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 initials “CK” and “Karlsbad, Austria.” Is this worth keeping or is it junk?

A: This mark was used by the Karlsbad Porcelain Factory Carl Knoll from about 1916 to 1918. Karlsbad became part of Czechoslovakia in 1918, and is now Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic. The initials “CK” are those of the founder, Carl Knoll. The factory was in business from 1848 to 1945, when it was nationalized. It made dinnerware, decorative porcelain, giftware, and porcelain dolls’ heads. The vase is worth keeping. It could sell for as much as $500 or more.

 

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 type of spout. I’m hoping you can clarify its purpose so I can properly identify it for my children, who will eventually take possession.

A: You have a coffeepot. Chocolate pots have a shorter spout at the top of the pot. The demitasse cups are also a clue to the beverage. One of the marks on the bottom identifies the maker of the pot and one identifies the company that decorated it. David and Daniel Haviland started their company in New York City in 1838 and imported tableware from France. David moved to Limoges, France, in 1841 and opened a decorating shop there in 1847. Haviland began making porcelain in Limoges soon after. By 1876 the company made all the porcelain it decorated. The New York company became Haviland Brothers and Company in 1852. After the New York company closed in 1863, the Limoges factory became Haviland and Company. It remained in business, run by members of David’s family, until 1931.

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 on it. I think it’s English. Can you tell me who made this?

A: Although this mark looks something like the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom, it’s not an English mark. Several potteries in Europe, the United States, and the Far East used a similar mark. Your ginger jar was made in China. The initials on the mark stand for United Wilson Porcelain Factory, a company founded in 1978 by Nelson Chung and Elsa Kam. The company website (www.unitedwilson.com) says family members were “steeped in the craft porcelain tracing” as early as 1897. Other marks attributed to the company include the date “1897.” We don’t know if the date on your mark was used to make the company seem older or if the numbers were accidently transposed. The company is still in business and makes copies of Imari, Satsuma, Rococo style, modern, blue & white, and other porcelain. It also does custom work. A similar ginger jar sold recently for $85.

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 and possible value?

A: This green crown with two shields mark was used by four importers in New York City: P.H. Leonard (from about 1885 until 1898), Bawo & Dotter (1864 to about 1914), Charles L. Dwenger (before 1895 until after 1917), and Paul Staub (1915 until 1970). The mark was owned by Count Thun’s porcelain factory and used on Vienna porcelain. The factory started in Klosterle, Bohemia (now Klasterec, Czech Republic) in 1819 and is now operating as Thun Karlovarsky. Hand painting porcelain blanks was a popular hobby in United States in the early decades of the 20th century. The signature on your vase is likely the name of the amateur artist who decorated the vase. Vases similar to yours have recently sold for $50 to $120.

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 porcelain makers. This mark with a vertical bar above the initials was used by the Krister Porzellan-Manufaktur (Krister Porcelain Manufactury) in Waldenburg, Germany. The company was in business under various owners and names from 1831 to 2016. Carl Franz Krister bought an existing porcelain factory in 1831 and a second factory in 1833. He made porcelain in the style of the Konigliche Porzellan Manufaktur (Royal Porcelain Manufactory) of Berlin and even copied the mark, replacing the scepter in the Konigliche mark with a bar. Krister Porcelain Manufactory used this mark from 1840 to 1895. Your butterfly dish is a relish dish. Krister divided relish dishes have sold recently for $25 to $50.

Royal Winton Tea Set

Q: My mother gave me a 41-piece tea set as a gift. It’s a hand-painted set from England she bought at an antiques store in Canada. I can’t find any information on the maker. There are two different marks on the dishes, “Royal Winton Grimwades” and “Empire England.” The name “M. Chalmers” and “9-5-53” are written on each piece. Can you give me any information on the maker and value of the set?

A: Grimwades pottery started in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England, in 1885. The company bought Winton Pottery and Stoke Pottery in 1900. Grimwades bought several other potteries, and the pottery names were sometimes used in Grimwades marks. Queen Mary bought a Winton tea set when she and King George V visited the pottery in 1913. The company began to use the name “Royal Winton” soon afterwards. It became the company’s trade name in 1929. Grimwades and the Royal Winton brand are now part of Duchess China 1888 of Stoke-on-Trent. Empire Porcelain Company was another pottery in Stoke-on-Trent, in business from 1895 to 1967. It had two factories, one of which may have originally belonged to Grimwades. Your Grimwades mark was used from about 1934 to 1950. The Empire mark on your dishes includes the date, indicating they were made in January 1953. The name “M. Chalmers” and date written on the dishes is a mystery. Perhaps they were a special order. Sets of dinnerware are hard to sell. If you want to sell them, try a local consignment shop.

Pepper Shaker

Q: I’m trying to identify a china pattern I inherited recently. The maker’s mark says “Epiag, Aich, Made in Czechoslovakia.” I can’t find anything about the maker.

A: The Austrian government formed an association of porcelain factories known as Osterreichische Porzellan Industrie AG (Austrian Porcelain Industry) in 1918. Factories in the association used “OEPIAG” as a mark. It became Erste Bhemische Porzellan Industrie AG (First Bohemian Porcelain Industry) in 1920 and the mark became “EPIAG.” The association closed in 1933. A porcelain factory was established in Aich, Czechoslovakia, by John Mohling in 1849. The factory was sold several times beginning in 1860. It became Porcelain Factory Aich, Menzl & Co. in 1918 and was in business until 1922. Your pepper pot was made between 1920 and 1922. It was probably part of a set of pantry dishes with containers for flour, sugar, spices, etc.

Florence Vegetable Bowl

Q: This was my great-grandmother’s vegetable bowl. The mark on the bottom is very clear and has the pattern name, Florence, and manufacturer, C. Bros. Co. I’ve been unable to find anything about the manufacturer.

A: We found this pattern on Replacements Ltd. They identified the maker as Cartwright Brothers, a pottery in East Liverpool, Ohio, in business under that name from 1864 to 1924. The pottery made white granite ware and semi-porcelain. They began making semi-vitreous china in 1909.

Milk Jug

Q: Is this a milk jug? How old is it and what is the maker’s mark?

A: The letter “N” with a crown above it has been used by many companies. It was first used in 1773 by the Capo-di-Monte factory in Naples, Italy. The pottery operated under various owners until it closed in 1821. Capo-di-Monte was known for its high relief decorations. Several companies have made Capo-di-Monte style porcelain, some using a crown over N mark. It isn’t possible to tell you how old your milk jug or pitcher is or who made it for sure. We can’t tell the quality or value from a picture. It looks like inexpensive quality pottery and might sell for $15 to $25.

Dresden with English Marks

Q: I bought two blue and white porcelain pieces at an estate sale. They’re marked on the bottom and inside the lids. I’m confused because there appear to be markings that are English and that also say Dresden. What can you tell me about them?

A: The marks on your porcelain include the pattern name, “Dresden,” and the English design registry mark, but not a maker’s mark. The English registry mark indicates the pattern was registered in 1871. The design is often called “Blue Onion,” a pattern that originated in China. It was made in Germany by Meissen in the 1700s, and was copied by many other potteries in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Without a maker’s mark we can’t be sure who made your dishes, but we found similar Dresden pieces marked with an English registry mark and the letters “B.W. & Co.,” indicating the pattern was made by Bates Walker & Co., in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England. It operated as Bates, Elliot & Co. from 1870 to 1875, when the design was registered. It became Bates Walker & Co. in 1875 and continued to make the pattern. To learn how to read an English registry mark, go to our “Look for your mark” section on Kovels.com.