King Edward coronation memorabilia is collectible
Q. I enjoy reading your column, and I wonder if you have any idea what several items in my collection are worth. This is a picture of one of the commemorative pieces that I have. My parents bought quite a number of “royal” souvenir items that were made to commemorate the coronation of King Edward VIII. My parents must have been quick off the mark because the commemorative items were withdrawn from sales almost immediately when it was announced he was going to abdicate. He gave up the crown to marry the divorced American Wallis Simpson.
I believe my collection might be worth something to collectors and would like to know what your opinion is.
A. Edward was King of England from January 1936 to December 1936, but never crowned. He abdicated before he was crowned. The prime ministers of the United Kingdom strongly opposed him marrying a woman who was divorced, and it also presented a problem because, as king, he was the head of the Church of England. They spent their lives as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. There was a plethora of commemorative objects produced in anticipation of the coronation. Some of the makers included Wedgwood, Royal Doulton, Grindley and Alfred Meakin.
Most pieces of 1936 coronation memorabilia are modestly priced from $25 to $50.
Q. Enclosed is the mark that is on the bottom of a pink ironstone teapot that was my grandmother's. It was a wedding gift that she received in 1946. She kept it in her china cabinet, and it is in perfect condition. I always admired it, and she wanted me to have it.
Anything you can tell me about its history will be greatly appreciated.
A. Taylor, Smith and Taylor made your teapot. They were founded in Liverpool, Ohio, in 1901. “Lu-Ray” was the name of a line of dinnerware that was introduced in the late 1930s. Complete dinnerware sets were available in the following pastel colors that included: Windsor Blue, Sharon Pink, Chatham Gray, Persian Green and Surf Green. Anchor Hocking Corporation bought the company in 1972, and the business closed in 1981.
• Address your questions to Anne McCollam, P.O. Box 247, Notre Dame, IN 46556. Items of a general interest will be answered in this column. Due to the volume of inquiries, she cannot answer individual letters.
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