1930s porcelain plate was made in Germany
Q. I have enclosed a picture of a porcelain plate that is 8 inches in diameter. On the back is a lion in a circle and the words Selb, Bavaria, Germany, along with another word that is not clear. The plate is decorated with sprays of pastel flowers on the scalloped border against a white background.
I read your column each week and hope you can tell me how old my plate is and if it has any value.
A. Hutschenreuther Porcelain Factory made your plate. The porcelain factory was founded in Bavaria, Germany, in 1814. They have made fine china dinnerware, limited edition plates and figurines.
Your plate was made around 1930 and would probably be worth $15 to $25.
Q. This mark is on the back of a medium-sized platter that was given to me by an elderly friend. The plate is decorated with a blue-and-white Asian scene that includes several people, a bridge, a pagoda, birds, a ship and willow trees. It measures 12 inches by 10 inches and is in flawless condition.
My friend has since passed away, and now I would like to know more about my platter. I treasure my gift and would never part with it; however, I hope you can tell me something about its history, age and value.
A. You have an example of Willow Ware. Alfred Meakin Pottery has been located in Staffordshire, England, since 1973. The Willow Ware scene was inspired by a 16th-century Chinese design and has been produced in England since the late 1700s. The design has also been made by United States and Japanese factories. Although most Willow Ware scenes are blue and white, Meakin produced it in pink and white. The designs were transfer prints. According to the legend, a powerful Mandarin had a beautiful daughter. She fell in love with her father's accountant. Because he was beneath the Mandarin's social class, the couple was forbidden to marry. They ran away, with the father in hot pursuit, but managed to escape on a ship. The angry father's army eventually found them, and they were put to death. The gods took pity on the doomed couple and transformed them into doves.
Meakin Pottery used this mark in the early 1900s. Your platter would probably fetch $20 to $40 in an antiques shop.
• 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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