PORCELAIN MARK - W + CROWN HANDPAINTED MARK ON PORCELAIN TEA or COFFEE SET

by Anon
(San Francisco, CA, USA)

PORCELAIN MARK - W + CROWN HANDPAINTED MARK ON PORCELAIN TEA or COFFEE SET QUERY: These were my great-grandmother's hand painted Coffee Set. She was born in the 1880s in Lowell, MA, lived in Indiana & New York. She passed away in the late 1950s. The plates say "Schmidt & Son" - all are marked with a hand painted crown and W.

Thank you for any help you can give in identifying where they were manufactured.

Best regards

San

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Reply from Peter (admin) below - just scroll down

HOW I MADE MONEY FROM BITS & BOBS OF OLD CHINA .....more

Reply by John (admin guest from Marks4Antiques.com):

To:- PORCELAIN MARK - W + CROWN HANDPAINTED MARK ON PORCELAIN TEA or COFFEE SET

Greetings

The hand-painted Crown marks on your pieces are actually "overmarks", which are usually applied by a Retailer or a Trading company (Importers or Exporters) in order to conceal the original manufacturer or supplier source. This practice was most common ca 1900 - 1930s, which probably dates your Set. As Peter says in his main article on ceramics marks (http://www.figurines-sculpture.com/pottery-marks.html) there are certain clues to look out for when identifying pottery markings - a bit like Sherlock Holmes it's "Elementary when you know how, my dear Watson". For us, passing on those clues to our members is fun and satisfying - a win-win!

Anyway, more about Schmidt.... A. Schmidt & Sons is the name of this Retailer or Trading Company, most likely out of New York or Boston. The items appear to be probably of German origin, but the original pottery mark is unfortunately only partially visible through one of these over-marks on the Plate and we cannot distinguish any specific details that will give us any specific clues.

Hope that gives you an insight into your china collection.

John (admin)

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Reply by Peter (admin):

The following page is a 'must see' if you are researching fine china - for value and identification:-

Researching the identity and value of antique and vintage fine china.

Best regards,

Peter (admin)