STAFFORDSHIRE WESLEY FIGURE

Q: I have a Staffordshire statue of Charles Wesley standing in a pulpit. It belonged to my grandmother. Is it valuable?

A: The figure in your Staffordshire piece is probably John Wesley (1703-1791), not his brother, Charles (1707-1788). Both men were ordained in the Church of England. John is considered by many to be the founder of the Methodist church, although the church was not actually formed until after his death. Charles is best-known for the thousands of hymns he wrote. Several potters made different figurines of John Wesley in the late 1800s. There are even different versions of your figurine. The pulpit may be a different shape, the cherubim in a different place, and the hands on the clock in a different position. Value of your figurine: $300-$400.

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.

CENTENNIAL DESSERT SET

Q: My great-grandmother received a dessert set for 10 as a wedding present in 1896. We have 40 pieces, including a teapot, sugar and creamer, plates, and cups and saucers. It was manufactured by W.T. Copeland & Sons for J.M. Shaw & Co. New York. It says "A Memorial of the Centennial" and pictures George Washington. Are these worth anything?

A: W.T. Copeland & Sons was founded in 1847 in Stoke, Staffordshire, England. It became W.T. Copeland & Sons Ltd. in 1932. J.M. Shaw & Co. was an importer that sold Copeland's china in the 1870s. Your dessert set was made to commemorate the centennial of the United States in 1876. The set would be worth about $1,500 to $1,800 today because of the patriotic and commemorative decorations.

ABC PLATE

Q: I found this unmarked plate decorated with Benjamin Franklin's proverbs at an estate sale. It is 6 3/8 inches in diameter. Do you know who made it?

A: Children's alphabet plates, or ABC plates, were made by several potteries, including many in Staffordshire, England, beginning in the late eighteenth century and are still being made. They were popular until about 1860 and were used to help children learn to read. ABC plates were made of pottery, porcelain, metal, or glass. Most have embossed or printed letters around a central transfer design. Benjamin Franklin's maxims or proverbs and other "inspirational" sayings were often used on ABC plates. The same scene can be found on plates of different sizes. Benjamin Franklin wrote seventy-eight maxims or proverbs between 1733-1758 and published them in Poor Richard's Almanack under the title "The Way to Wealth." Mugs and other items were also made with alphabet decorations. The Staffordshire ABC plates sell for about $175. Perhaps we should still listen to Benjamin Franklin. The motto on this plate is: "For age and want save while you may. No morning sun lasts all the day."

HUMIDOR

Q: I would like to know what this was used for. The lid has a rubber seal and the finial seems to be brass. The whole thing is heavy. Can you explain the stampings on the bottom of it?

A: You have a humidor used to keep cigars fresh. The scene on the side is from the comic operetta "Les Cloches de Corneville" ("The Bells of Corneville"), which was first produced in Paris in 1877. Later it was made into a silent movie. The operetta was called "The Chimes of Normandy" when it opened in London and New York. It is one of the most popular French operettas and is still performed occasionally. We did a lot of research on the mark on your humidor and found a humidor like yours with a similar mark plus an additional mark that identifies the maker as Taylor, Tunnicliff & Co. The company was founded in 1867 by Thomas Taylor and William Tunnicliff in Hanley, Staffordshire, England. The pottery made humidors, biscuit jars, fairy lamp bases, and other items from 1868 to 1898. After 1898 the company specialized in making ceramics for the electrical industry. The company is now called Taylor Tunnicliff Ltd. and is located in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent. The A.F.C mark on your humidor is a mystery. It may be the artist's mark. Your humidor is worth about $150.

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.