'Lady of the Calla Lily' is a lovely lamp
Q. Enclosed is a photo of a lamp made by Van Briggle Pottery. Marked on the bottom are the words "Van Briggle - Colo. Spgs" and the double letters "A" in a square. The figure is 12 inches high and the height, including the shade, is 24 inches. The shade is made of milkweed seed and decorated with real daisies and butterflies. The base is the color "Colorado Sunset." It is in excellent condition and all original. I understand that the lamp has become a collector's item.
Could you give me any information on my lamp?
A. You have an example Van Briggle's female figure reclining against a large calla lily. It is titled "Lady of the Calla Lily" and the matte glaze is "Persian Rose" rather than Colorado Sunset. The Dutch artist, Artus Van Briggle, was born in 1869. He was with Rookwood Pottery until he left in 1899. In 1901, he founded his pottery in Colorado Springs, Colorado. When he died in 1904, his wife, Anne, successfully took over the managing of the pottery. The double "A" mark represents the initials of both his first name and that of his wife Anne. The lady figurine was created in the 1920s and was available in Persian Rose, white, blue and green matte glazes. The butterflies and flowers were pressed between two sheets of cellulose. Figural lamps were very popular in the 1940s and into the 1970s.
Your "Lady of the Calla Lily" lamp was made in the early 1900s and would probably be worth between $500 and $700.
Q. This mark is on the bottom of the base of a Dresden porcelain figurine of a female. She is wearing a blue skirt that is decorated with applied pastel flowers, a long-sleeve white blouse with ruffles, blue bonnet and black shoes. The base is trimmed with gold. Including the base, the overall height is 9 inches. The figurine is in mint condition.
I have had it for a very long time and don't know anything about it. What can you tell me about its maker, age and value?
A. Dresden is a term that refers to porcelain that was made by the Royal Saxon Porcelain Factory in Dresden, Germany, in the early 1700s. The factory was relocated to Meissen, Germany in 1711. The mark you provided was used by the Sandizell Porcelain Factory in Sandizell, Bavaria, Germany. They produce porcelain that was inspired by the original Dresden factory and they have been in business since 1951.
Your figurine would probably be worth $50 to $75.
• 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.
© 2016, Creators Syndicate