Georges Briard Cheese Board

Q: We got a Georges Briard cheeseboard as a wedding present in 1960. I’ve heard midcentury modern is popular now. It has this mark burned into the wood on the back. Who was Georges Briard? Is this a collectible item?

A: Georges Briard is a name used on items made by Ukrainian-born American designer and painter Jascha Brojdo (1917-2005). He was born Jakub Brojdo but changed his name to Jascha when he came to the United States in 1937. He painted metal trays for M. Wille, Inc., of New York City beginning in 1947. Early trays were signed “Brodjo.” The name “Georges Briard” was used on trays and other items beginning in 1950 and was registered in 1965, although Brodjo continued to sign his paintings with his own name. Georges Briard designs were popular from the 1950s to the 1970s. Dishes, glassware, metal, wood, and accessories were made for several companies and sold in department stores. Georges Briard cheeseboards like this sell for $20 to $25 online.

 

Anri Figure

Q: I got this carved wooden figure of a girl and her doll from my aunt’s estate. There's a sticker on the bottom that says “Anri, Italy.” What can you tell me about it?

A: Anri was founded by Anton Riffeser in 1912. The company name is a combination of the first two letters in his first and last names. Anri is located in South Tyrol, which was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until 1919, when it became part of Italy. Your figure is part of the “Happy Children” series made by Siegfried Hafner, an artist at Anri, in the mid-1960s. Some of his figures of children were used on Anri music boxes. These are rarely found today. The figure of the girl with her doll has been offered for sale online for $275.