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.

De Montfort Silver

Q: Can you identify the mark on the coffee and tea set pictured here? I have a set that consists of five items – a teapot, coffeepot, creamer, an open sugar bowl, and a sugar bowl with a lid. They are marked “E.P.N.S.,” “De Montfort Plate, Made in England.”

A: There is very little information about the company that made your coffee and tea set. We found silver plated flatware marked “De Montfort” and “Sheffield, England,” indicating the company worked in Sheffield. It may have been in business as early as the 1920s and was still in business until at least the late 1940s. The initials “E.P.N.S.” stand for “electroplated nickel silver.” The “open sugar” is probably a “waste bowl.” Replacements.com pictures pieces in this pattern but may be out of stock. They may be able to tell you what they have sold for in the past.

Arzberg Coffeepot

Q: I have a porcelain coffeepot that was my mother’s, so I know it’s at least 50 years old. There are two marks on the bottom. One is a circle with “Germany” and then another circle inside that. The other mark is a crown above a shield with the initials “P” and “A” in opposite corners and “Arzberg, Bavaria” below the shield. I’d like to know what it’s worth.

A: This shield mark with initials was used by porcelain factory Arzberg, Bavaria, Germany. The factory operated under various names and owners starting about 1887. It was called Porzellanfabrik Arzberg (Porcelain Factory Arzberg) beginning in 1927. This mark was used from 1927 to 1946. Arzberg Porcelain has been part of Rosenthal GmbH since 2015. A similar Arzberg coffeepot sold for $30.