WorthPoint member Isabel R. wished to know more about this trinket box she inherited from her mother, so she engaged WorthPoint’s “Ask a Worthologist” service. The report back states that the piece originated in Limoges, France, and is painted in a floral Art Nouveau-style popular during the turn of the 19th century.

Isabel R. inherited a porcelain trinket box that appears to be hand-painted. There are no markings on it other than “Jenny Miles- 97” on the bottom, and had originally belonged to her mother. It was used in a sewing cabinet for needles and thread, and no one could recall where it came from originally. Isabel has no plans on selling it, as it’s already found use on her vanity, for rings and costume jewelry, but she is interested in finding all she can about it, particularly the artist who painted it. She contacted WorthPoint’s “Ask a Worthologist” service to inquire about this piece, its origins and value. Her inquiry was forwarded to me. here’s her question:

“I inherited this box from my mother, she’s always used it for pins, needles and thread, and it has sat in her sewing cabinet for years. Nobody in the family can recall where it came from, as my mother tended to pick things up at church bazaars and yard sales over the years just because she had a use for it or liked the look of it. The only marking on it is on the bottom, it’s signed “Jenny Miles- 97.” I think the number 97 might be for 1897. Could Jenny Miles be the name of the artist who painted this piece? I tried to look up her name on the Internet, but could not find any other porcelain trinket boxes signed by her, but found similar pieces with other names and dates on them. I’m not going to sell this piece, as I already use it on the vanity for small bits of costume jewelry, but I’m really interested if you anything can find out about the artist, and of course what the piece is worth.”

Here’s my response:

Based on your images and the marking, your trinket box originated in Limoges, France, and is in the floral Art Nouveau-style popular during the turn of the 19th century. The number “97” in our opinion is, indeed, for the year 1897. Limoges was the home of many porcelain companies during the last quarter of the 19th century. Most of these companies were producing fine decorative china for the export market, mainly to the USA.

A good deal of this ware came as “white ware” blanks and were hand-decorated by hobbyists and pottery studio’s in both Europe and North America. “China painting,” as porcelain decorating was called at the time, was a popular pastime from the last quarter of the 19th century until the First World War. Unfortunately, the work of many of these studios and the signatures of the artists who decorated them are either undocumented or little reference material for them is still available. This trinket box is one of these pieces.

This piece was most likely decorated in North America but, sadly, we have no listing for the artist “Jenny Miles” in any of the standard reference material or databases used to identify markings and signatures for porcelain decorators. The majority of the amateur American china painters were women either by occupation, or as a hobby. But then these Studio pieces were not generally mass produced, nor is much research material available.

While not mass produced, such pieces were made in large numbers, so values are still modest for them. In the current market, comparable hand-painted Limoges based trinket boxes of this period and style often sell at auction for less than $75.

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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Here’s an example of what the second version of the “Kite” or “Diamond” mark—used from 1868-1883—looked like. It differs slightly from the 1842-1867 example.

Two different Kite/Diamond marks were used to identify various patterns that were registered in the United Kingdom, the first set—used from 1842-1867—was covered in part one of this article. From 1868, the British Patent Office issued a second Kite/Diamond registration mark when a design was registered. It differs slightly from the 1842-1867 example covered earlier.

The markings on it now indicate more than just the date of registry. Reading the 1867-83 mark is similar to the earlier 1842-83 example, with some changes. The Roman numeral in the circle on top of the kite/diamond still indicates the material the item is made from. For example, I was used for metal, II for wood, III for glass and IV for pottery/porcelain/and other ceramics. Notice, though, that on the four corners of this newer marking the codes have been changed. In the case of the number “3” in the top position below the material mark IV, it now indicates the day the registration was made. The number “6” on the left corner represents the “Bundle number,” the letter “X” on the right is the date code letter for the year (see chart below). The bottom letter “K” is the month code.
Using the chart below, you can see that mark in the example above indicates a registry date of Nov. 3, 1868. As with the original Kite/Diamond marking, this 1868-83 version can also be found on metal and glassware items.

The date coding is pretty straight forward for both markings, with a few exceptions. For the first mark—used from 1841-1867—the letter “R” was used during the year 1857 between 1st and 19th of September. In the year 1860, the letter “K” was used between 3rd and 31st of December. For this second mark used 1868-1883, between 1st and 7th of March the during the year1878, the letter “W” was used for the year instead of the correct letter “D,” and the letter “G” was used instead of the correct letter “W” for the month.

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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An example of what the first version of the “Kite” or “Diamond” mark—used from 1847-1867—looked like.

There are several ways to place an estimated date of production for factory-made pieces of pottery or porcelain: some involve the marks used by the company over their history of operation, others required by International trade laws that are all well-documented. Putting all these clues together is a lot like solving a mystery, each clue bringing us closer to the solution. One such marking can tell us a lot from one look is the British Design Registry mark, or as some in the trade refer to it, the “Kite” or “Diamond” mark.

This marking granted protection of the design for a period of three years from use by other companies without permission or license from the design’s owner. With this mark, it gives us a start date on the window of production. If the piece is also carries a company marking, it can be cross referenced with Diamond/Kite mark to indicate a quite accurate date range.

Two different Diamond/Kite Marks were used: Beginning in 1841, the British Patent Office issued a registration mark (like the one above) when a design was registered. Learning to recognize this mark will make it easy help date any item carrying it easy and make you look like an expert.

The markings on it indicate more than just the date of registry. Reading this mark is fairly simple:

• The Roman numeral in the circle on top of the kite/diamond indicates the material the item is made of. For example, the numeral I was used for metal, II for wood, III for glass and IV for pottery/porcelain/and other ceramics.
• Notice on the four corners of this marking you will find a series of letter codes, each with their own meaning. In the case of the letter L in the top position below the material mark IV, it indicates the year (see chart below). The letter R on the left corner indicates the month, the number 19 on the right is for the day the registration was made. The bottom letter P is what’s called the “Bundle number” —basically a filing designation for the Registry office itself—and really does not tell us much without actually contacting the Registry office itself.

Using the chart below, you can see the mark above indicates a registry date of Aug. 19, 1856. It should be noted that this marking can also be found on metal and glassware items.

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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WorthPoint member Jeff A. found an unmarked vase in an antique store he liked. It looked like an early Art Nouveau piece, probably from the turn of the 19th century. The dealer concurred, and eventually they struck a deal. After engaging WorthPoint’s “Ask A Worthologist” service, Jeff now knows that the preconception as to when it was made made it hard to find out the real history of the piece.

Jeff A. found an unusual vase he thinks is Art Nouveau. He recently bought it at an antique store because he liked its design. His curiosity got the better of him and he’s since done a little research on it. He’s intrigued because it has no maker’s marks, number or letters to give any idea as to who made it and he’s come to the conclusion that because it has no markings on it and the decoration is full of organic, flowing lines of intertwined morning glories, that the piece must be a pre-1891 Art Nouveau example. He only paid $250 for it, using the fact there was no marking on it as a haggling point from an original price of $300. The label on it had nothing claiming it was anything in particular, but the dealer said, in his opinion, it was probably a turn-of-the-19th-century piece. As Jeff has not been able to find a match for this piece as Art Nouveau he contacted WorthPoint’s “Ask a Worthologist” service to inquire about its origins and value. His inquiry was forwarded to me, here’s his question:

“I bought this vase from an antique store around a month ago asthe design was a little unusual and I liked it. The dealer didn’t seem to know much about it because it had no company stamp on it, but said it came out an estate auction with a bunch of pottery that was marked dating to the turn of the 19th century. I managed to haggle him down from $300 to $250 because it was unmarked. After I got it home I did a little digging on Google and think this might be a 19th-century Art Nouveau piece because it has no country mark* and the morning glory design. I could not find a match for this vase searching for “Art Nouveau Morning Glory Vase” and am really curious as to what it really is.”

Here’s my response:

Sometimes research takes us in the wrong direction if we have a preconceived notion as to what we are looking. While many pieces made prior to 1890 had no country of origin marks, and the morning glory vine is a Art Nouveau icon, in the case of this piece, neither of these assumptions are correct. Your vase is actually quite a bit newer than either you or the dealer believed. It’s actually a piece by the well known Art Pottery by Roseville in its “Morning Glory” pattern. This pattern dates to 1935. Yours is a model 730-10 in green, but it was also made in white as well. The green version is generally more sought after than the white.

The reason for the lack of markings is that some pieces in this pattern originally had foil labels, which were either removed or have simply fallen off over time. Standard colors for this pattern are green and white, green is usually priced higher than white. In addition to the foil labels, some early Morning Glory pieces were also marked with hand-written shape numbers. Some examples have familiar, die-impressed Roseville script marks telling of the shape number and size.

There are about 18 different Morning Glory shapes that I’m aware of, including, candlesticks, bowls, baskets, vases and wall pockets. Even though your vase is not what you originally thought it was, you still did quite well by getting it retail for $250.00. In the current market comparable Roseville Morning Glory vases often sell even at auction for more than $300.

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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WorthPoint member Stella B. picked up this Rosenthal urn at a church bazaar, paying only $40 for it. She loves it and doesn’t plan on selling it, but wanted to know more about it. She engaged WorthPoint’s “Ask A Worthologist” service to find out.

The Rosenthal mark, along with the name of the artist, Kurt Wendler.

Stella B. picked up this Rosenthal urn at a church bazaar, in a box complete with plastic roses for $40 and stuffed with newspapers circa, 1959. As is usual with sales of this type, many of the items were donated were pulled out of closets, attics and basements with little or no documentation or family histories. Stella really likes it and has no plans to sell it, but would like some idea of its value, age and history. Stella contacted WorthPoint’s “Ask a Worthologist”service to inquire about this piece, her inquiry was forwarded to me,

Here’s her question:

“We recently had a fund raiser at our church and the congregation was asked to donate items for sale in our yearly bazaar. We normally have hundreds of items donated, most of it is stuff that’s been stored away for years by some of our elderly members or unwanted inherited bric-a-brac from the younger people. I don’t normally find much that appeals to me at these sales, but this urn really caught my eye. It had not yet been put on display it was still in was in a box stuffed with papers from 1959 and some very faded plastic roses. It came out of a Depression style Lane cedar chest someone had donated packed in with linens, tablecloths and doilies, etc. I paid $40 for it, which I thought was a wonderful price for such a lovely thing. It’s about 10 inches in height and is stamped on the bottom (see mark image) “Rosenthal” over “Selb-Bavaria” with a crown and scepters. Below that it has a name,” Kurt Wendler.” I don’t plan on selling it but would like to know what it’s worth, how old it is and anything else you can tell me.”

Here’s my response:

Well, you’ve certainly found a gem among the bric-a-brac. This is a wonderful Art Deco piece made by well-know porcelain works Rosenthal. The Rosenthal company was founded as a decorating studio in 1879 in Schloss (castle) Erkersreuth, Upper Franconia, Bavaria, as the Porzellanfabrik Phillip Rosenthal & Co. Phillip opened his first factory in 1891 and the first world exposition of his products was in 1900. Since then Rosenthal has been a renowned name for quality porcelain and remains in production to this day.

This particular piece is in the “Indra” pattern and one of the nicest bits from Rosenthal made during the early 1920s. The Indra pattern was found on a line that included plates, vases, urns and trinket boxes. This one was designed by Kurt Wendler (1893-1980), who worked for Rosenthal from 1920 until 1930.

In the past year, similar Indra pieces have been listing with presale auction estimates in the $1,400-$1,800 range and realizing those prices as well.

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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WorthPoint member Denise wants to know about this “coffee set” she inherited from her great-great-aunt. The Art Nouveau style does not go with her black and white minimalist/Zen décor and wants to know if it would be safe to give it to Goodwill without losing a valuable antique.

WorthPoint member Denise A. has what she was told is a coffee set that dates from the late 1800s, the former property of a relative who traveled extensively during the 1920s and collected things from all over the world. While Denise likes the look of the set, it really does not go with anything in her Designer Minimalist “Black and White” apartment and has spent the last five y

The “Nippon” mark that complied with American trade tariff known as the McKinley Act that required “country of origin” markings for anything imported into the United States.

ears forgotten in a kitchen cabinet along with other pieces still boxed from at least three moves ago. Other than what she was told when she inherited it about 10 years ago, she knows nothing about it. She would like to know if the set is worth anything or should she just donate it the local Goodwill store. Denise contacted WorthPoint’s “Ask a Worthologist” service to inquire about this piece, its origins and value. Her inquiry was forwarded to me. Here’s her question:

“I inherited this coffee set about 10 years ago from a relative, a great-great aunt I’d never met on my mother side. My mother said all she knew was that my great aunt spent most of the 1920s traveling all over the world and that her old home had been crammed full of stuff and nobody recalled exactly where it came from. The set is very pretty, with the pot and four cups/saucers, but really just does not go well with my modern apartment, as much of it is decorated in a Black and White Minimalist/Zen decor. Since I redecorated about five years ago it’s been gathering dust in the top kitchen cabinet along with boxes of things I’ve not even unpacked from my last three moves. Most of this stuff I’m determined to get rid of, either by selling it if it’s worth something, or giving it away to Goodwill. This set was at the front of the cabinet and will

the first thing to go. What I need to know is whether it is worth a substantial amount of money or can I just donate it to charity without any worries about giving away something quite valuable. The set has a stamp on the bottom that says “Nippon,” and “hand painted,” everything is in very good shape with no wear to the gilding or any cracks or chips”

Here’s my response:

From what I can see in the images this is not a “coffee set,” rather it is actually a pretty typical turn-of-the-20th-century chocolate set, meant for serving hot cocoa. Sets like this were made between 1890 and 1915 and are generally in the Art Nouveau style, also popular during this same period. The marking on it of course is a version used by the famous Japanese porcelain company Noritake* (circa 1911-1921).

During the period, these pieces were popular and nearly all potteries were marking their wares with “Country of Origin” markings, such as “Germany,” “France,” “Austria” or “Bavaria” to comply with the American trade tariff known as the McKinley Act. This trade law prohibited any importation of items into the United States that were not marked to indicate a country of origin. The U.S. was the largest growing market during the late 1800s, so most overseas manufacturers were very quick to fall in line and apply such markings.

The word “Nippon” used on the mark is the Japanese word for “Japan,” and was used until about 1921/22, at which point the word Nippon was changed to Japan.

Values for these sets depend a great deal on the maker, the quality of the decoration and the pieces current condition. Today comparable Noritake Chocolate sets like yours often sell at Auction in the $200-$250 range.

* Noritake’s roots date back to 1876 when Baron Ichizaemon Morimura IV formed the trading company “Morimura Kumi” with offices in New York and Tokyo, with the main business being exporting Japanese gift ware and china to Europe and the U.S. The company began production of its own line of china after 1904, the first exports to the U.S. occurring about 1910.

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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This tea set is a good example of this Japanese pottery called Dragonware. The term used to describe porcelain or pottery items with raised decorations that depict an oriental dragon. Unfortunately, it looks to be more valuable than it really is.

The ninth item in this series of “Unloved Antiques” is Dragonware. The tea set above is a good example of this Japanese pottery. Dragonware is the term used to describe porcelain or pottery items with raised decorations that depict an oriental dragon. Many family stories abound about these colorful tea sets; in fact, we’ve almost never run into owners who did not have a fantastic story to tell about their set. Often, great ages are assigned to Dragonware because of its over-the-top styling, the fact some examples have no company markings*, or they were gifts given to distant seafaring relations 150 years ago by Japanese royalty. The truth is, the origins of these sets is often rather more mundane, as the vast majority were brought home as gifts by troops returning from the Second World War, Korea and Vietnam. These items were produced in Japan from the end of the 1890s until the mid 1950s.

Most Dragonware pieces are decorated with “moriage,” which is a type of slip clay that gives the piece a three dimensional appearance, often giving it the look of colorful cake icing at times. Pottery such as Dragonware featured this method of decoration quite heavily, using a very deep relief of the dragon or serpent that curls around the outside of the piece of pottery, sometimes the dragon’s mouth being part of the teapots spout. Quality varies considerably for these sets as some have minimal moriage decoration with very detailed depictions of dragons, others appearing as over-decorated birthday cakes with the dragons and moriage popping out over three-quarters of an inch above the surface. Generally, it’s the earlier examples with a more subdued decoration that are the best quality, while the pieces featuring heavy moriage usually turn out to be later examples.

An example of an lithophane, a delicate picture that resembles a black & white photograph that can be viewed through the bottom of the cup, usually depicting smiling Japanese beauties in profile. The term “lithophane” has a Greek origin, meaning “light in stone” or “appear in stone.”

Another feature sometimes found on Dragonware is “lithophanes,” delicate pictures that resemble black & white fashion shots that can be viewed through the bottom of the cup, usually depicting smiling Japanese beauties in profile. The term “lithophane” has a Greek origin, meaning “light in stone” or “appear in stone,” the image is first created as a mold, then used to create the image in the porcelain. Where the picture appears the lightest, the porcelain is very thin, and where it is darkest, the porcelain is much thicker. Not all Dragonware has this feature, as it added considerably to the original cost of production.

Regardless of the type of Dragonware, values for it are quite modest when you considered the amount of labor involved in producing it. While not mass-produced in the modern sense of the term, it has been produced in large volumes for the tourist and export markets. Today, a set comparable to the one above would often sell at auction for less than $90 and retail in shops for less than $200.

* The lack of a marking on pottery and porcelain is often erroneously considered a mark of antiquity. In the case of Dragonware, it simply indicates it originally had a foil or paper label that was removed after sale or has simply fallen off.

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Previous “Unloved Antiques” articles:

• Unloved Antiques: ‘Limited Edition’ Collectors Plates
• Unloved Antiques: Singer Sewing Machines
• Unloved Antiques: Decorator Prints
• Unloved Antiques: Commemorative Whiskey Decanters
• Unloved Antiques: ‘Bronze’ Flatware
• Unloved Antiques: 1847 Rogers Brothers Flatware
• Unloved Antiques: Hummel Knockoffs
• Unloved Antiques: National Geographic Magazines
• Unloved Antiques: Dragonware Tea Set

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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James M. bought this Rosenthal figurine in a box lot of odds and ends at a country auction for $12. Wanting to know what exactly it is and that the marking meant, he contacted WorthPoint’s Ask a Worthologist service.

James M. spotted this Rosenthal figurine in a box lot of odds and ends at a country auction last year and bought the box for the huge sum of $12. Most of the other stuff in the box—table-top bric-a-brac—appeared to date from the 1930s, but it was the figurine that caught his eye as potentially Art Deco and possibly worth a good deal more than the $12 he paid for the lot. James, who has no plans on selling the piece and just wants to know the history of it and the artist who designed it, contacted WorthPoint’s “Ask a Worthologist” service to inquire about this piece, its origins and value. His inquiry was forwarded to me. Here’s his question:

“I found this Rosenthal figurine of two girls dancing in a box lot of 1930s coasters, bottle openers and ash trays at a farm auction last year. The sale featured mainly farm equipment, so there were not a lot of collectors or antique dealers there, and I picked up the lot for $12. It’s marked “Rosenthal” on the bottom and is stamped “H.Meisel” and “956.” It has a real Art Deco look to it, which is what caught my eye. I really don’t want to sell it, but everyone who looks at it is impressed with it and asks me what I know about it. So now I’m quite curious. What I’d like to know is a history of this piece and what the mark H. Meisel is, which I assume to be the artist who designed it.”

Here’s my response.

I simply must get out to more farm auctions in the future. This piece is indeed a great Art Deco-style example, the marking “H.Meisel” is the mark of the original artist who designed this piece, Hugo Meisel (1887-1966).

Meisel is reported to have worked for Rosenthal in1936 and1937, pretty much the peak of the Art Deco period, but he also designed pieces for several other firms, such as Schwarzburger, Aelteste Volkstedter, and Heubach as well. The Rosenthal mark on your piece dates to 1937.

The Rosenthal mark.

As a sculptor, Meisel portrayed his figures like a photograph, freezing motion or a thoughtful moment, such as can be seen in this “Two Girls Dancing” figural group. Meisel not only produced a wide range of human studies, he also is well known for his sculptures of birds, horses and dogs. In the past year, this same figurine has been listing with presale auction estimates in the $1,000-$1,500 range and selling within that range. Not a bad return for your $12, and you also have all those Art Deco bottle openers, coasters and ashtrays to go with it.

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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https://www.worthpoint.com/askWorthologist/index

President Rutherford B Hayes’ Limoges china included 130 vivid scenes featuring American landscapes and wildlife. This 20-inch platter had decorative, curled-in corners.

In the United States, official state dinners are formal events hosted by the President in honor of visiting heads of foreign governments. Ceremonial in nature, they are often held to reaffirm diplomatic ties. In times past, these protocol-heavy dinners were also given for members of the cabinet, Supreme Court and Congress, as well as for other dignitaries.

The earliest presidents received government funds to purchase state china for these occasions. Later, presidential families sometimes sold the old china at auction so that they could replace it with patterns more in keeping with their own tastes. However, in the early 20th century, Congress passed a law requiring that all White House china either be kept or destroyed. And since 1917, that growing collection of dishes has been displayed in the White House’s ground floor China Room. The 27-foot by 20-foot room is decorated in red and includes a pair of Chippendale chairs used by George Washington. It has velvet-lined display cases along all the walls and features a life-size portrait of Mrs. Calvin Coolidge that was painted in 1924 by Howard Chandler Christy. Most of the presidents are represented there, with samples of either their state or family china. Mamie Eisenhower helped reorganize the displays in 1955.

Eagles and gold trim are heavily recurring themes on most of the china and some presidents have added personal touches such as monograms. George and Martha Washington received a service as a gift from the East India Trading Company in 1796. It featured Martha’s initials, a snake along the outside rim and the names of the 15 states (at the time) around the border. Mary Todd Lincoln chose china soon after her husband’s inauguration, selecting a pattern with a newly fashionable reddish-purple color called “solferino.” Ulysses S. Grant’s pattern, chosen by his wife Julia, showcased 24 different fruits and flowers and received a great deal of use because the Grants entertained often. James Madison’s china is the rarest, because much of it was destroyed in the White House fire of 1814.

But the most unusual set was acquired by Rutherford B. Hayes’ wife, Lucy, who hired artist Theodore Davis to design 130 creatively-shaped pieces with scenes depicting American landscapes and wildlife. The service aroused so much interest that it was also produced in sets available for purchase by the general public.

George Washington’s china had Martha’s initials in the middle and the 15 states in the union around the border. It was a gift from the East India Trading Company in 1796.

James Madison’s china is rare because much of it was destroyed in the White House fire of 1814. This 9-inch plate sold for $14,340 (including buyer’s premium) in 2008.

George and Martha Washington hosted ministers from Spain and France on May 29, 1789 and served a very modest meal of boiled mutton. After dinner, the guests were offered a single glass of wine and retired to the drawing room. Although other presidents had hosted heads of state, Ulysses S. Grant was probably the first president to declare an official state dinner in 1874 when he entertained Hawaiian King Kalakaua. And 172 years after the Washingtons’ austere affair, the Kennedys welcomed the Tunisian president for their first state dinner, with 500 entertainers on the south lawn, elaborate wine tastings and a menu of cold salmon, salad with brie cheese, roast lamb, petit fours and molded strawberry ice cream.

Menus for White House dinners from the past can be found online, and it is fun to pair them with reproductions of the official china for each president. Woodmere is one company that has been producing reproductions of state china since the 1970s. A search of the Worthopedia showed that their dinner plates can be found on the secondary market ranging in prices from $15 to $45. Cups and saucers and other serving pieces are also available. A duplication of the Rutherford B. Hayes china (that was actually produced in 1880, while he was in office) can also be found at various auctions, but they naturally bring much higher prices, many reaching into the thousands.

Mary Todd Lincoln chose this pattern, with the new color “solferino,” soon after her husband’s inauguration.

Ulysses S. Grant’s Limoges china included 24 different fruits and flowers. This worn and chipped 8-inch dessert plate sold for $2,196 (including buyer’s premium) in 2006.

This 9-inch 1880 oyster plate was identical to the ones used in the Rutherford B. Hayes White House but was a version that was issued to the public during his administration. It sold for $1,195 (including buyer’s premium) in 2009.

Dwight Eisenhower’s Castleton Studios 11 ½-inch plate sold for $6,738 in 2006 (including buyer’s premium).

In addition to modern reproductions, actual White House china pieces also appear at auction. Most services for official dinners numbered in the hundreds of settings, so first families sometimes took a portion of the china with them when they left office. Those pieces do occasionally show on the market, usually sold by various heirs. Understandably, they can bring very high prices as well. A recent search of sales revealed a Lincoln “solferino” covered sugar bowl that sold for $27,613 in 2010 and a James Madison dessert plate that sold for $14,340 in 2008. An Eisenhower dinner plate sold for $6,738 in 2006 and nine Ulysses S. Grant dessert plates – worn, chipped and cracked – sold for $2,000 to $4,000 each in 2006. (All prices include buyer’s premiums).

White House dinners hosted by Thomas Jefferson were coveted not just for social and political reasons, but because the food was delicious. After serving as minister to France, Jefferson returned home craving French food and even employed a French cook. Massachusetts Rep. Manasseh Cutler wrote this about a Jefferson White House dinner he attended in 1802:

“Dined at the President’s – Rice soup, round of beef, turkey, mutton, ham, loin of veal, cutlets of mutton or veal, fried eggs, fried beef, a pie called macaroni, which appeared to be a rich crust filled with scallion onions or shallots, which I took it to be, tasted very strong and not very agreeable. Mr. Lewis [Meriwether Lewis] told me there were none in it; it was an Italian dish, and what appeared like onions were made of flour and butter, with particularly strong liquor mixed with them. Ice cream very good, crust wholly dried, crumbled into thin flakes; a dish somewhat like a pudding – inside white as milk or curd, very porous and light covered with cream sauce – very fine. Many other jimcracks, a great variety of fruit, plenty of wine and good.”

Jefferson was a passionate gourmet and many of his hand-written recipes still exist, including early versions of ice cream and pasta. His vast collection of recipes have been compiled into several cookbooks. What better way to end an article on White House china then to include a simple recipe loved and collected by our 3rd President.

Thomas Jefferson’s state china featured his own monogram.

Thomas Jefferson’s Bread Pudding

1 1/2 pounds cubed stale bread
4 cups scalded milk
1/2 pound butter
1/2 pint brandy
8 eggs
3 cups sugar
3/4 tablespoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cut up bread while milk and butter are heating in a pot. Combine liquids, eggs, sugar and spice. Add bread last by submerging it using your hands so that it gets thoroughly soaked. Transfer into a buttered 9-x-13-inch pan, pouring gently so that bread doesn’t break up too much. Bake until an inserted skewer or knife comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

Liz Holderman is a Worthologist who specializes in collectible books. “Dining with Antiques” is an ongoing feature in which she highlights collectible dinnerware and food-related antiques, along with vintage recipes..

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At the age of 6, Salvador Dali wanted to be a cook.

Dali’s “Portrait of Gala with Two Lamb Chops Balanced on Her Shoulder,” 1933. Many of Dali’s works feature food.

“At the age of 6 I wanted to be a cook,” wrote Spanish surrealist Salvador Dali in his 1942 autobiography. “At 7 I wanted to be Napoleon. And my ambition has been growing steadily since.”

Dali (1904-1989) is best known for his symbolic and controversial paintings, his flamboyant, eccentric lifestyle and his iconic mustache. Dali was world-famous during his lifetime because his provocative work was ground-breaking in its quality and imagery. His most-recognized piece is undoubtedly his sensational 1931 painting “The Persistence of Memory,” showcasing a scene of melting pocket watches.

And, as he obviously believed at age 6, Dali was first a lover of food. His paintings and sculptures include themes with bread, lamb chops, bacon, boiled beans, figs, pears, fish, eggplant, oranges, eggs, omelets, lobsters, pomegranates, ears of corn and other foods. He filmed a humorous French TV commercial for Lanvin chocolates in 1968 and he designed the Chupa Chups (Spanish lollipops) logo in 1969. He was also a passionate cheese-maker.

Including buyer’s premium, this 7-inch Dali-decorated Suomi bowl sold for €521 ($730) in June 2011.

“Fried Eggs on the Plate without the Plate,” 1932.

In 1976 Dali created the decoration for a 500-piece limited edition of Suomi dinnerware (designed by Timo Sarpaneva and produced by the German porcelain company Rosenthal). The pieces are glazed in brown and gold, with images of stylized birds and figures surrounding a pond. Dali’s bold signature is at the bottom of the scene. The dishes are extremely scarce and can sell at auction for $450 to $750 each.

But Dali’s greatest contribution to fun with food was the publication of his little-known cookbook in 1973, when the artist was 68 years old. “Les Diners de Gala” includes recipes by his wife, Gala, and recipes from Dali’s favorite Paris restaurants (such as Maxim’s, Lasserre and La Tour d’Argent). The book is dedicated to Gala and is wrapped in a foil dust jacket featuring her image. Best of all, it is lavishly filled with Dali’s surreal illustrations (created in 1971), including 12 color lithographs. Most of the 136 recipes (in 324 pages) are elaborate and difficult—some are even bizarre and outrageous. But how could a creation by Dali be any other way? There are veal cutlets stuffed with snails, frogs in pastry, a prawn parfait, potted duck with olives, a dome of steamed crayfish, avocado toast and even aphrodisiacs. Signed copies of the book in fine condition can be pricey, but unsigned copies in lesser condition can also be found for $150 to $350.

This autographed copy of Dali’s 1973 cookbook, “Les Diners de Gala,” in fine condition sold for $1,960 (including buyer’s premium) in June 2008.

One of the 12 lithograph illustration from “Les Diners de Gala,” 1971

At a special event this past May, the Sea Change Restaurant and Bar in Minneapolis presented a five-course meal from Dali’s cookbook, including oysters in brown butter vinaigrette, roasted lamb and banana cream pie. With the same idea, Dali fans sometimes get together for a surreal evening to cook some of his favorite recipes. It is probably asking too much to expect to serve those meals in Dali’s Suomi dinnerware (very lucky collectors might own only one or two pieces). But that doesn’t really matter, because online stores are full of inexpensive Dali posters and prints, as well as Dali-themed aprons, napkin holders, plates, clocks, light-switch covers, trivets, coasters, coffee mugs, wall calendars and shopping bags. So it’s easy to decorate for a party. And Bamako Soup is one of Gala’s fascinating recipes that will feed a crowd of six. It is great served with crusty bread and hearty red wine. Clarifications are shown in parentheses.

Bamako Soup
From “Les Diners de Gala,” compiled by Salvador Dali, 1973

2 tablespoons of oil
1 tablespoon of butter
1 lb. of onions
2 ½ lbs. of round steak (plus 6 pieces of beef short ribs)
1 marrow-bone
2 quarts of water
2 beef bouillon cubes
4 cloves
3 teaspoons of ginger
10 oz. of calf’s lungs
10 oz. of minced pork meat
1 lb. of chick peas
1 lb. of carrots
1 lb. of turnips
1 bunch of leeks
1 green cabbage
6 eggs
2 small red peppers (dried chili peppers)
6 tablespoons semolina

Dali’s “Soft Self-Portrait with Grilled Bacon,” 1941.

“Here is a dish which is in itself a perfect meal and has its place in the center of a circle of friends. In a very big pot, fry the onions in oil and butter until they are nice and golden. Remove the onions and use the same fat to brown the round steak and the ribs. When the meats are golden brown and crisp, put back the onions and add the water, marrow-bone, bouillon cubes, ground cloves and ginger. When it begins to boil, skim off the fat and simmer on low flame for 5 hours. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed.

“After 2 hours, add to the broth six meat balls made with a mixture of calf’s lungs and minced pork meat. Then add the chick peas. After the third hour, add the diced vegetables (carrots and turnips). The bunch of leeks and the cabbage go in without being cut. After the fifth hour, remove meats and vegetables, and keep them warm. Poach the eggs in the broth for five minutes, and out them, one by one, on the meats, keeping everything warm. After skimming off the fat, separate the broth into two equal parts. In the first half, crush the red peppers. Keep it warm. In the second half, throw in the semolina to thicken the broth. Boil for a few minutes.

“In each plate pour the semolina (and) then arrange a few vegetables, a piece of each type of meat, a meat ball and a slice of marrow on the poached egg. As to the broth that has been spiced with the red pepper, pour it into 6 bowls. Each bowl is put next to a plate so that, from time to time, your guests will be able to take a sip of this explosive mixture.

NOTE: Gala’s recipe uses meatballs prepared with 2 kinds of meats and no other (stated) ingredients. They do not hold together in 3 hours of simmering. Add a cohesive filler (bread crumbs and beaten egg), brown them first (with the round steak and ribs), and then add them in the last half hour. Calf’s lungs are part of the entrails of the calf, sometimes referred to as offal. We can be squeamish about them in the United States, but they are considered a delicacy in many cultures. Lungs may be hard to find so you can substitute ground veal.

Liz Holderman is a Worthologist who specializes in collectible books. “Dining with Antiques” is an ongoing feature in which she highlights collectible dinnerware and food-related antiques, along with vintage recipes..

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This Weller Forest-pattern umbrella stand, marked for sale at a clear-out price of $450, would be an excellent buy.

Veronica J. spotted this “large vase” in an antique shop whose proprietor was retiring and clearing his stock. The vase was tagged as “Weller,” but it was unmarked. When questioned about it, the dealer claimed he’d purchased it at auction five years before as a Weller piece, but had been unable to sell it for a price on which he could make a profit. Veronica wanted to buy it, but was unsure she wants to pay $450 for an unmarked piece. She contacted WorthPoint’s “Ask a Worthologist” service to inquire about this piece, its origins and value. Her request was forwarded to me, here’s her question:

“I ran across this large vase (20 inches tall) in an antique store that was going out of business, most of the stock was furniture with only a dozen or so pieces of pottery and porcelain. This piece, like most of the pottery I could see, was used as decorative pieces on the tables, most of the tags were faded with prices crossed off. The tag on this one read “Weller,” but it was unmarked, I asked the dealer about it and he said he’d picked up at a auction that specialized in American pottery as a Weller piece, but had been unable to get his money back out of it. He had it marked down to $450 from $800, but I don’t want to buy something with no idea as to who made it. I’d like to know if it is a Weller piece and if it’s a good value at $450.”

Here’s my response.

Based on your image this is indeed a piece by Weller, and quite a good one at that. Weller pottery was founded by Sam Weller, circa 1872, but the company did not begin producing art pottery until about 1889. The success of the art pottery line was boosted by an increased interest in Arts & Crafts that swept both Europe and North America during the last quarter of the 19th century.

These post-World War Two Japanese creations were based on the popular Goebel Hummel figures. They were produced by Arnart Creations and most often sell for $5 apiece or less.

The seventh item in this series of “Unloved Antiques” are Hummel knockoffs, like the three above. These post-World War Two Japanese creations were based on the popular Goebel Hummel figures made from the late 1930s onward. The original designs for these innocent views of children being the creation of Berta Hummel (German, 1909-1946).

Berta is better known today as Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel, becoming a Franciscan Nun after graduating from the Academy of Applied Arts in Munich, Germany in 1931. Berta’s original designs were in the form of postcards, published by the Swiss publishing firm of Ars Sacra. These post cards were quite popular in Germany, also the home of W. Goebel Porzellanfabrik, owned by Franz Goebel. Goebel was quick to seize on the idea of producing figurines based on these popular post cards and arranged for the rights to Hummel’s designs and began production based on Berta Hummel’s whimsical children in 1935. The rest, as they say, is history.

Like most popular items, be it art or technology, manufacturers are very quick to latch onto a new product and try and claim a piece of the market share. In the case of the original Hummels, their popularity in North America really took off when troops occupying Germany after World War Two began bringing them home or sent them as gifts. Importers were quick to pick up on this demand, the one that profited the most was Arnart Creations, whicih began operations circa 1953, beginning its importation of these Japanese-made figures sometime in the mid 1950s.

The fake Hummel lookalikes were said to be the work of a German designer named “Erich Stauffer.” Unfortunately, unlike Berta Hummel’s, Stauffer’s biography appears to be unknown, or possibly just another brand name creation by Arnart. The Arnart figurines are well-marked, some still retain their original Arnart Creations foil label along with the “Crossed Arrow” and “Designed by Erich Stauffer” marks in blue as can be seen below.

Even though there are no markings on these Arnart Hummel knockoffs that remotely resemble the well-known Hummel Crown or Bee marks, we regularly receive inquiries regarding them. The examples that generate the most questions being the ones that have lost the foil label. Many hopeful auction-goers and yard-salers tell us they think they have found “a rare, undocumented Hummel from the 1930s,” perhaps “a prototype that must have been designed by a Eric Stauffer when he worked for Goebel ( There’s no record of it)” or my favorite: “it was special edition piece given to retiring Hummel workers.” Sadly, none of these are true, though I sometimes wish they were, as I hate to dash such enthusiasm for the thrill of the hunt. Still, these Erich Stauffer pieces often list retail for less than $15, but often fail to even get $5 bids at auction.

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Previous “Unloved Antiques” articles:

• Unloved Antiques: ‘Limited Edition’ Collectors Plates
• Unloved Antiques: Singer Sewing Machines
• Unloved Antiques: Decorator Prints
• Unloved Antiques: Commemorative Whiskey Decanters
• Unloved Antiques: ‘Bronze’ Flatware
• Unloved Antiques: 1847 Rogers Brothers Flatware

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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This Staffordshire transfer-printed and polychrome decorated creamware pitcher by Josiah Wedgwood & Sons, features a portrait of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow on obverse and first stanza of Longfellow’s poem “Keramos on reverse.” This piece sold for $103.50 in 2007.

In the mid-18th century, potters of England’s Staffordshire district began experimenting with new clays, forms, glazes and decorative techniques in creating tableware. This explosion of innovation owes much to the relative freedom granted to British businesses during this period that allowed the traditional craft and cottage industry to evolve into what would become a large, well-managed capitalist enterprise.

One of the leading lights in this field was Thomas Whieldon, who opened a pottery in 1740 and trained both Josiah Spode and Josiah Wedgwood—two of England’s greatest potters. Whieldon encouraged his apprentices’ experimentation, leading to the development of new ceramic bodies, glazes and decoration techniques.

The freedom of capital in Britain gave potters a ready source of venture capital to finance their experiments. The development of inexpensive, cream-colored earthenware—called Queensware by Wedgwood—was one result. Along with the invention of transfer printing in 1756 by John Sadler and Guy Green of Liverpool was an explosion of potters in England who came out with their own versions of both creamware and transfer printing. (This was also due in part to the poor patent protection then prevalent in the country.) Creamware was closely followed by the development of an even whiter earthenware, dubbed pearlware, and a softpaste porcelain made with bone ash (bone china) that was more stable and stronger than both hard-paste and earlier soft-paste porcelains.

While both the freedom of business and venture capital in Britain were quite important to the spread of English Staffordshire tableware across the world, perhaps the most important advantage to English potters was the British Royal Navy. As masters of the sea, the Navy provided enviable protection to Britain’s commercial shipping fleet, giving England’s potters ready access to markets around the world. As a result, the potters developed transfer-printed tableware specifically designed to appeal to various markets across the globe. They also expanded their potteries and introduced standardized methods of production, giving them the advantage of economy of scale. Dozens of English potters produced lines of transfer printed ware for markets such as Germany, the US, Mexico, Argentina, the Ottoman Empire, Italy, Spain and others, with local landmarks featured on the tableware.

Within a single generation, English potters making tableware had basically driven most of their European and Western Hemisphere counterparts into bankruptcy. They were even hurting the European producers of fine china, such as Meissen in Germany and Sevres in France.

An example of Ottoman Empire and English Views Staffordshire Transfer Printed Pearlware, circa 1830-50. It fetched $791 at auction. (Photo courtesy of Cowan’s Auctions, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio)

Staffordshire potters’ interest in experimentation did not wane until after the midpoint of the 19th century, when ironstone and later improvements in white earthenware came to dominate the world markets of tableware. But its dominance wasn’t seriously threatened until the 1880s, when France and Germany began producing mass quantities of cheap bone china. Markets such as the United States also began competing in the production of both ironstone and whiteware.

Threatened as it was, today much of the finer tableware around the world is still made in Staffordshire. Among many others, firms such as Wedgwood, Spode and Royal Doulton are still in strong competition with products made in both Japan and China.

TIPS FOR COLLECTING EARLY ENGLISH CERAMICS

Pick a type of British ceramics that you enjoy and that will either enhance your home or your personal aesthetics, whether it is creamware, pearlware, bone china, majolica, ironstone or any of the other general ceramic types. Narrowing your focus will allow you to establish a worthwhile and valuable collection, rather than a miscellaneous accumulation of unrelated items that will depreciate, rather than appreciate, in value. Buy what you love, and the best that you can afford.

Educate yourself within your chosen area of collecting. Start with the purchase of reference materials from one of the major booksellers. Better yet, attend quality auctions, antiques markets, exhibits and museum collections, where the best examples are available and may be examined “in hand.” There is no substitute for learning the look and “feel” of genuine antique ceramics. An excellent web site with multiple links regarding collections of British ceramics is English Ceramic Circle.

A pair of English Bone China Cache Pots, circa 1810-20, with minor damage, were auctioned in February 2005 for $75. (Photo courtesy of Cowan’s Auctions, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio)

Look for a maker’s mark or “backstamp.” Since 1842, British decorative art designs were registered at the British patent office, but not every registered piece is marked. The diamond-shaped registry mark, in use between 1842 and 1883, provides an exact date the design was registered, and information regarding the maker.

Try and purchase ceramics with few, if any, major flaws. Pieces with minor imperfections, if priced reasonably, are useful for “reference” purposes, but must be recognized as decorative articles which will not increase the value of your collection if, and when you decide to dispose of some of your collection.

Be aware that reproductions abound on the open market in certain popular areas of collecting. Until you are comfortable with recognizing the genuine article, purchase primarily from reputable sources that will authenticate what they sell.

Dr. Wes Cowan is founder and owner of Cowan’s Auctions, Inc. in Cincinnati, Ohio. An internationally recognized expert in historic Americana, Wes stars in the PBS television series “History Detectives” and is a featured appraiser on “Antiques Roadshow.” He can be reached via email at info [at] historicamericana [dot] com.

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This Veterans of Foreign Wars commemorative Ezra brooks whiskey decanter, collected by the thousands, and other like it, are not worth very much, despite its “limited edition” label.

The fourth item in this series of “Unloved Antiques”  (previous editions focused on Collector Plates, antique Singer Sewing Machines and vintage Decorator Prints) and is the commemorative whiskey decanter, like the one pictured right, issued by Ezra Brooks distilleries, circa 1973. This particular one, honoring the Veterans of Foreign Wars, was just one of many veteran commemoratives issued for American Legions posts across the country.

American distilleries were always looking for ways to market their products in new customers. These decanters had their start in the 1940s, when decorative glass bottles based on traditional decanters or cocktail shakers first appeared, but the more familiar china examples we see today generally postdate the late 1950s, when the first Regal china pieces were issued by Jim Beam.

The demand for decanters took on a life of its own by the 1960s, spawning a whole series of decanters: Those honoring state and city centennials; football, tennis, golf and horse racing events; famous people and characters; service clubs; and, of course, Elvis. In fact, it’s difficult to find any event of significance that occurred in the USA since 1776 that did not have a decanter issue for. If you couldn’t find what you wanted on the shelf, the Jim Beam company—among the largest producers of commemorative decanters—even offered the option through its “Customer Specialties” program where you could order your own decanter for any event or organization you desired.

Because of the huge initial popularity of these decanters, they were mass produce in equally huge numbers to fill that demand. Most people who received them as gifts could not bring themselves to discard them when they were empty, as they were considered gifts meant for display. Besides, in many cases, they were packaged as “limited editions,” which left the impression of some future value. Occasionally, you can still find a decanter that hasn’t been opened, full of bourbon and still sealed with a liquor stamp.

Now, some 60-plus years after the earliest examples were issued, their original owners have passed on or are selling off their collections as they downsize to smaller homes or apartments. This has flooded an already-full market, leading to declining prices across the board.

In today’s market, the decanter shown above lists retail with some specialty dealers for around $24, but often sells at auction for $9.95 or less.

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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https://www.worthpoint.com/askWorthologist/index

A postcard image from Monet’s famous bright yellow dining room. Notice the dishware on the table.

The breathtaking impressionist paintings of Claude Monet (1840-1926) have spawned a collectible industry of giant proportions. Prints, posters, coffee table books, calendars, Christmas cards, screen savers, neckties, refrigerator magnets, T-shirts, jigsaw puzzles and even napkins can be found with his artwork. And because he was also a gastronome—a lover of good food—books and documentaries have also been produced about the delicious recipes (saved in his journals) that were served at his table.

A set of Haviland & Parlon (marked Charles Field Haviland Limoges) “Monet” china. It is a replica of the china Monet himself designed for use in his house in Giverny, France.

Monet moved to the northern France municipality of Giverny in 1883. Today, visitors to his home can see not only the gardens, lily pond and arched bridge that inspired so many of his paintings, but also his blue-tiled kitchen and bright yellow dining room with matching porcelain dinnerware. Monet designed his own china in 1898. It was a one-of-a-kind set with a broad yellow rim and blue trim, produced by the now-defunct company Godin & Arhendfeld.

Monet’s self portrait.

In 1978, pieces of the set began to be recreated by Haviland & Parlon (marked Charles Field Haviland Limoges). The line can be found in various formats and is sometimes also stamped by Tiffany & Co. and the Monet Museum. Many collectors love to make entire meals based on the same recipes that Monet himself enjoyed more than 100 years ago, and serve them to friends in Monet’s dishes.

Monet had a large extended family that dined together. Lunch was the main meal at Giverny (served promptly at 11:30 a.m.) and the one to which guests might be invited. It included a hot appetizer, a meat or fish dish, hot vegetables, salad and dessert. Dinner was at 7 p.m. and soup was always served before every evening meal, followed by an egg dish, a light main course, salad and cheese.

Some of Monet’s recipes are laborious and time-consuming, although they result in fabulous French foods. (His full-time cook needed two kitchen helpers to prepare the daily meals.) The soups, however, are simpler. The Limoges china (named, appropriately, “Monet”) includes a large covered soup tureen and two types of soup bowls, so the savory soup recipes are always fun to recreate and serve. Monet’s journals include recipes for leek and potato soup, cream of sorrel soup, mixed vegetable soup (with peas, potatoes, heavy cream and iceberg lettuce), herb soup, cabbage soup with cheese, cream of turnip soup and garlic soup.

The china can still be purchased, but the cost could be prohibitive for many. Buying new, a cream soup bowl and saucer will run you $186 and a 93-ounce soup tureen will set you back a whopping $847. Finding them on the secondary market will also cost a pretty penny. A Haviland Limoges Monet coffee pot, sugar bowl and creamer is listed in the Worthopedia as having sold for $399 on eBay.

Even if you are not serving it in Monet china, the garlic soup is delicious and attractive—reminiscent of a combination of garlic bread and egg drop broth. Here’s the recipe if you’d like to try a little Monet in your kitchen.

A Haviland Limoges Monet coffee pot, sugar bowl and creamer is listed in the Worthopedia.

Garlic Soup (Soupe à l’ail)
From “Monet’s Table, The Cooking Journals of Claude Monet,” 1989.

12 cloves garlic, peeled
salt and pepper
6 eggs
1/3 cup unsalted butter
2 cups croutons
2/3 cup parsley, finely chopped

Put the garlic cloves in a pot and add 6 cups of water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to boil and cook until garlic is soft, about 15 minutes. Remove the garlic cloves and crush them into a smooth paste. Return this to the liquid, remove the pot from the heat and let it cool slightly.
Melt all but 2 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet and sauté the croutons, turning constantly until they are evenly browned. Put them in the bottom of a warmed soup tureen.

Break the eggs into a mixing bowl. Add 1 cup of the garlic liquid, beating well to avoid curdling.

Pour the egg mixture back into the pot, stirring constantly. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Reheat the liquid but do not let it boil or it will curdle. Pour the hot soup over the croutons. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Serves 6.

Liz Holderman is a Worthologist who specializes in collectible books. “Dining with Antiques” is an ongoing feature in which she highlights usable collectible dinnerware, along with vintage recipes.

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Sandra B. bought this porcelain figure at an auction two years ago, but because as she was moving, it was packed away soon after she bought it. She engaged WorthPoint’s “Ask A Worthologist” service to discover its value.

Sandra B. bought this porcelain figure at an auction two years ago, but because as she was moving, it was packed away soon after she bought it. She had meant to do a little research on it, but forgot all about until she cleared out the storage locker she rented to contain all of the overflow from her old apartment. She contacted WorthPoint’s “Ask a Worthologist” service to check its value and history. The inquiry was forwarded to me. Here’s her question:

“ I bought this figurine at a estate sale auction about two years ago. It caught my eye because it was so powerful and realistic; it seemed like a photograph, freezing the motion of the horse to stop motion. I paid more than I planned at $185, but I had to have it. It does have some markings pressed into the bottom that reads, “Prof T. Karner,” and a mark that looks like it says Rosenthal with a crown and a cross. I’d like to know what the marks mean, and anything you can tell me about it.”

Here’s my response:

The marking “Prof T. Karner” indicates the designer’s name; in this case it means the original creator of this piece was Professor Theodor Karner (1884-1966). Karner worked for a number for well-known German porcelain makers such as Nymphenburg, Rosenthal, Allach, Eschenbach and Thomas & Lindner. His work comprised of a wide range of animal, bird and Art Deco nude figures, his horses are nearly all in action poses—running, rearing, charging—and, as you say, appear to have been frozen in motion.

This particular study of a rampant horse was designed as Model 1524 by Karner, circa 1934, for Rosenthal, a company well-known for its high-quality porcelain figurines. Karner also designed a modified version of it as Model 74 for Allach Porcelain in 1937. Its design was widely copied, with some variations by other companies right through the 1950s.

A great many of the Rosenthal horses do now sell at auction for less than the $185 you paid for yours, but this piece is an exception and a good buy. Yours is a lovely piece, and is one of the best examples of Karner’s Rosenthal pre-Second World War horses. The most current auction listing we have on file for a Karner 1524 on file, dating from March 28, 2011 lists it as sold for $579.

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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A collectors plate with Norman Rockwell’s “Flirting in the Parlor” image on the front was made by the Edwin Knowles Company and issued in 1983 as part of the “Rockwell Rediscovered Women Collection.”

In the antique & collectibles trade, I often come across a number of items that are generally not in demand, are not rare or have much monetary value. The problem is, though, that general public is convinced that the opposite is true and that dealers are all in on some conspiracy to purchase these priceless “family heirlooms” as cheap as they can so they can turn around and sell them for a huge profit. This misconception is fired up by shows such as the “Antiques Roadshow,” “Storage Wars,” “American Pickers” and “Pawn Stars,” which give the impression that treasures exist in every barn, basement or storage locker.

These shows use the “Fantastic Find” concept because it’s everybody’s dream and the storylines have to fit within a half-hour or hour-long format. Anyone in the business who has worked any “Roadshow” event or has been called out to appraise an estate knows this to be a fantasy the majority of the time. For every treasure found there are hundreds of mundane items of little monetary value, or as the “Antique Roadshows” porcelain expert Henry Sandon is often heard to say, your item is “a lovely thing, but sadly, unappreciated.”

In this series of articles titled “Unloved Antiques & Collectibles,” I will highlight some of these much-loved items, the myths that surround them, and some fantastical family histories that often come with them. This inaugural Unloved Antiques article will focus on the top item on the list: “Limited Edition Collectors Plates.”

The term “limited edition” in this case is greatly diluted from its original meaning.* Now, the term is most often described as “limited firing of 150 days” of these decorator items, depicting everything from butterflies to Zeppelins.Unknown to the public, tens of thousands of these identical plates can be produced in 150 days, but the impression of rarity is given because the advertisements say “no more will be made” and will, of course, appreciate in value. The manufacturers play up this idea of rarity with “Certificates of Authenticity” and the fact they are “signed by the artist.”

The market for these plates boomed when the bulk of them were issued during the 1970s and ’80s, even though a lot of them never saw the light of day, as they were lovingly stored away in their original boxes, their certificates entombed with them. Now, some 40 years later, these same plates—numbering in the in their hundreds of thousands—are being dug out of cupboards and closets with expectations of cashing in. The problem is that everyone else has had the same idea, and now they are finding that their collectors plate is, indeed, “a lovely thing, but sadly unappreciated,” which, in this case, means no appreciation in value.

The example plate above is based on Norman Rockwell’s “Flirting in the Parlor,” which he painted in 1929. The plate was made by the Edwin Knowles Company and issued in 1983 as part of the “Rockwell Rediscovered Women Collection” for the Rockwell Society of America. This was one of a limited firing of 150 days, and its own edition number begins with 17 and is followed by three more digits.

Its value after 30 years? Well, while some plate dealers doggedly list it as high as $99 on their Internet sales sites, this plate fails to get bids at auction at the greatly discounted price of $9.99. Amazon currently lists nine of these plates from listed from $6.99 to $12, but one sold just this week for $2.99, original box and certificate included.

* The term “limited edition” got its start in the fine art prints market. As a rule, the term applied to high-quality lithographic prints, etchings or engravings of an artist’s original work. The number of these prints were generally limited to fewer than 500 copies due to declining quality of each subsequent print, as the plates degraded during the print run. These prints would include the “artist’s proofs,” which were for their own use (designated AP), plus printer’s proofs (designated PP). In some cases, there is an additional series called “hors de commerce” (designated HC). All of the artist’s proofs, printer’s proofs and hors de commerce are all separately numbered and signed by the artist (e.g. George Smith- 37/400, 7/25 etc.).

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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https://www.worthpoint.com/askWorthologist/index

Ten years ago, Jessie H. got into a bidding war for a ceramic figurine at an auction. He paid $500 for it—more than he wanted to pay—but he was happy he won the piece. Now, considering selling it, he engaged WorthPoint’s “Ask A Worthologist” service to discover its value.

Jessie H. got into a bidding war 10 years ago for a ceramic figurine at an auction. While he ended up paying more than he wanted, he was happy he won the piece. Now, a decade later, he feels it’s time for it to go, if he can get the right price. He engaged WorthPoint’s Ask a Worthologist service to check its value before selling it. The question was forwarded to me. Here’s his question:

“I was at an farm auction about 10 years ago and this piece caught my attention, as several dealer types were flocked around it pretending not to be very interested in it. I liked the look of it and figured if the dealers were that interested it must be worth having. There didn’t appear to be many people at the sale who weren’t dealers, the weather being nasty, so I stayed. I got bid up pretty good, I got angry and ended up paying more than $500 for it. Now I want to sell it. If you could look at the images and tell me if I can get more than I paid for it I’ll let it go. It measures about 13.5 inches long and about 9 inches high, the markings you can see in the images.”

Here’s my response:

I don’t think you have to worry much about getting your money back. Even 10 years ago you got a very good deal. Chances are the dealers at that auction had a good idea the piece was unusual, but were not sure enough to take a chance and bid higher than their comfort levels. Pieces like this do not often appear at country auctions, and unless a dealer is familiar with early 19th century Staffordshire figures, they are not likely to bid beyond their “best guess” as to the wholesale value to get it.

Based on your images, this appears to be a rare example of the Staffordshire Pearl ware figural group titled “Bull Beating,” circa 1835. Pieces like this are pottery with hand-painted polychrome enamel decoration, this one depicting a bull being attacked by two trained dogs, and a man holding up a stick. The raised base titled “Bull Beating” and “Now Captin Lad.”

The piece is generally accepted to be what’s called a “Sherratt Type,” after one Obadiah Sherratt, who credited with producing pieces in this form. Very little is known of Sherratt himself, other than he potted during the early years of the 19th century, and his name is actually attached to only two other pieces I know of. You’ll be happy to know your investment was well worth it. If you were to put it into auction today, I’d recommend a presale value on it in the $4,000-$6,000 range.

Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Andy Aigner, a collector of Japanese porcelain and other items, started his collection with this set.

Are you a collector or are you in an accumulating phase? I interviewed Andreas “Andy” Aigner, a program manager for a telecommunications company who lived in Japan in early 2007 and early 2009 for six-month stints, for his take on collecting porcelain.

David Pike: Why do you collect? What does ‘the passion of collecting’ mean to you?

Andy Aigner: There are many different aspects to this: Trying to beat the professionals at their game (finding nice pieces that everyone else has overlooked); simply owning some beautiful items and being able to look at them and touch them on a daily basis; and last, but certainly not least, the “window into history” that these pieces afford me. I am utterly fascinated by the Japanese screens and scroll paintings depicting scenes of both court and everyday life in historic Japan and could look at them for hours and hours—unfortunately I don’t own any of them.

David Pike: When did you start collecting?

Andy Aigner: In July 2003. About half a year later I sold my first piece on the Internet, and now I am regularly selling on two Internet sites, as well as once a month at a small antiques fair in Southern England.

David Pike: How did you become interested in collecting?

Andy Aigner: I spotted a Meiji Satsuma tea set with rakan and dragon design in an English antique shop and it intrigued me because I thought the style was on the one hand very unusual (I had never seen anything similar before) and on the other quite un-Japanese (now, of course, I know that this was a classic example of export ware). The set was marked (“Choshuzan”) and with the help of my wife (who is Japanese) I started doing research on the Internet. Simultaneously, I realized how many antique fairs there were in England each weekend, and we started with those in our immediate neighborhood but soon expanded our reach.

A Kanjincho Satsuma piece.

The other side of the Kanjincho Satsuma piece.

David Pike: What is your philosophy for collecting?

Andy Aigner: Not much of a philosophy, I have to admit: Anything Japanese from the 1920s or older that appeals to me (see also “Philosophy for buying” and “Best pieces”). However, my “standards” have gone up considerably since I started, and will most probably continue to do so.

David Pike: Philosophy for buying?

Andy Aigner: Anything that fulfills a minimum two of three criteria: originality, quality and condition, does not totally bomb in the third one and, of course, is reasonably priced. Of the three criteria stated above, originality is certainly the one hardest to come by. Nowadays, when I buy, 80 percent of the pieces are going to be sold later on, but I will hardly ever knowingly buy anything that I wouldn’t like to keep in my collection at least for a year or two.

David Pike: What are your main interests?

Andy Aigner: As far as collecting is concerned, mainly porcelain chawan (Taisho or older) and other porcelain items that are 200 or more years old.

David Pike: Why are you less interested in Chinese work and more so in Japanese work?

Andy Aigner: I have for a long time been fascinated by the Japanese and their culture; in my (admittedly very personal) view, the better Japanese pieces tend to be more subtle than their Chinese counterparts. Again, I am talking about pieces in the middle range of affordability. Of course, I am aware that there are some absolutely breathtaking Imperial Chinese pieces, but you need a bottomless wallet if you want to start a collection of these. In the end it comes down to personal taste—many Japanese pieces touch me in a way that Chinese items don’t. Another issue is fakes: You need a lot of experience if you want to buy Chinese antiques because the fakers have become frighteningly good. With Japanese pieces, you have less to worry because at the current prices they are just not worthwhile to fake.

David Pike: Do you prefer Japanese work made for the domestic market or Japanese work made for the European market?

Andy Aigner: With porcelain I do prefer the relative simplicity of the domestic pieces (although ceramic pieces like the ones for the tea ceremony are just too austere for me), but I do admire the enormous technical skill achieved during the Meiji and Taisho eras. European porcelain hardly interests me at all, which means that among the later Japanese pieces, I prefer the ones that still retain a distinctive Japanese flavor.

David Pike: How many pieces do you have?

One of Andy's best pieces.

Another of of Andy's best pieces.

Andy Aigner: Chawan: About 200 different ones; Edo chuki and older: Another 150 pieces. Other pieces (including lacquerware, cloisonné, etc.), around 450. And these are only the ones that I intend to keep.

David Pike: Are you the type of collector that buys from a sense of liking a piece or from the perspective of someone trying to fill in a spot in their collection? From the gut or from the head?

Andy Aigner: I try to combine both, but I think usually the gut prevails.

David Pike: Do you try to have a complete, representative collection? That is to say, do you think in terms of filling in areas that may be under-represented if taking a survey-type look at the field you are interested in and your collection?

Andy Aigner: Not really, because in the two areas listed above, it would not be possible to ever give a meaningful definition of “complete.”

David Pike: You like late Edo through Meiji pieces. Is there any reason for that time period?

Andy Aigner: Actually, my favorite period is about 1750-1830: On the one hand, you can find pieces of very high quality and originality and, on the other, you can still afford them, unlike most of the Genroku-era pieces

David Pike: What do you think were the biggest challenges you faced as a beginning collector? That is to say after you decided to “collect?”

Andy Aigner: The lack of good reference material (books) on Japanese porcelain. On top of it, the few books which you can find are almost all written in Japanese

David Pike: As a collector who has considerable experience, what are your biggest challenges now?

A catalog of kimono designs (more than a hundred) from the turn of the 19th/20th century.

Fabric swatches from the kimono catalog.

Andy Aigner: To find interesting pieces that are “different.” Also, I have the feeling that the supply of good Japanese pieces at reasonable prices has been decreasing considerably for the last years.

David Pike: Do you still make mistakes in purchases?

Andy Aigner: Yes. The Chinese forgers are getting better and better.

David Pike: Hindsight is 20/20. What would you do different if you were to start over?

Andy Aigner: I would have started 20 years earlier.

David Pike: How often on average do you purchase?

Andy Aigner: On an average, about once every two weeks.

David Pike: How does what is available in Europe compare to what is available in Japan? Prices, type of work?

Andy Aigner: In general, there is fairly little overlap between things available in Europe (which for me means mostly England) and in Japan. And the split is very much along the lines of export vs. domestic consumption.

• Kutani and Satsuma: A few simple pieces in Japan, almost everything else in Europe;
• Imari: Export pieces, usually from the 1880s or later and of lesser quality in Europe; late Edo and older mostly in Japan;
• Fukagawa/Koransha: Available in both Japan and Europe. This may be due to the fact that these wares have been produced both for the Japanese market and for export;
• Kakiemon: Surprisingly, you can occasionally find reasonably priced Kakiemon pieces both in Europe and Japan;
• Lacquer: Almost no good (undamaged) pieces available in Europe, except at the very, very high end;
• Cloisonné: This is one of the few exceptions where you can find interesting pieces both in Japan and Europe;
• Dolls: Mostly Japan.

One of the latest pieces added to Andy's colleciton.

Another recent addition to the collection.

One more thing: If I say that Satsuma export pieces are not available in Japan, this is a simplification. They can be found at most major antiques fairs, but at absolutely astronomical prices. Just the fact that a piece has been to Europe or the U.S. and subsequently “repatriated” (if I remember correctly, they call it “satogaeri”) seems to quadruple the price. I have actually had instances where a Japanese customer bought a piece from me on eBay and on my next visit to Japan I found this piece offered at an antiques fair at a price that I would never have dared to ask.

David Pike: With about 1,000 pieces at your house, how do you keep things in order? How do you display them?

Andy Aigner: I was very lucky. When I had only about 20 items I started taking pictures of them all and also set up an Excel file with the important data (like month of purchase, dimensions, weight, price, faults, etc.). This means now, more than seven years later, I have the complete documentation (including pictures) of all the pieces I ever owned, however briefly. As for keeping them in order, each item has a small numbered piece of Post-It attached to it; the number corresponds to the relevant line in the above Excel file. And with a few exceptions, they are all in various glass-fronted cupboards. But more than once a week I just take out some of them to “play,” i.e. handle and admire them.

David Pike: Are tomobako important to you? Tomobako are the signed boxes that come with some pieces in Japan.

Andy Aigner: No. In my (heretic?) view they don’t add anything to the intrinsic beauty or value of the object. They are, however, marvelous if you want to transport fragile objects over long distances.

David Pike: I have noticed a decrease in the willingness of sellers to bring good quality onto the market since the prices can’t be had. Do you think that ties in with your observation that the quantity of quality pieces at reasonable prices has decreased?

Andy Aigner: Here in England, some top-quality pieces can still be had, but at absolutely astronomic prices. What concerns me is the increasing lack of mid-range items (which is mostly what I am specializing in); this might very well be due to the fact that everyone currently concentrates on China and thus, as you said, the prices for Japanese antiques are very low.

A blue Chawan bowl and lid.

An Iro-e Kakiemon dish.

David Pike: What are some of your best pieces?

Andy Aigner: The most difficult question; I have so many that I really love. Well, here goes:

• A set of four kidney-shaped Ko-Imari dishes from the mid-17th century;
• Two Satsuma vases with scenes from a very well-known part of Japanese history (the story of Ushiwakamaru and Benkei);
• A set of five chawan from about 1800, decorated in red and gold only;
• An iro-e (coloured) Kakiemon plate from the 18th century;
• A catalog of kimono designs (more than a hundred) from the turn of the 19th/20th century. This is definitely one of the pieces giving you a great sense of history;
• A mostly blue-and-white chawan with floral designs from the 18th century.

David Pike: What is the process after you buy a piece? I would like to know how you get to know a new piece, research a new piece.

Andy Aigner: If there is any signature or mark on it, I usually get the help of my wife in reading and/or translating it. Next step will be various Internet searches, which in most cases, however, do not yield too many results. The final (and usually by far most successful) step is to ask fellow enthusiasts on the invaluable Gotheborg web site. The breadth and depth of knowledge there is absolutely fascinating.

David Pike: How often do you sell a piece from your collection?

Andy Aigner: By definition, never. Anything that gets sold is part of the “business side,” and for one reason or another, not up to the standards required to stay in my collection.

Of course there are border-line cases. Sometimes I get a set of three or four pieces and usually only want to keep one; in these cases I do sell off the remaining ones. However, when I get a complete set of five dishes from the 18th century, I tend to keep them all rather than break up the set.

David Pike: What do you hope to do with your collection?

Andy Aigner: Not having any children, I have not yet seriously thought about this.

David Pike: What does your wife think about your collecting activities?

Andy Aigner: She joins me whenever I go antiques hunting; this is very much a shared passion.

David Pike: Have you ever thought about giving up?

Andy Aigner: No

David Pike: What is the longest you have gone with-out purchasing something?

Andy Aigner: Six months—after moving back from Japan to Belgium in July 2009 and then having to prepare another international move (to the UK).

David Pike: Do you have regrets about pieces you didn’t purchase?

A piece Andy calls the "strangest" in his collection.

The back of the "strangest" piece.

Andy Aigner: Very rarely; I have so many beautiful pieces and I know there are many more to come.

David Pike: Thoughts for other collectors? Do you have advice to someone who is new to collecting?

Andy Aigner: Try to handle (or at least look at) as many genuine pieces as possible, so that you get a feel for what is “right.” Try to find a mentor (e.g. an honest and knowledgeable dealer) and join a discussion board like Gotheborg, so that you can get some advice from friendly long-time collectors.

David Pike: What do you say to someone who is trying to build a collection as a means to build wealth? Their goal is to have the pieces appreciate in value.

Andy Aigner: I am probably not the best person to give this kind of advice, because this was never my goal, but it seems to be universally accepted that you should buy fewer and more valuable pieces rather than many cheap ones.

David Pike: Do you think it is possible to build a collection on a “pocket money” budget?

Andy Aigner: Absolutely, but you need some patience. Close to half the pieces in my collection have cost less than £20.

David Pike: What are the best places to buy?

Andy Aigner: Japan, especially the Tokyo area.

David Pike: What are the best places to avoid?

Andy Aigner: EBay, China and Hong Kong. In my experience, roughly 100-percent of all Chinese and Japanese pieces offered on these sites are fakes.

David Pike is a Worthologist who specializes in items from Japan, including porcelain.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

The piece that holds the most emotional value, a Jiaqing M&P plate, a gift from a dear friend.

David Pike: Where do you live?

Arno Jacobs: I live in a place called Valkenswaard, a little city in the southeast of the Netherlands with a population of about 30,000 people. I was born and grew up in Valkenswaard.

David Pike: Why do you collect? What does “the passion of collecting” mean to you?

Arno Jacobs: In my first year of collecting I only had interest in European porcelain, and especially for the most important historical 18th century manufacturers. But a year later my attention went to the Asian porcelain market and I came in contact with the Gotheborg site for Asian porcelain collectors. From that moment on, I was more orientated toward the Oriental and got my first Japanese piece with the help of John Wocher in Japan.

With John’s help, I collected some of the finest pieces of Japanese Kakiemon and Nabeshima porcelain. From a dear friend in the United States, Sal Trabanino—who is also a member and board moderator for the Gotheborg—I got my first important piece of Chinese porcelain, a Jiaqing M&P plate. Since that day my most precious part of my Chinese porcelain collection is the M&P porcelain. M&P stands for “Mark and Period.” This Chinese porcelain is made in a specific Chinese period and bears the mark of the Emperor of that period. I hope to become the owner of a real Imperial piece. These kind of pieces are the summum bonum of Chinese porcelain, and Imperial porcelain is also M&P porcelain. The passion I have for collecting porcelain gives me the ultimate feeling of happiness. When I starting to talk about my passion, it is hard to get me to stop.

David Pike: When did you start collecting?

Arno Jacobs: I started my collecting of porcelain in October 2003 with a mortar of the German porcelain manufacture KPM (Royal Porcelain Manufacture).

David Pike: How did you become interested in collecting?

Arno’s first piece, a German mortar and pestle, KPM manufacturer, 20th century.

Arno Jacobs: It was because of my work. I was interested in a porcelain mortar and pestle for use in my laboratory, an object I was working with for years but never paid much attention to it before. From that day on I wanted to know all about porcelain.

David Pike: What is your philosophy for collecting?

Arno Jacobs: Find out what your tastes in the subject by reading, talking and looking at subjects from all angles. Then try to find out what gives you the warmest feeling and brings you the most satisfaction.

David Pike: Philosophy for buying?

Dutch taste cup and saucer, Amstel porcelain, early 19th century.

The least expensive piece, Hirado cup and saucer, circa 1900.

Arno Jacobs: Try to buy only those kinds of pieces that are worth placing in your living room so you can look at them all day long (and never get tired of looking).

David Pike: What are your main interests?

Arno Jacobs: Since I found out in 2005 the real origin of porcelain, I go for Chinese porcelain, especially the M&P porcelain, because in my opinion, only that kind of Chinese porcelain that has a true historical value. The main criterion for my collection is that a piece has to damage free.

David Pike: How many pieces do you have?

Arno Jacobs: I have divided my collection by countries of origin. My European collection is 30 pieces, my Japanese collection is 10 pieces. My Chinese collection consists of subparts. My main Chinese collection is the M&P collection, which has 10 pieces, one 18th-century Kangxi period M&P piece, and I have one or more M&P pieces of every Chinese period of the 19th century. In my Chinese porcelain collection, I also have some regular pieces of the Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty, in blue/white and colored, but mostly these pieces are out of the 18th century, Kangxi and Yongzheng period.

David Pike: Do you try to have a complete, representative collection? That is to say do you think in terms of filling in areas that may be under represented if taking a survey type look at the field you are interested in and your collection?

Arno Jacobs: In collecting Chinese M&P porcelain, I never can have a complete collection. For now, I hope to be able to collect at least one piece of every period of the Qing Dynasty. At this point, I only need a piece of the Yongzheng period and the Qianlong period to fill my collection. If I complete that part of the collection, I hope to get M&P pieces out of the Ming Dynasty. Later on, I hope for at least one Imperial piece.

David Pike: What do you think were the biggest challenges you faced as a beginning collector? That is to say, after you decided to collect.

Arno Jacobs: To find out what kind of pieces I liked the most and where to find them, without buying a fake. It still is.

Best piece, Kakiemon bw plate, 17th century.

Another fine piece, Nabeshima shallow bowl, 20th century.

David Pike: As a collector who has considerable experience, what are your biggest challenges now?

Arno Jacobs: To find the most valuable pieces for a bargain price.

David Pike: Do you still make mistakes in purchases?

Arno Jacobs: Now and then I’ll make a mistake in my purchases. I destroy these mistakes at once or, if possible, I return it to the seller.

David Pike: Hindsight is 2020. What would you do different if you were to start over?

Arno Jacobs: Finding sponsors to finance my passion.

David Pike: How often, on average, do you purchase?

Arno Jacobs: My intent is to purchase one or two large or expensive pieces a year When I’m lucky, I’ll find a bargain and can buy more pieces. I call those years “lucky.” 2010 was such year.

David Pike: What was your first piece? Do you still own it?

Arno Jacobs: My first piece was a mortar from the German porcelain manufacturer KPM. I still have it in my collection of most important European manufacturers.

David Pike: What are some of your best pieces?

Arno Jacobs: My most valuable piece is a Jiaqing period (1796-1820) M&P Chinese porcelain plate. It was a gift from my U.S. porcelain friend Sal Trabanino. Another valuable—and very nice—piece is a blue and white Kakiemon plate with quails from the 17th century, a piece John Wocher bought at my request in Japan. I also have a late Ming bowl with galloping horses. There is an identical bowl in the Princessehof Museum in the Netherlands. My rarest pieces are two cups and saucers with cage decorations, made of Chinese porcelain and date to the Yongzheng period. But I also have a rare sugar pot from the German Frankenthal manufacture.

Finest pieces, Daoguang & Xianfeng M&P lidded cups and saucers.

The rarest and latest piece, asset of Yongzheng cups and saucers.

David Pike: What is the process after you buy a piece? I would like to know how you get to know and research a new piece.

Arno Jacobs: I keep a large record for each piece I add to my collection. I record all the information I can possibly find, from all over the world. For example, I’ll pour over the many books on porcelain I have, check out museums, the Internet, with other collectors and on the Gotheborg site. The records I make includes some photographs, all the provenance, links, comments, books and museum references.

David Pike: How often do you sell a piece from your collection?

Arno Jacobs: I have once or twice, but I rather not sell from my collection. I’m not the kind of collector who upgrades by selling part of his collection. I only buy those pieces that are important to me, and always will be.

David Pike: What do you hope to do with your collection?

Arno Jacobs: I do hope that my collection will be appreciated by my children, when they get older. And if they don’t like porcelain or want to collect it, I hope that the money I spent collecting will generate a bigger profit for them. Finally, I hope that the collection will end up in the hands of another collector or collectors who have as much passion for porcelain as I have.

David Pike: What does your wife think about your collecting activities?

Arno Jacobs: My wife is very glad that I have a hobby, but she don’t like the porcelain pieces at all. In reality, I can’t put my collection in my living room, and I respect her point of view.
David Pike: Have you ever thought about giving up?

A very attractive vase, Kangxi period.

Another rare piece, German sugar pot, Frankenthal manufacturer, 18th century.

Arno Jacobs: Only when I see that the prices are going up again do I have the feeling of giving up collecting, or maybe just that part of the collection. There’s always a way to find some interesting porcelain pieces, filling in my collection of historical pieces of porcelain.

David Pike: What is the longest you have gone with-out purchasing something?

Arno Jacobs: The longest period I have gone without buying a piece for my collection was last year for some six month. I was glad I found a bargain in the last half of 2010, because otherwise I wouldn’t have purchased anything for a whole year. I am saving money for a real great and expensive buy this year, if my dealer lets me. He has some real interesting klapmuts bowls.

David Pike: Do you have regrets about pieces you didn’t purchase?

Arno Jacobs: Yes, many regrets! For example, not buying two sets of Kangxi Famille Verte c&s, made of thin porcelain. At that time, I was just about a few months into collecting Chinese porcelain and was shocked by the price of these two sets. Now I understand my dealer was asking a fair price for only two sets. I would buy those sets right away, now that I have learned more about the pricing of Chinese porcelain.

David Pike: You seem to have a technically oriented outlook. Do you have any thoughts on the differences between the technical focus of Chinese porcelain and the more emotional Japanese porcelain?

Arno Jacobs: I have spent a lot of time with my friend John Wocher in Japan, and his enthusiasm for Japanese porcelain has infected me. He loves Kutani porcelain and I try to aim a little bit higher. I aim for the Kakiemon porcelain and the Nabeshima porcelain. I think Nabeshima is the Japanese porcelain with the most historical value, and I like it more.

The most expensive and the favorite piece of Arno’s collection: late Ming bowl.

The strangest piece in Arno’s collection: late Ming stem cups.

David Pike: Do you have any thoughts on the copying that has been going on between the Chinese and Japanese since about the early 1600s? Both sides have copied each other.

Arno Jacobs: Porcelain is being imitated by the Japanese, Europeans and Chinese. Chinese do copy the old Ming and Qing Chinese pieces nowadays, but in a modern kiln. I don’t like the copying at all; it makes it more difficult to find a genuine older piece.

David Pike: Do you think there is a big difference between what you might be interested in as a Dutch person compared to a French person or say British person?

Arno Jacobs: I think there are subtle differences between a pure French, British or Dutch collection. Also between a Chinese and Japanese or European collections. This is because the national tastes are a little bit different. The Chinese, in the 18th century, made pieces especially for each European country. For example, the Lowestoft decorated pieces for the British and the pieces with “Madame de Pompadour” decoration for the French people.

David Pike: Can you elaborate a little more on what counts as a mistake and how you would go about dealing with it.

Arno Jacobs: A mistake in purchase, I believe, is when the item itself is not what you expect it to be, or it has too much damage. I only like old, genuine pieces, not the old-looking modern pieces. Also, if a genuine piece has a hidden hair-line crack or a chip that was not disclosed when I bought it, I will return the piece. Also, there are genuine pieces which are very good and invisibly restored. I don’t want those pieces either.

David Pike: I would like to ask you to elaborate a little more on the best and worst places to buy if you will.

Arno Jacobs: Many sellers of Chinese porcelain on the Internet, like on eBay, are sellers living in China. They claim that they sell genuine old pieces but that is not possible by law. Other sellers on eBay do not have enough “know how” for the Chinese porcelain and sell modern pieces as old genuine pieces. Many fake Chinese porcelain pieces comes from China or other Asian countries. I have pictures from the porcelain city Jingdezhen with many fake Ming and Song vases and jars, made in the last decade of the 20th century. In the Asian countries, there are many potters who are producing fake pieces just for the money. These potters become so good that the big auction houses like Sotheby’s and Christies can’t tell the fake ones from genuine ones easily. Some good places to buy Chinese porcelain are those where the porcelain was sent to for centuries, such as the European countries. The only exception is France, because they have a Chinese porcelain copy manufacture called Samson. The Asian fakes have begun to be found here in the Netherlands, but there are so many genuine pieces left that it is still easy to find one.

David Pike: Do you have advice to someone who is new to collecting?

Arno Jacobs: Buy books! This way you learn about the wares and material. Talk with reliable dealers and ask to look at their collection. Pick up the expensive ones. This is easy on the Internet, with several expensive shops all over the world. Visit a large collection in a museum, the Princessehof in the Netherlands has a large collection of Chinese porcelain. Get connected to a collectors site; Gotheborg is one of them and has a lot of information about Asian porcelain for non-members.

David Pike: What do you say to someone who is trying to build a collection as a means to build wealth? Their goal is to have the pieces appreciate in value.

Arno Jacobs: This is a real difficult question. I can understand people who invest in all kinds of material, and that includes porcelain. But I think that these people are not real collectors; not like the people I talk with, although I’d like to see what they have in stock.

David Pike: Do you think it is possible to build a collection on a “pocket money” budget?

Arno Jacobs: If your interest is high enough and your passion is wide enough, you can buy a frustrating collection on a pocket money budget. You will have to get to every flea market and collect closet, even though they are full of subpar pieces. Once in a while you’ll discover a piece you really like somewhere in the corner of a closet. But on the other hand, you can collect shards or damaged pieces; then you can have a real nice-looking collection, too, and it only cost pocket money.

David Pike: What are the best places to buy?

Arno Jacobs: The Netherlands (Holland) is the best place to buy Chinese porcelain, together with some other European countries. This is because the Chinese sold porcelain here for hundreds via the VOC in the Netherlands. This porcelain came in hundreds of ships packed full with porcelain and was sold among the Dutch people in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.

David Pike: What are the best places to avoid?

Arno Jacobs: In this case, it is good to know that it is forbidden by law to export old Chinese porcelain out of China.

There you have it. If you have any questions or comments for Arno and his collection, please leave a comment below and I will gladly pass it along.

David Pike is a Worthologist who specializes in items from Japan, including porcelain.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth