out of style until the 1990s, they are still low-priced. Buy pieces that are covered front and back with enamel. If a copper back shows, it was probably made by an amateur. Buy signed pieces for best resale value.
   
   
5. 
   
   Japanese kaiju (meaning "strange beast" or "monster") toys have been the rage in Japan for over 25 years. (Think Godzilla.) Plastic and metal toys between 2 inches and several feet tall sell in Japan and in a few shops in other countries. Early kaiju toys are selling for hundreds of dollars. As interest grows, so will prices of newer toys--the way the prices of robot toys grew.
   
   
6. Look for old, working electrical household goods like electric fans, toasters, typewriters, telephones, television sets, computers, and even early handheld electronic games. There are collectors for all of these, usually people who like to repair the items. Often the old item is of little value until repaired, but prices are in the hundreds of dollars for the right make and model in working condition.
   
   
7. DIY works for antiques too. Dig your collection of bottles and it is bound to be profitable. Search attics, river beds, Grandma's house and garage sales for unrecognized treasures.
   
   
8. Furnish your garden and patio with antiques--planters, statues, pieces of old buildings, old flower pots, tools, fences, and even birdhouses and birdbaths. Prices have been going up for large statues, fountains, and urns. Gardening is another way to join the movement of "going green." A collectors garden should always have extra space near plants for collectibles.
   
   
9. Some things seem underpriced for no apparent reason: Glidden pottery, 1960s designer furniture made of metal, 1950s wooden costume jewelry, modern-design aluminum serving pieces.
   
   
10. Buy what you love. There is the joke of the damn fool theory of collecting: "If I was damn fool enough to buy this, there must be another damn fool who will buy it from me.

FAKE POTTERY

Fake artifacts aren't all bad. For years, a trip to Mexico or Egypt included a chance for a tourist to buy old pottery pieces that were sold as antiquities. Some were genuine, stolen from graves and other sites. Some were modern copies of the old. These relics, old or new, were sold to middlemen who sold them to tourists. Now forgers are using eBay to sell fakes at better prices than they can get for the real thing. The result is that buyers have to deal with more fraud, but there is less unauthorized digging for antiquities at archaeological sites. Even experts admit that it is getting more difficult to identify fakes without looking in person at the actual objects. (based on an article by Thomas Claburn in Information Week)

SHANGHAI ENGLAND PLATE

Q: I have a piece of blue and white pottery with this diamond-shaped mark on the bottom. I found it during an archeological excavation. I haven't been able to identify the maker. Can you help?

A: The mark with "W" in a diamond was used by W. & E. Corn c.1900. "Shanghai" is the pattern name. Edward Corn founded a pottery at Burslem, Staffordshire, England, in 1850. His sons, William and Edward, took over the pottery c.1864. William died in 1885. The pottery moved to Longport in 1890. After Edward's death in 1891, his sons Alfred and Edmund took over the pottery. The pottery continued to operate as E. & E. Corn until 1904.

J & G MEAKIN

Q: This little pitcher was left in a house I bought seven years ago. I use it as a container for some of my odd-shaped spoons. We've decided to sell our house and its contents and I'm wondering if this pitcher is valuable. I read that if the word "England" is not in the mark, the item was made before 1890, which makes this pitcher about 120 years old. Naturally, the pitcher that stood on my counter for seven years was suddenly wrapped carefully and put in a box to keep it from getting damaged. It has a little chip on the base. Is it valuable?

A: The McKinley Tariff Act of 1891 mandated that china and some other goods imported to the U.S. had to be marked with the country of origin. The maker could use a paper label or include the country in the mark. Several members of the Meakins family made pottery. James and George Meakin built the Eagle Pottery in Hanley in 1859. Another brother, Charles, founded Eastwood Pottery in Hanley in 1883. It became part of J. & G. Meakin in 1888 and the company name became J. & G. Meakin Ltd. in 1890. Earthenware was made at the Eastwood Works until 1959 and at Eagle Pottery until c.1980. The company became part of the Wedgwood Group in 1970. Pottery was sold under the Trade Name "Bull in a China Shop" beginning in 1980. Production ceased by 2000. Since your pitcher includes "Eastwood" in the mark but not "England," it was probably made between 1888 and 1891. The piece is useful but not decorative and is not rare. The chip lowers the value to under $25.

ETRURIA CRETONA

Q: I have a large vase with these marks on the bottom. Can you tell me anything about it?

A: This mark was used on pottery made at the Etruria Works in Trenton, New Jersey, from 1863 to 1894. The pottery, Bloor, Ott & Booth, was founded by William Bloor, Joseph Ott, and Thomas Booth in 1863. Booth retired in 1864 and John Hart Brewer, Ott's nephew, became a partner in 1865. The company name became Ott & Brewer after Bloor retired in 1871. The name "Etruria" copied the name of a pottery established by Josiah Wedgwood in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England, in 1769. The crown mark further promotes the image of English-quality china. Cretona is the name of the pattern. Large Cretona vases sell for about $150.

EBAY TRIES YET AGAIN

Ebay has again rewritten its policy on counterfeits in its Purchase Protection Policy. AuctionBytes.com interviewed John Pluhowski, an eBay spokesperson, to get clarity. The word "non-authentic" has been changed to "counterfeit" because it refers to illegal items prohibited on eBay (like fake Rolex watches, we assume). It does not include pieces described as "authentic Chippendale," evidently because Chippendale is not a trademarked brand. We are still confused. Are only modern brands with intellectual property rights, like Coca-Cola or Chanel, protected by the new policy? And are antique pieces described, for instance, as "Schimmel" folk carvings or "Ohr" pottery protected instead by eBay's "item not as described" policy? In the second case, if eBay has to settle the dispute, the seller could be in trouble.

HOMER LAUGHLIN DISHES

Q: I have a set of dishes that was stored at a duck hunting club for many years. Can you tell me anything about the pattern and when it was made?

A: Homer and Shakespeare Laughlin, two brothers, began making pottery in East Liverpool, Ohio, in 1871. The pottery became Ohio Valley Pottery in 1874. Later it became Homer Laughlin China Company. In 1897 William Edwin Wells and Louis I. Aaron became the owners of the pottery. Members of their families still operate the company. The headquarters moved to Newell, West Virginia, in 1907. Homer Laughlin China Company is one of the most prolific producers of dinnerware in the United States. The company estimates that between 25,000 and 30,000 different patterns have been made. The peacock mark was used on the Wells shape and on some Century, Jade and Orleans shape dishes from 1930 to the 1940s. Your dishes are Century shape, which was made from 1931 to c.1951. The pattern is Briar Rose. Many Homer Laughlin dishes were sold in Montgomery Ward catalogs in the 1930s.

TIP FROM A READER

Be careful using a thick piece of old pottery in the microwave. If it has been in water and absorbed some in its "pores," it may break. When heated in the microwave, the water may expand into steam and crack the dish. I know this from sad experience.

EPIAG MARK

Q: I have a set of dishes which were given to me by my mother in 1948 as a wedding gift. Who made this set and how old is it?

A: This arm and stiletto mark was used by Springer & Co. of Elbogen, Bohemia (now Loket, Czech Republic), one of the potteries that was part of EPIAG. The pottery was founded in 1815 by Rudolf Eugen Haidinger and Eugen Haidinger and operated under various names and owners. It became Springer & Co. in 1885 and joined OEPIAG, an association of potteries, in 1918. In 1920 the name of the association was changed to EPIAG (First Bohemian Porcelain Industry). This mark was used from 1941 to 1945. The pottery was nationalized in 1945 and became part of Starorolsky Porcelain.

JAPY FRERES

Q: This blue Delft clock was given to me by an elderly friend in 1972. It is marked "Royal Bonn Delft" and "Bailey, Banks & Biddle, Philadelphia." On the back of the clock is a medallion that says "Japy Freres & Cie Grd Med. D'Honneur." Can you tell me about the clock?

A: Royal Bonn was the trade name used by Franz Anton Mehlem, who had a pottery in Bonn, Germany, from 1836 to 1931. Bailey, Banks & Biddle is a jewelry store founded in Philadelphia in 1832 that now has locations across the United States. The clock was probably sold at its Philadelphia store. Japy Freres & Cie. made the movement for your clock. The words "Grd Med. D'Honneur" indicate that Japy Freres was awarded the Grand Medal of Honor, the highest award, at the close of the Paris exposition in 1855. Your clock was probably made between 1855 and 1867, when another Exposition Universelle was held in Paris. It would sell for up to $600.

WILLIAM ADAMS

Q: I recently bought a dish with this mark for $5. I have been doing research but only find information on William Adams and Sons. This mark is just William Adams. When was this mark used?

A: Members of the Adams family began making pottery in the Staffordshire area of England almost 600 years ago. The name "William Adams" appeared in several generations. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, there were three different potteries operated by cousins named "William Adams." One of them established a pottery at Greengates, Tunstall, in 1789. After he died, the pottery was operated by his son, then changed hands again, and later was bought by another William Adams (b.1798-d.1865). Your mark is loosely based on the English royal coat of arms and includes the English monarch's motto, "Dieu et mon droit" ("God and my right"). Marks similar to yours were used 1896-1949. Marks were sometimes copied, so it is impossible to date the piece without handling it. We have seen recent dishes with a similar old-looking mark.

BUFFALO POTTERY CANISTER SET

Q: My story begins like most others--with a box discovered in Mom's attic. While unpacking a carton, I found a Buffalo Pottery canister with the word "Oatmeal" on it. The bottom is stamped 1906. Not only did I find eight more canisters, but there were covers for each of them. Others were marked "Currants," "Prunes,"Raisins," "Rice," "Coffee," "Tea" and two that say "Sugar." Tell me about my treasures.

A: Your canisters are part of a "soap opera." The Larkin Co. was founded in Buffalo, N.Y., in 1875 by John D. Larkin. The company manufactured soap. One of Larkin's innovative marketing ideas was to eliminate the "middleman" and sell directly to customers. He offered merchandise premiums to encourage customers to buy more soap. As the premium business grew, Larkin made the pottery, glassware, leather, textiles, and furniture that were premiums. In 1901 the Larkin Co. founded the Buffalo Pottery Co. to make dishes and other ceramics to use as premiums and to sell in retail showrooms. In the 1920s and '30s, the pottery shifted to the manufacture of hotel and institutional ware. Larkin Soap Co. went out of business in the mid 1940s. The Buffalo Pottery trademark is still in use.
Your canister set was made in 1906, but was never listed in a Larkin catalog. There was probably also a canister marked "Flour."

MORE RECORD PRICES

A Joseon Dynasty (c.1800) Korean blue and white porcelain jar set a world record at auction at Bonhams & Butterfields in San Francisco when it sold for $4.18 million.

DARBY & JOAN TEAPOT

Darby and Joan

Q: I have had this teapot for many years. There is an old woman on one side and an old man on the other. There is a mark on the bottom and the words "Darby & Joan" and "Tony Wood." Who were Darby and Joan?

A: It was common for women in the 17th century to call their husband by his last name rather than his first name. Darby and Joan were John Darby, probably a printer, and his wife, Joan, who lived in Bartholomew Close, an area of London, about 1700. They became famous when a ballad was written about them about 1756. They were also mentioned in writings, plays, and a ballet during the early 1800s. The characters are well-known in England and their names are used to describe an old, happily married couple of modest means. There are even Darby and Joan Clubs in The United Kingdom that hold dances and other social events for senior citizens. Tony Wood, a descendant of the 18th-century English potter Ralph Wood, operated a pottery in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England, from 1980 to the mid 1990s. He made novelty teapots, toby mugs, and other ceramic items. The novelty teapots usually sell for under $20.

N IN C MARK

N in C Mark

Q: I have a vase with this N in C mark as well as several other letters and numbers stamped or inscribed on it. Who made it and how old is it?

A: This N in C mark was used by Newcomb Pottery, founded in 1895 at Sophie Newcomb College, a women's college in New Orleans. The pottery continued through the 1940s. Students at the college decorated pottery formed by men. Throwing pots was not considered a suitable occupation for women.

Several other marks can be found on pieces of Newcomb Pottery. Initials of the decorator and potter were incised on the bottom of the piece. A date letter code was used from 1901 to 1942. The year was indicated by one or two letters. Single letters A through Z were used until sometime in 1903, when double letters AA, BB, etc., were used. In 1904 the double letter system changed to AA, AB, AC, etc., until the last date letter code, ZY, was used in 1941.

Each piece of Newcomb Pottery was unique. The number after the date letters indicates the number of the piece. There were 100 numbered pieces for each letter or letter combination.