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Authentic Quimper egg cup is excellent buy

Q. Enclosed is a photo of an egg cup with an under plate. I am an egg cup collector and recently found this one at my local Goodwill store. I paid 50 cents for it and I'm hoping it's a real Henriot Quimper faience piece. Marked on the back of the plate are the words "HR - Quimper." I know there are fakes, so I would like to know if there is any definitive way to discern if this is the real thing? If so, could you tell me the approximate value?

A. The mark you described is authentic. It was used by Jules Henriot for Quimper Pottery from around 1904 to 1926. Quimper Pottery fakes can be recognized by inferior design quality and are often made in countries other than France. Quimper pieces are made of tin-glazed earthenware or enamel, and are named for the town Quimper, located in Brittany, France. Abundant quantities of red clay were available in the riverbed that runs through Quimper. Beginning in the 1860s, Quimper pieces were decorated with male and female figures of Breton peasants. The under plate appears to be biniou-shaped. "Biniou" is French for bagpipe. Look at it closely and you can see the shape of a bagpipe. The mark "HR" was changed to "Henriot" after a squabble with a rival who had a similar mark.

Your egg cup with under plate was made around 1900, and would probably fetch $175 to $225 in an antique shop.

Q. I bought a pink glass-covered compote at an antiques and collectibles shop. It stands about 7 inches tall and is in mint condition. It is decorated with a relief of waterlily blossoms, buds and lily pads. The finial is a waterlily.

What can you tell me about its history, maker, age and value?

A. You have a Fenton Art Glass Rosalene piece. The Fenton Art Glass Co. was founded in 1905 in Williamstown, West Virginia. The Rosalene line was introduced in 1976. It was developed by Fenton chemists by adding pure gold to opaque glass and then reheating formed pieces. In the 1980s, Fenton released its first Connoisseur Collection, which included Rosalene, milk glass and Burmese pieces. Rosalene pieces include compote, candy dishes, animal figures, fairy lamps, bowls and ewers.

Fenton filed for Chapter 11 in 2008, reopened in 2009 and made a limited production of pieces for gift shops. Eventually, the company became Fenton International and is now manufactured in China.

Your Rosalene compote would probably be worth $125 to $135 today.

• 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

Fenton Art Glass Co. introduced its Rosalene line in 1976.
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