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.

———————————-

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

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.

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.

———————————

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

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.

———————————

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

An early 20th century Rookwood Vellum plaque painted by Sara Sax, circa 1914-20.

Vale E. has an unusual piece she inherited four years ago. Not knowing exactly what she had, she engaged “Ask a Worthologist” service. The question was forwarded to me. Here is her question:

“I inherited this small portrait of a mountain winter scene with a pine tree about four years ago. I never really gave it a close look when I received it, as it was boxed up with a bunch of other decorative pieces. I just moved to a bigger place and now have more room for decorating, so I dragged out these boxes and went through them to see what I could use. I found this piece and realized it wasn’t an oil painting; it looks like some kind of ceramic, like a tile. It’s signed “”Sax” on the lower right corner and measures about 9 inches by 12 inches. The frame is sealed on the back and I don’t want to try and take out the tile to see if it is marked in case I break it. I would like to know what I have, who made it and what it is worth.”

I’ve seen a number of these plaques in my travels. Most are European, but this one is not. You might want to look at the rest of the items in those boxes you inherited if this piece is any indication of the quality of their contents. What you have is an early 20th century Rookwood Vellum plaque.

Rookwood was established in 1880 by Mrs. Marion Longworth Nichols Storer in Cincinnati, Ohio. From 1883 until 1913 this American art pottery was managed by William Watts Taylor. The individual pieces produced there were all signed by the decorators. Like the majority of the European potteries of the era, Rookwood was strongly influenced by Japanese Decorative Arts.

An example of the Rookwood company’s marking.

In the early 1900s Rookwood pottery quickly moved into the Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau styles, in glazes known today as Iris, Vellum, Sea Green, Ariel Blue and painted matt.

There would indeed be a Rookwood company marking on the back similar to the one pictured that would indicate its year of production. After 1900, Rookwood added Roman numerals under the reversed “RP” mark to indicate the date. In the mark above the Roman numeral VI for the number 6 means the piece it was on was made in 1906. The signature “Sax” indicates this one was painted by Sara Sax, circa 1914-20. She’s best known for her depictions of mountain ranges and snows capes with thin delicate trees.

Even in the current depressed market, Rookwood plaques like this example are still highly sought after, with comparable plaques of this size having recently sold at auction in the $5,500-$8,500 range.

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

———————————

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Face jugs are a uniquely Southern art form. This 5-gallon face jug made by Burlon Craig and part of the Daisy Wade Bridges' Collection, sold for $2,000 at auction in June 2010.

Bulging, uneven eyes and pointed teeth may not sound like desirable facial attributes, but in the world of face jugs, sometimes the uglier the better.

These jugs typically have large eyes, often seeming to bubble off the face, a protruding nose and a mouth rivaled by a James Bond movie character by the name of Jaws. And for all that, face jugs are a beloved, highly collectible folk art fetching hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars.

Unique to Southern pottery, face jugs’ origins are sometimes as colorful as the artwork themselves.

“Nobody really knows where they came from,” says Pam Briggs, a cataloguer with Leland Little Auctions and Estate Sales in Hillsborough, N.C. “The earliest ones were found in Edgefield, a district in South Carolina. Nobody actually knows where they started, but they have become a southern tradition.”

Edgefield was a pottery hub in the mid-19th century that used slave labor. Pottery shards, some which are pieces of face jugs, were found in and around the underground railways used by fleeing slaves. These facts lead to the theory that slaves were the first makers of face jugs, but why they were made is where the stories get interesting.

One story line says the face jugs were used as grave markers because slaves were not allowed traditional tombstones. Another legend says the jugs held moonshine and the intimidating faces on the jugs were intended to scare away children from trying to take a swig.

“Another is that some folk artist or people working in clay simply wanted to make an image, and they did so,” Briggs says.

Not all faces on the jugs are scary—some are believed to be made in the likeness of the artist—though some are called “grotesque,” and that may be their main appeal to a collector. Briggs says people collect face jugs for a variety of reasons, such as pieces only from a particular state, or with a specific type of glaze, such as alkaline or ash glaze.

This pair of modern face jugs by Peter Lenzo sold for $900 in June 2010.

This Billy Ray Hussey face jug brought $275 at auction.

“Devil face jugs are very popular now,” Briggs says.

A face jug, like this one by Charles Lisk, can easily be had by a beginning collector. This one sole for $275 in June 2009.

Face jugs of all kinds can be found in retail shops across the South, she says, so someone could pay as little as $30 for a modern example. That jug may not increase in value; in fact, it may not even hold its purchase price over time.

A beginning collector may want to start with a Charles Lisk face jug, at prices that range from $200 to $400, which is not a huge risk, Briggs says. Lisk produces some “colorful ones with kind of grimacing faces,” she says, and he “sells out every show.”

Buy for what appeals to you, and always buy the best, she advises.

Serious collectors may want to focus on the art’s two best known contemporary artists; Lanier Meaders (1917-1978,) from Mossy Creek, Ga., who is credited with reviving the art in the state in the 1970s, and Burlon Craig (1914-2002,) who independently revived the art in his home in Vale, N.C., around the same time period, though he made several face jugs in the early 1940s before he went off to World War II, Briggs says.

Lanier Meaders is considered one of the deans of face jugs. This Meaders face just sold for $600 in 2010.

Another of Meaders’ jugs,. This one sold for $800 in 2009.

Several Craig face jugs from the Daisy Wade Bridges collection were sold by Leland Little in June.

This pointy-toothed face jug by Craig, another from the Daisy Wade Bridges' Collection, sold for $1,200.

This pair of Craig tumblers sold for $300.

A pair of smiling Craig tumblers with a spotty, dark alkaline glaze—one stamped “B.B. Craig Vale NC,” and the other with “DWB 1977” on the bottoms—sold for $300. A seven-inch pointy eared, and pointy-toothed Burlon Craig scary face jug with a runny ash glaze sold for $1,250 at the June auction.

Those might be considered a bargain compared to face jugs from the mid-19th century which are “very rare” according to Briggs. She has only handled two of those 100-plus-year-old pieces, and says could only guess at their value today as being in the $7,000 to $9,000 range.

All photos courtesy of Leland Little Auctions and Estate Sales

———————————

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

The subject of Jennifer’s tiles—birds, flowers, houses and ships, as well as the “Ox Head” corner scrolls—gave them a definite 18th-century Dutch Delft look, but her tiles were reproductions. Still, the reproductions dated back some several decades and would be valued at between $30 and $70 each.

When Jennifer T. bought a house, she found some ceramic tiles wrapped in Dutch newspapers. Having seen similar tiles in auction catalogs, Jennifer engaged WorthPoint’s “Ask a Worthologist” service to see if the tiles she had were similar to those selling for hundreds of dollars or more at auction. The question was forwarded to me. Here is the question:

“I found these tiles in a house I just bought. They were wrapped in Dutch newspapers from 1959-63, but look like one’s I’ve seen in auction catalogs listed as being from the 18th century. Mine are smaller than the ones I’ve seen; they measure only 2 inches by 2 inches. Are mine real antiques?”

After a little research, I solved Jennifer’s tile mystery. This is what I was able to tell her:

Your tiles—as you might have guessed from the Dutch newspapers they were wrapped in—are Dutch Delft. Delft pottery first appeared in the 1500s, and from the 1740s onward, the production, makers and their marks were well recorded. The main exception to this being the original Delft tiles, which were very seldom ever marked by their makers, making the identification of the earliest tiles difficult to assign to any particular maker—without documentation—virtually impossible.

While at first glance, your tiles appear to be late 17th- to early 18th-century in style, they are early to mid-20th-century examples. Even thought they exhibit stylistic features found on 17th- to 18th-century Delft tiles—such as birds, flowers, houses and ships—and feature “Ox Head” corner scrolls, they are of a size we have never seen used for tiles made during the 17th or 18th century. The earlier tiles, like the 18th-century example on the left, measure about 5.5 inches square, and often exhibit “nail marks” left by the manufacturing process, something not visible on yours.

An example of a genuine 18th century Dutch Delft tile.

The original tiles were made by rolling wet clay out into the proper thickness with a round wooden stick. When the clay dried, it resembled leather in texture. At this point, the clay was cut into roughly 5.5-inch squares. To cut the tiles, a wooden template was placed on the surface of the leathery clay. Until the middle of the 17th century, the template had small nails on three or four corners to hold the clay still during the cutting process. These nails left small holes. Later, patterns that used only two nails opposite each other were hammered in the template. Hand-cutting of tiles in this way was used until the1860s. After about 1860, most tiles were cut using templates without nails or were cut by machine.

Even though your tiles are tiles actually reproductions, these reproductions often date early enough now to be considered collectible in their own right. Today, comparable tiles in the style of 18th century Delft originals often sell in $30-$70 each range.

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

———————————

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

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

Three examples of Wedgwood American View plates depicting the Boston University Charles Hayden Memorial (top) the Bennington Battle Monument (bottom left) and the Alabama State Capitol (bottom right). Wedgwood produced American View plates from 1895 until at least the 1950s.

It might seem strange, but the country that was the largest producer of pottery depicting American heroes of the Revolution, their homes and famous land marks was the one that lost war. From the early 1800s to the 1950s, English potteries churned out thousands of transferware plates depicting scenes of post-Colonial America. The ones we’re most likely to run into today, though, tend to date from the late 19th century, made to order for American wholesalers.

One of the well-known makers of these plates was the famous firm of Wedgwood. American View plates were made by Wedgwood from 1895 until at least the 1950s. One wholesaler of such plates was Jones, McDuffee & Stratton of Boston, which listed themselves as “the largest wholesale and retail crockery, china and glassware establishment in the country.” Catalogs of the company dating back to 1910 list 78 popular titles of these Wedgwood historical plates that could be purchased, but it is estimated that as many as 300 different views were published by Wedgwood.

What makes the Wedgwood plates interesting is that Wedgwood’s company markings are very well documented, and the company also used date codes, which if you can decipher them, quickly dispel stories by vendors that “this plate is 150 years old” at a glance. The Wedgwood factory started marking its wares around 1860 with the date of manufacture with an impressed, three-letter code. The first letter of the code represents the month of manufacture, the second the potter and the last letter signifying the year the piece was made, beginning with 0 for 1860. This code was used with some variations; the series was repeated four times. From 1907 on, in the third series, the first letter for the month is replaced by a “3” and with the fourth series beginning with “A” in 1924 with the numeral “4.” In 1930, the date code was simplified, with the last two digits being the year, for example “3B35” translates to “March, 1935.”

The three plates shown above are typical of these Wedgwood American View plates, depicting the Boston University Charles Hayden Memorial, the Bennington Battle Monument and the Alabama State Capitol. The company mark on all three is the “Wedgwood Etruria England” mark that was used by Wedgwood until 1940.

Compared to their peak of value in the late 1980s to early 1990s, demand for plates of this type has diminished in recent years. In the current market these Wedgwood plates retail in the $50-$120 range depending on the subject depicted.

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

——————————–

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

These two Royal Doulton pieces, titled “Virago & Baby,” were designedby Leslie Harradine, circa 1909.

Every movement in history has its highs and lows captured in the decorative arts of the time, either as heroic statuary and dramatic portraiture to support the cause, or as comic pieces meant

to heap ridicule on a cause to diminish it in the eyes of the public.

An example of the latter is reflected in these two pieces pegged to one of the most contentious issues of democracy in modern times: Women’s Suffrage. Establishing women’s right to vote was very an extremely polarizing issue that pitted the sexes against one another. Women’s suffrage in the United Kingdom as a national movement began in 1872, the charge for women led by the Woman’s Social and Political Union (WSPU).

The issue hit a peak when WSPU attempted to storm the House of Commons and the burning of the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s country home in 1908. These two pieces, titled “Virago & Baby,” were made shortly after these events, the design for these stoneware pieces were registered by Royal Doulton, circa 1909. The pieces are actually inkwells and very collectible. The “Baby” hinges at the top, while the “Virago,” with her “Votes for Women” apron, hinges in the middle.

They were created by Leslie Harradine, one of Doulton’s best known designers, who joined Doulton’s Lambeth Studios in 1902 as an apprentice modeler, but eventually resigned from his position in late 1912 to work on a freelance basis for the next 40 years. From the 1920s until the 1950s, virtually all the new figures developed were the creations from the mind of Leslie Harradine.

The Virago & Baby inkwells are very early designs by Harradine and are quite rare, and are seldom available for sale or at auction. In auction today, they would bring between $1,000-$1,500 each.

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

———————————

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Join WorthPoint on Twitter and Facebook.

This Dutch Delft plate was made by PZH (Plateelbakkerij Zuid-Holland), which was founded in the town of Gouda in South-Holland (Zuid-Holland) in 1898.

This is an example of a Dutch Delft pottery charger, designed to be hung as a decorative wall plate. Most such wall plates measure more than 13 inches across, with some reaching as much as 20 inches in diameter. This particular piece measures approximately 17 inches across.

Delft blue and white pottery first appeared in the 1500s, but it wasn’t until the 1740s that the production, makers and their marks were well recorded. Very few companies went without using very distinctive marks for their pieces. Decorative wall plates like this one were made mainly for the export and tourist markets after the First World War, and again after World War Two. While not mass produced in the modern sense of the term, they were produced in very large numbers, of which many have survived to this day.

This particular plate was made by PZH (Plateelbakkerij Zuid-Holland), which was founded in the town of Gouda in South-Holland (Zuid-Holland) in 1898. The company used quite a variety of marks, artists’ marks and date marks. The central marking used by Zuid Holland that looks like a house is actually a gate—specifically the “Gate of Lazarus”—once the stone doorway of the old leper infirmary (around 1609) in the town of Gouda in Zuid Holland. The date mark on the left corner of the gate that looks like a dagger was used for 1953, the mark to the right of the gate that looks like a musical note is the decorator’s monogram marking (unfortunately, this decorator is unknown). The PZH Zuid-Holland factory closed in 1964.

The marks on the back of Delft plates have been regulated since the 1740s, the Zuid-Holland marks show the pattern, date and decorator’s marks.

In the current market, comparable Delft chargers sell in the $120-$160 range.

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

——————————

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Join WorthPoint on Twitter and Facebook.

A pair of 19th-century Wedgwood wine & water ewers pieces in black basalt. Today, they are most likely found at auction and sell in the $5,000-$6.500 range.

These wine & water ewers are 19th-century Wedgwood pieces in what’s referred to as “black basalt,” a hard, black vitreous stoneware named after the volcanic rock basalt and manufactured by Josiah Wedgwood from about 1768. Wedgwood’s black basalt ware was an improvement on the stained earthenware known as “Egyptian black,” which was made by other Staffordshire potters. The wine ewer, “Sacred to Bacchus,” is modeled with a satyr seated on the shoulder of the shield-shaped body clasping the horns of a ram suspending swags of grapevines. The ewer, “Sacred to Neptune,” with a triton seated and clasping the fins of a dolphin draped with swags of water weed.

This pair was designed by John Flaxman Senior (1726-95), who provided the original plaster models for the ewers and invoiced Josiah Wedgwood “£3.3s” in 1775 for “A pair of Vases, one with a satyr & the other with a Triton Handle.” The original plasters are in still in the Wedgwood archives, and Wedgwood produced them in both white and black for a great number of years, beginning about 1794. They were still in production in 1878.

Today the majority of these Basalt ewers trade hands at auction. In the last two years, we have seen a number of the Basalt ewers sell in the $5,000-$6,500 range at auction. Pairs with some damage or restoration sell for less than $3,500.

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

——————————

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Join WorthPoint on Twitter and Facebook.

Examples of 19th-century Japanese export pottery called “Sumida ware.”

Among the strangest pieces to came out of the Orient during the late 19th century are Japanese export pottery called “Sumida ware,” named after their original origins near the Sumida River that flowed by the Asakusa pottery district. This style, with its high-relief decoration, appeared about 1890 and is believed to be the invention of a potter named Inoue Ryosai, who worked in Tokyo, circa 1875-1900. Production of Sumida pottery shifted to Yokohama about 1924 and continued in production until the Second World War.

Unlike a great many other Asian pottery styles, Sumida was not used just for decorative vases or urns; it can found in the form any type of general table ware, from teapots to candlesticks. The decoration covers the whole gamut from Japanese fables, landscapes and happy peasants. The most often image depicted is the monkey, an animal that appears in a great deal of Japanese folklore as a mischief maker. One famous example—now in the Lightner Museum in St. Augustine, Fla. —is a vase created by Inoue Ryosai that has 354 applied monkey figures clambering all over the roofs in a village, each with its own unique look.

Most Sumida pottery is marked. The marks tend to be on the side of the pottery or base, some on a white tile attached to the piece. The earlier pieces have marks in Japanese Kanji script, later examples with the familiar “Nippon” marking, used until 1921, with “Made in Japan” generally after that date. Some pieces are unmarked; either they were never marked or had paper or foil labels which have long since been removed or worn off. To date more than 70 different marks have been cataloged.

Values vary depending on the quality of the decoration, the size of the piece and the maker, with some large monkey vases with the mark of Inoue Ryosai selling for more than $10,000 at auction. Smaller pieces by lesser known makers sell for less than $80.

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

——————————

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Join WorthPoint on Twitter and Facebook.

This wonderful Cincinnati yellow ware paneled water pitcher with Rockingam-type mottled brown glaze on a slip-cast body was made by William Bromley. The pitcher has floral scrollwork decoration and a female with harp below spout. The base has impressed Eagle mark with “Bromley & Co. Brighton Pottery Cin. Ohio.”

For most antique lovers, the Rookwood Pottery of Cincinnati conjures up images of fine ceramics. Great decorators, combined with great glazes gave this art pottery a well-deserved national reputation. Few people know, however, that Cincinnati was also the scene of a thriving ceramic industry long before pottery began to be manufactured on the top of Mount Adams.

By the time Rookwood was established in 1880, for example, no less than 29 separate potteries had operated in the Cincinnati basin. Virtually all were situated in Over-the-Rhine and in the Brighton neighborhood at the northwestern edge of the Cincinnati basin. Many of these potteries were operated by immigrants from the great pottery making district of Staffordshire, England. They brought with them technical know-how, and peculiarly English ideas about how pottery was to be made.

Much of this pottery was made in molds of two halves into which wet clay was pressed, allowed to become “leather hard” and then slipped out and joined together to make the finished product.
The output of these potteries was largely utilitarian ware—pitchers of various sizes, shallow bowls and basins—but mugs, pie plates, tea and coffee pots, bottles and spittoons were produced in abundance. Most were made from yellowish clay that was coated with a bright yellow or brownish glaze. Today, collectors prize this “yellow ware” for their simple, yet elegant shapes and great colors.

Identifying early Cincinnati yellow ware is maddeningly difficult since rarely did our potters sign their products. William Bromley, who was in business in Brighton between about 1849-1863, was an exception. This English potter evidently took great pride in his status as an American, for the bottoms of his pottery often bears a distinctive stamp of a raised, spread-winged American eagle and the logo “W. Bromley Cincinnati Ohio North America.” Bromley is known to have made pitchers in several sizes, some with plain handles, others formed to resemble a sleek greyhound.

If you’re lucky enough to find a Bromley pitcher they’re quite valuable. You can figure $1,500 for an 8-inch version and perhaps $2,000 for a 10-inch example. Look for that molded spread-winged eagle!

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.

———————————

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Join WorthPoint on Twitter and Facebook.

This unsigned North Carolina ring handle art pottery vase with ring lug handles is advertised as made by Arthur Ray Cole in the 1940s.

The wheel-thrown vase has a rutile crystalline rustic glaze, and the red clay body, with stilt marks visible on the bottom.

(All items shown in this article are availabe for purchase through GoAntiques.com. Click on the photos for individual item details)

For almost any acquisition endeavor, knowledge is power; whether one is collecting old masters, Oriental carpets, raw land in the South Pacific or the XYZ Corp. Ltd. However, if the object of one’s desire is relatively fragile, condition is a judgment of great importance, and the whereabouts not well known, then one’s personal knowledge becomes paramount to your success in the endeavor.

North Carolina art pottery has been made since the first decades of this century and was fashioned in large numbers. Thus, you would assume that finding it would not be problematic, if only you knew where to search. There is certainly an element of truth in that. The facts are that these sixth- and eighth-generation N.C. potters shipped their wares all over America by rail and later by truck. Some of the potteries shipped their wares in lots numbering in the thousands, so their pieces are out there, if you can determine where “there” is. With the advent of the Internet, finding these items is not as hard as it once was, but there are certainly other things to learn: The shapes and glazes, while not specific, were characteristics to identify potteries in general, but the successful collector should learn to identify the individual pottery or even the potter as well.

This nice and early vessel, made by J.B. Cole, has a flaring form and is covered in a lead green glaze.

The condition of this particular vase, made in the 1920s, is good, but has numerous nicks to the rim, a small ding to the body.

The art pottery movement in the Tar Heel state began as an adaptation for financial survival. Progress in the form of glass and plastic containers, the availability of electricity and even something call Prohibition, led to a decline in the need and demand for utilitarian wares. The potters in North Carolina had been fashioning these crocks, storage jars, churns and jugs for more than two centuries, but after the turn of the century they had to make different wares if they wanted to survive in the remainder of the 20th century. Those who were able to make the transition survived, but even then it was not an easy life.

The transitional forms and glazes used in the 1920s and 30s provide the collector with an interesting challenge. Not a great number have survived, and the particular examples have not been systematically documented. These pieces appear crude in the reflection of the changes in turning required for decorative pieces, and the glazes were often simple and not inspiring. A number of these pieces were salt glazed, or some variation of Albany slop might have been used, as the potters were familiar with these glazes. They also tended to employ those forms that were easily translated from their previous activity. Many of the potters had difficulty with fashioning the smaller pieces and had little, if any, experience with the decorative glazes. One can sometimes find these examples with a crude but appealing form and wonderful patina in junk shops, boxes at estate sales and at flea markets.

In the 1930s the potters became more accomplished, both in the turning of these decorative wares and in choosing glazes that increased the visual appeal of their creations. Another very interesting development was the change in distribution patterns from local to widespread, and a marked increase in the volume of wares produced so that many pieces were shopped all over the country. This means that the aggressive collector has an opportunity to acquire pieces from almost anywhere, but some locations are much more likely than others.

Where to Begin the Hunt

Most antiques shops that specialize in a particular form of antiquity or fine art dealers are not likely to have these hand-turned wares. The most commons place to find N.C. art pottery are in malls and in multiple-dealer shops where all the dealers carry a large variety of goods to appeal to the generic desires of the public. Estate sales can be very good sources, but one has to devote a great deal of time to this endeavor and be extremely patient. You can drive for hundreds of miles, wait for what seems to be a lifetime for the piece to come up, and then be outbid by a little old lady in tennis shoes who is reminded by the piece of her late great Aunt Tillie and who has a $20,000,000 trust account.

Antique festivals or shows will yield good results, provided you have stamina, are willing to use your own judgment and are prepared to bargain. The small shows at Liberty and Cameron, two North Carolina towns (more like villages), have good examples if you are prepared to pay from dealers who are fair but well informed.

You will discover that there will be a substantial difference in the asking price between signed and unsigned pieces; so you should learn to identify the characteristic clay, glaze, form and turning of the North Carolina potters. For the knowledgeable, there are unparalleled opportunities for acquisition, but there are no guarantees, absolutely no warranty and no return policies.

A pair of Pisgah Forest North Carolina arts pottery candleholders, with exterior and interior glazes in soft shades of seafoam green and faded rose pink. Made sometime between the 1940s and 1960s.

While the remains of a tripod evidenced on the glaze of the bottom of a piece, coupled with the uniform sanding marks of a belt sander on the undersurface, may tell you this piece was made at Jacon B. Cole Pottery, this will be totally lost on 97 percent of antique dealers. You can thus translate this lack of information or interest on their part into opportunity for you. If you have exercised a bit of independent scholarship, the rewards may be extraordinary. The specialized pottery dealer will probably know as much, or more, as you will, but will most often be fair because the goal here for the dealer is repeat business.

Whether a piece is signed should not be an incentive or serve as a deterrent to the purchase of N.C. pottery. If it is for you, then you have simply not done the proper due diligence to identify the unsigned pieces, which comprise the vast majority of the pieces you will find. There are a few specialized N.C. pottery dealers and certainly you should buy from them as well as learn from them; but if this is your only method of acquisition, then you are going to miss a great deal of the pleasure in the process. Do much of your own searching because the chase can be as or more pleasurable than the act of acquiring.

Fundamentals of North Carolina Art Pottery

Certain basics to collecting North Carolina art pottery are as fundamental as the rod to fishing, the putter to the links, or the hoop to basketball. You have simply got to be able to tell a mold piece from a hand-turned one. Do not believe that the turning grooves will always be prominent or the telltale joining line readily apparent. Look at the handles; could they have been shaped by the human hand and fixed to the body of the piece manually? How translucent is the glaze? Does it have the deep patina of a kiln-fired piece or a more translucent sheen of a porcelain ware? Granted Pisgah Forest, a well-known line of N.C. potters, is fired at a higher temperature than earthenware, but the glazes are typical and almost all the Pisgah Forest pieces are marked.

Fabulous turquoise-blue crackle finish baluster-style vase by W.B. Stephen of the Pisgah Pottery Company of North Carolina.

It is nine inches tall and has Stephen's trademark pink glazed interior. This piece is fully marked and dated 1946.

North Carolina clay can usually be differentiated from other contenders but not always. Mitchfield clay from the Auman Clay Pit is basically white, and allows the glazes to be put to their greatest decorative use. The luster from a clear glaze over the natural clay is both lovely and identifiable. Candor clay, named from the small town in south central North Carolina, is so white that it has a similar appearance to porcelain, but the effect on the glaze will be different and the object will not have the very high-gloss shine. The appearance of redware is red, and most of the North Carolina clay is orange. However, it was a common practice to shellac the bottoms or to allow the glaze to run over the bottom of the piece and sand it smooth. The bottom might also become darkened by the firing process. The message here is to look at the clay and examine the undersurface of the piece, but be aware that you are not examining an object in pristine condition or understand that what you are observing might reflect some of the potting process and not just the properties of the clay.

Glazes are helpful in identification but seldom specific. However, you certainly need to be able to identify the colors of A.R. Cole when he operated at Rainbow Pottery, or the multiglazes of C.C. Cole, Jugtown’s very desirable Chinese blue, or the double-dipped glaze wares of North State Pottery. If you would like to acquire some rare and very desirable North Carolina pieces, learn to identify the cream-colored and cobalt-decorated wares of the Auman’s in the 1920s or the mottled “spotted” appearance of the early Jugtown pieces.

You will not be able to carry in your frontal cortex all the forms and shapes of even a single N.C. pottery’s wares. There are hundreds of entries in the 1932 J.B. Cole catalogue alone. However, certain common forms, such as Rebecca pitchers, suggest a North Carolina origin and the specifics such as a “rat tail” handle suggest a particular potter such as Jack Kiser. Since this pottery was made for a national market, regional shapes were not as common as with the utilitarian goods of yesteryear. Form and shape are very important.

This tall split handled pitcher is covered in a robin’s egg blue glaze with colorful splashes around the shoulder. Believed to be made in the 1930s.

Unmarked on the bottom, but attributed to Rainbow Pottery, the condition of this pitcher is excellent, with one small flake on the mouth.

When you begin your independent quest for N.C. pottery, pick up every piece you think may have a chance of being the object of your desire. You will get to see the bottoms of many pieces of Roseville, Fancoma and Fulper, and gradually you will come to be able to eliminate them quickly. You will soon come to “feel” the presence of a mold piece, but to differentiate Bybee wares made in Kentucky or some Gordy art pottery from Georgia from N.C. pottery.

The search for N.C. art pottery can be an intellectual adventure, but you may find yourself on some remote porches, exploring a defunct florist or tracing the sales from the 1930s, of a nursery that insists they have the records in an abandoned warehouse. The rewards are great for the informed and diligent, but the process will be pleasurable for the less successful as well.

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Join WorthPoint on Twitter and Facebook.

Weller umbrella stands can still be found in the $200 to $300 range, but the "Baldwin" line piece, such as this one, routinely sells in the $750 to $1,000 range at auction.

Every dealer and collector has a soft spot for certain styles and periods of design that is almost a case of love at first sight. In my own case, it was Art Nouveau, a rebirth in design that reigned supreme from about 1895-1910. This Weller “Baldwin” series umbrella stand, with it’s vine like florals and hand-hewn look is a good example of the style produced in North America up until the First World War.

Sam Weller, the founder of Weller pottery, began with the production everyday items such as jars, jugs, tiles and utility pottery. With the move to Zanesville, Ohio, area about 1889, Weller followed the lead of other local potters and began making a line of art pottery.

Weller soon expanded into a line of Portraiture pottery with Indians, animals and themes based on the books by Charles Dickens, called “Dickensware.” A large number of other series wares such as Woodland, Oriental, Hunter, Auroral and Sicardo were also produced and well received at the time.

Like many manufacturers, Weller was forced to scale back production during the years of World War I, and the company concentrated on molded, mass-produced wares similar to those of the Roseville company. Sam Weller died in 1925, when the pottery was being run by his nephew Harry until his own death in 1932. The Weller pottery company survived the Depression and World War II, but it’s glory years were behind it when it closed for good in 1948.

The value for most original Art Nouveau designer pieces has climbed beyond the average collector, but some potteries like Weller automated enough of their production that many examples are still available at reasonable prices today. In the current market some Weller umbrella stands can still be found in the $200 to $300 range, but the “Baldwin” line (pictured above) routinely sells in the $750 to $1,000 range at auction.

Mike Wilcox
Wilcox & Hall Appraisers

Mike Wilcox is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.

Sarreguemines Vaisselle

By Sherri Hall-Wilcox

Sarreguemines Vaisselle was established in 1748 in the city of Sarreguemines in the Northeast of France. This region was chosen for natural resources needed to produce ceramic in the 18th century, such as clay, an abundant water supply and wood, which was the sole source of energy. Beginning in the 19th century, Sarreguemines Vaisselle replaced clay with kaolin and wood with coal to fire the kilns. Later gas replaced coal as the primary source of energy. Some 250 years later, all of these natural resources are still found only miles from Sarreguemine’s Vaisselle factory.

Following the French-German war of 1870, the Sarreguemines region became part of Germany and prohibitive Customs duties were imposed. To avoid this, the factory was moved in 1872 to the city of Digoin, 250 miles southwest. Due to its reputation, Sarreguemines Vaisselle kept its name and the factory has remained in Digoin ever since. The company was awarded 12 gold medals in international competitions during the 19th century. Such was its reputation even Napoleon Bonaparte bought pieces, which can still be found today at Versailles and at the Trianon.

Dating Sarreguemines Pottery by the Marks:
A lot of the Sarreguemines pieces are clearly marked. The company has used many different marks over the centuries, which enables us to date most pieces.

• Typically, you will see the word “SARREGUEMINES” either impressed or printed. The impressed version was in use until circa 1900. The company used the printed mark after 1900.
• Between 1870 and 1890, the impressed Sarreguemines often has “MAJOLICA” impressed above it.
• Quite often, Sarreguemines pieces have several impressed numbers. The number existing of 3 or 4 figures usually refers to the model. One number between 1 and 4 refers to the size, and the last two digits refer to the production year (like 05 for 1905)
• The impressed “U & C” within an octagon stands for Utzschnieder et Company and was in use until 1890. From 1881 on you can find majolica marked as Sarreguemines D & V.
• Sometimes Sarreguemines pieces are marked “ESDEVE”. ESDEVE (read SDV) stands for Sarreguemines, Digoin, Vitry-le-Francois, with Digoin and Vitry being the two companies that Sarreguemines had created earlier when Sarreguemines was annexed to Germany.
• The ESDEVE mark was in use until circa 1930.

WorthPoint: Get the Most From Your Antiques and Collectibles

If you can’t see a mark on a piece of fine pottery or art glass, that doesn’t mean it isn’t there. If your eye is trained to spot quality pieces but you are not able to find a mark, it can be well worth your time to keep on looking for one.

I once visited a very high-end antique store in Los Angles and was rather disappointed when I couldn’t find anything of interest I could buy and later resell for a profit. But, as I was leaving the store, for some reason I looked up at a top shelf where there were two extremely large vases. I asked the dealer if he would get a ladder and bring them down so that I could get a better look at them. Hesitantly, he did.

I examined the vases from top to bottom but couldn’t find a mark, even though I felt fairly certain they were Doulton Lambeth pieces decorated by one of their leading artists. I went over these pieces several more times but still couldn’t find a mark and was considering putting them back on the shelf. Being the stubborn person I am, as all that I refused to give up, so I examined them another time. Finally, I caught a glimpse of three letters within the body of the vase, “FEB” — meaning Florence E. Barlow, the sister of Hannah Barlow. This had just become my lucky day. The two Barlow sisters were Doulton’s best known decorators, and their vases always bring top prices.

Why hadn’t others found these marks? Very simply, the marks weren’t typically where one would find marks on pottery. I’m sure there had been hundreds of people who looked at the bottoms of these pieces and returned them to their shelf when they couldn’t see a mark. You see, ninety-five percent of these vases would have been marked on the bottom. But, not these. And, to make it more difficult, this particular mark, “FEB” had been incorporated into the actual design of the vase, making it almost impossible to find. But, not impossible to a persistant and stubborn person like me. This poor dealer had no idea these vases were special pieces.

I could barely hold my composure when I asked the price. “Two hundred and fifty dollars each,” was the dealer’s response. I didn’t know if it was time to dance or cry.

I returned to my car carrying these two precious bundles and carefully placed them in the back. Then, I pinched myself to be sure I wasn’t dreaming. You see, these wonderful 22″ vases were worth over $5,000 each at the time.

This type of find isn’t a rare occurrence. Lalique, Steuben and other art glass pieces with etched marks often present a huge challenge in finding the marks. The secret is to recognize the quality of the materials and the decorations on the piece. If they both meet the standards of a quality piece, then you should spend the time required to verify the maker.

The next show you attend, find a Tiffany Lamp and ask to look at it. I believe you will find it isn’t easy to located the marks because of their small size and because of where they are located under the shade.

You can learn to spot quality when you make a study of the most sought after pottery, porcelain, and art glass. Knowing the work and values of in demand artists will put you at the head of the class. You’ll be able to find the marks others miss.

Use every source you can in order to study. Search the Internet. See these pieces up close at shows. Invest in your own resource library. Used books can easily be found at reasonable prices through the internet. Choose your area of study.

When you spot that next high quality piece, be persistant in looking for a mark. It can pay you off tenfold.

For more information about marks, visit www.Marks4Antiques.com.

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Join WorthPoint on Twitter and Facebook.

www.31corp.com

Automobilia China Part Two

By David Bausch

While most of the early china objects depicting the automobile were from Europe (the home of the automobile), it wasn’t long until the automobile fever caught on here in the U.S. of A. While Royal Doulton of England, and Villeroy and Boch of Germany were making china picturing the automobile, it was Roseville of Zanesville, Ohio, that took up the effort to portray the automobile on China in America.

Roseville produced a large series of pottery known as “Tourist.” There were 29 different shapes of pottery that carried the Tourist design. I should say designs, because there was more then one design in the series. Usually, two autos are found on the larger items and one on the smaller pieces. Some of the cars are roadsters and others are touring cars of different styles; one of the series shows a car broken down with a flat tire. A flat tire was not an unusual problem; at least not in the very early days of motoring. I am sure many of the motorists could relate to that experience.

A large jardinière on a pedestal base will command a price of $2,500 to $3,000. A small bowl can run around $300 to $500. Condition is very important, crazing is very common on this pottery, and crazing reduces the value of any item in this series.

Automobile China by Royal Doulton

By David Bausch

Nothing speaks of the Edwardian era more clearly then the series of china produced by Royal Doulton of England. This china was designed by John Holdcroft, and was known as the Motorist Series. This series was produced in its factory in Burslem England from the years 1903-1913.
Royal Doulton produced a full line of china in this Motorist pattern including: dinner plates (large 10 3/8 inches and small 9 5/8 inches); mugs; biscuit jars; spittoons; flower vases (large and small); and a chocolate pitcher.

The different scenes were: “After the Run;” “A Horse, A Horse;” “Blood Money;” “Deaf;” “Itch yer on Gov’no;” “Nerve Tonic;”; “Room for One;” and “The New and the Old.”

John Holdcroft also designed a series of china at the same period of time using aircraft on china, including plates and pitchers. This aircraft series is quite scarce, but not a subject for this article; the aircraft china has a limited audience compared to the number of collectors of the Motorist series of china.

The value for a Motorist Dinner Plate (10 3/8 inches) has a range of $250-$300; a large compote can demand a price of $400-$450. Condition is always important.