It’s Magic!

An extremely rare, signed, self-published book by famed illusion builder Guy Jarrett sold for $60,000 to headline the early spring “Houdiana and Magic Memorabilia Event” at Potter & Potter Auctions. The 370-lot event in April realized $629,000. The top lot, Guy Jarrett’s (1881 – 1972) “Jarrett. Magic and Stage Craft Technical,” was self-published in 1936. […]

AAA Silver Spoon

Q: I’m curious about a spoon I picked up at a garage sale years ago. It has what appears to be the AAA (American Automobile Association) logo on the handle. The spoon is 6 inches long and is marked “International Silver Co.” Was this part of a set or given as a promotion? Can you […]

Chair Identification

Q: I am looking for information on this chair. I recently inherited it from my mother. I used your identification guide, but I’m not clear if I am interpreting it correctly. What can you tell me from this mark? A: This is an English registry mark. It was used on metal, wood, glass, and ceramics […]

Karlsbad Vase

Q: What can you tell me about this 12-inch vase? I found it in a garbage basket awaiting the garbage truck in the 1950s. The black dots near the center of the flowers are raised from the surface of the vase. The bottom is stamped with a green mark with a crown over the entwined […]

Haviland Chocolate Pot

Q: This pot is 9 1/2 inches tall with lid. The pot, and its accompanying demitasse cups and saucers, was a wedding gift to my grandmother, who was married in 1902. I’ve heard that it is a coffeepot but my grandmother always referred to it as a chocolate pot. I’ve never seen one with this […]

Duffner & Kimberly

Q: I bought this metal and wood object at an estate sale advertised on line last year. Two conical forms, one with a cover at the apex and the other without, are mounted on a rectangular piece of stained wood. Suspended between the two cones is a removable basket. All the metal pieces have a […]

Ginger Jar

Q: I’m trying to identify the maker of a porcelain ginger jar I bought recently. The mark includes a crown over a shield with the letters “UW” and “PF” intertwined. There’s a lion holding one side of the shield and a unicorn on the other side. Underneath that is a banner with “Porcelain 1879” printed […]

Vienna Austria Vase

Q: I inherited this porcelain vase from my mother-in-law, but I know nothing about it. It’s about 13 inches tall and the base is about 4 inches wide. It is marked with a green crown with two shields.  It’s signed, “M. Reiszmen, 1905.” Is this the artist? Can you provide any information about its history […]

M D Mark

Q: Can you identify this mark with the initials “M” and “D” beneath a tree? I’d like to know who the maker is and the age of this tray. A: This mark was used by Max Dannhorn, a company founded in Nuremberg, Germany, in 1872. The tree mark was registered in 1895. The number on […]

KPM Butterfly Dish

Q: I got this butterfly serving dish with gold handle as a wedding gift in 1957. It came from an antiques store in my town. It’s marked with a straight line above “KPM.” I’ve never found an exact match. I’d like to know more about it. A: The initials “KPM” were used by several German […]