Pioneer woodsmen inspired fraternal organization
Q. This is a photo of a brass belt buckle that I have been curious about for a long time. The belt is marked in relief with an ax and a mallet, along with the letters "M-W-A-F." Anything you can tell me about this belt buckle would be appreciated.
A. The letters represent the Modern Woodmen of America Friendship. It is a fraternal organization that provides benefits for families in the event of the death of a husband, illness or disasters. It is a tax-exempt life insurance organization that was founded in Lyons, Iowa, in 1883 by Joseph Cullen Root. Root was inspired to establish a fraternal organization that benefited families after hearing a sermon about pioneer woodmen clearing the forests to ensure the safety of families' homes and communities. He saw it as an analogy for providing the necessary financial means at times of death and illness.
The ax represents removing the threat of the burden of providing for family at the time of death. The mallet represents the power to protect families. The benefits were available in 12 states: Iowa, Nebraska, the Dakotas, Kansas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Missouri and Indiana. Modern Woodmen of America was not affiliated with a religion and originally welcomed a diverse membership.
Your belt buckle would probably be worth $25 to $50.
Q. Enclosed is a picture of the mark on a set of china I have. It was purchased in Japan when my husband was stationed there with the United States military. The set is a service for 12 and has a total of 93 pieces, including serving pieces. I still have the original box with the words "Nippon-Toki-Kaisha, LTD." Each dish is decorated with pastel lacy flowers, buds and green leaves against a white background. The edges are trimmed with gold. The set is in perfect condition.
Could you provide any information on the history and value of my china?
A. The letter "M" represented Morimura Bros. The brothers were New York importers who began producing porcelain in Japan in 1914 that appealed to Western tastes. They had factories in Kyoto, Tokyo and Noritake, Japan. The Noritake area was rich with natural materials and proficient potters.
Vintage Noritake china sets can be found selling anywhere from $200 to $600.
• 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.
© 2017, Creators Syndicate