Porcelain cockatiel likely made in Germany
Q. Enclosed is a picture of a porcelain parrot figurine. It stands about 9 inches tall, is decorated with a shiny glaze and is in mint condition. My parents were stationed in West Germany in the early 1950s. It was probably purchased from the East German black market. My parents were told the parrot figurine belonged to an opera singer and it was a genuine Meissen piece. Marked on the bottom is a windmill with the letters “ENS.”
Could you confirm it is actually Meissen porcelain and tell me its value?
A. Your figurine looks more like a cockatiel than a parrot. It was made by the Karl Ens Porcelain factory. They were located in Volkstedt, Thuringia, Germany, from 1919 to 1972. The mark you described was first used around 1898. Meissen porcelain has been made in Saxony, Germany, from 1710 to the present. Many German porcelain factories produce pieces similar to those made by Meissen. Karl Ens Porcelain factory is known for its porcelain figurines and other decorative pieces.
Your porcelain cockatiel figurine was made sometime in the early to mid-1900s and would probably fetch $125 to $150 in an antiques shop.
Q. The enclosed mark is on a porcelain plate that I bought at a yard sale for $5. It is decorated with a blue and white scene of a Detroit civic building and titled “New County Building.” I bought it because I'm originally from Detroit.
What can you tell me about my plate?
A. This mark was used by Rowland and Marsellus. They were New York importers of souvenir and historical wares. Their wares were made by several different potteries in Staffordshire, England, including British Anchor Pottery Company and S. Hancock and Company. Much of their wares were marketed for the United States buyers. They often used blue and white transfer ware designs. Rowland and Marsellus were in business from 1860 to around 1900. Most of the plates were decorated with blue borders that featured flowers and fruits or vignettes of buildings.
Your souvenir plate would probably be worth $25 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.
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