Q. This is a photo of an old Tiffany & Co.-style electric lamp that has been passed down from my great-grandfather. It stands about 27 inches tall, and the shade is 18 inches in diameter. The glass in the shade is caramel and blue in color and in mint condition.
Could you please tell me a little more about my lamp?
A. Your lamp has a slag-glass metal-overlay shade. The style was inspired by Tiffany & Co. Similar lamps were made from 1895 to 1920. Together, the caramel and blue slag-glass lake scene and the metal overlay form the trees and lake edge. The base is cast metal, probably spelter. Collectors prefer the base to have the original patina and not be touched up with paint. Many lamps and shades were marked with the name of the manufacturer. Carefully examine yours; it might be signed. Bradley & Hubbard, Chicago Mosaic, Miller and Handel were several leading manufacturing companies.
Your lamp would light up a collector selling with a price range of $300 to $500.
Q. I would like to know whether a set of porcelain dishes I inherited have any value, and if so, what the insurance value is.
The set was a wedding gift to my great-grandparents around the year 1920. It was passed down to my grandparents, then to my mother and now to me. It is a service for eight and includes all the serving dishes. Each place setting has five pieces: dinner plate, salad plate, cereal bowl, and cup and saucer. The dishes are decorated with yellow flowers and green leaves and surrounded by sprays of red buds, all against a white background. The edges are scalloped and trimmed in gold, and the cups are footed. We think the name of the pattern is “Flandre.”
The set has always been a treasure to our family, and I hope you can provide more on its history.
A. Mitterteich Porcelain Factory made porcelain in Mitterteich, Bavaria, Germany. It was founded by Ludwig Linder in 1887. At one time, the factory had three plants and employed 800 people. It closed operations in 2006. And you are correct; the pattern is called Flandre.
Your circa-1920 porcelain dinnerware should be insured for $800 to $1,200.
• 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
