Discover Mid-America – April 2011
Royal Bayreuth pitcher a find
Q. I was told this Mayan vase dates back to 500 AD. Is there a market? – JYC, St. George, SC
A. There is a market for such items but there are hundreds of fakes on the market. Did a specialist dealer or collector tell you about this object? My advice is to check with Mayan specialist, Fred Backlar, Bonhams auctions, Los Angeles, at 1-323-436-5414.
Q. This Geisha doll belonged to my mother-in-law who received it in the 1970s. It comes with a hand-painted silk Shoji screen. What is the value?
A. Similar dolls with screens dating around the 1960s sell in shops for more than $260.
Q. I bought this weird china lobster pitcher at a yard sale in the North Carolina mountains last summer for $10. On the base of the handle is a blue mark stamped “Royal Bayreuth, Bavaria.” It has some paint loss, but otherwise is in good condition. What can you tell me about it and the maker? – J.T., Wellington, FL
A. Your figural lobster pitcher is a real find, proving that antiques travel far from their origins. Historically, the Royal Bayreuth factory has been making fine porcelain for over 200 years, beginning in 1792. The factory, in the village of Tettau, in the Thuringian Hills in Germany, continues to make porcelain pieces. Known for its tea and coffee sets and dinnerware, they also create pieces with the SunBonnet Baby motif and a wide variety of figural items using nature subjects such as vegetables, flowers and fish.
Your lobster pitcher is a good example of some of the humorous pieces that included a tea pot shaped like a tomato. Your pitcher was made before World War II and could sell at auction for $400 or more.
Q. I bought this 10’ x 14’4” hand-knotted needlepoint rug several years ago. It has a small bust of a man with long white hair in each of the four corners, vases and floral designs. I was told it was 75 to 100 years old. I have been researching it without success. I would like to know its fair market value. — L.I., Kansas City, KS
A. From your photo, you appear to have a Savonnerie-style carpet, in 19th century motifs. However, these carpets continue to be reproduced. You need a hands-on appraisal from a professional rug dealer. Reproductions can sell for $1,000 or more in a dealer’s shop. They were originally made in France around 1635.
Do you need more information on an antique or collectible item? For a personal reply, send a photo, history, size, signatures and $25 to Anne Gilbert, P.O. BOX 740136, Boynton Beach, FL 33437-0136.