Mark on plate puzzles collector
Q. I was given the porcelain plate seen in this photo by a friend of mine who's 92 years old. It is 7 1/2 inches in diameter and decorated with pastel flowers against a white background. It is in mint condition. The unique thing about this plate is the stamp on the back. It is marked "Schumann-Arzberg." It appears that the words "Arzberg - Bavaria - Germany" were superimposed over the original mark.
Does the double mark make it any more valuable? Anything you can tell me about the maker, vintage and value will be appreciated.
A. Your porcelain plate was made by Carl Schumann Porcelain Factory in the early to mid-20th century. Schumann founded his company in Arzberg, Bavaria, Germany, in 1882. The factory was owned and operated by the Schumann family until its closing in 1994. Your plate was imported to the U.S. It was doubled-marked because the United States government required the name of country of origin.
Your plate would probably be worth $20 to $25. The double mark doesn't affect the value.
Q. A mark that says "D&J Fuller" is on the bottom of a wood-carved duck. His head and neck are iridescent green. He has brown and gray wings tinged with dark blue. And his tail is edged in cream. He is in perfect condition, approximately 8 inches long from bill to tail and 4 inches tall.
I inherited the carving from my parents sometime around 2001. My son has admired it for a long time, and I plan to pass it along to him. What can you tell me about D&J Fuller and the value of the carving?
A. Darrell and Judy Fuller created their Cedar Duck company in 1981. Darrell carved the ducks, and Judy painted them. Wood duck decoys have a special place in American folk art that can be traced back to the 1800s. The Fullers' mission was to carry on the concept of the decoy as a decorative art object. They have made a wide range of ducks and shorebirds that include the mallard, pintail wood duck, loon, Canada goose, sandpiper and woodcock. Their ducks were available in several sizes and usually made of basswood, cedar, pine and butternut.
Your mallard duck can be seen selling in the range of $25 to $50 online.
• 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