Antique marble-top plant stand made in China
Q: I bought this antique plant stand at an antiques auction almost 40 years ago. It is in very good condition, and it is about 36 inches tall with a pink mark on top. It appears to be decorated with hand-carved flowers. The underside of the marble is marked with Asian script.
What can you tell me about my stand, and what might be the insurance value?
A: Your marble-top jardiniere/plant stand is an example of Qing dynasty Chinese import furniture. These pieces were used to hold ferns or plants and designed to appeal to the tastes of the East. Similar jardiniere stands were made in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The Qing dynasty lasted from 1636 to 1912 and was the last imperial dynasty. Most were made of rosewood and often decorated with carved flowers or dragons. It can be difficult to identify the script on the stand. There has been an influx of Chinese stands made in the middle to late 1900s. Their value is much less than earlier stands.
Values of vintage jardinieres are in the range of $500 to $2,000, depending on the condition. If yours is in mint condition, insure it for $1,000 to $2,000.
Q: I have attached a picture of the mark that is on a set of miscellaneous porcelain dinnerware. There is a total of 69 dishes, which includes a cream pitcher and a sugar bowl. Each dish is decorated with pink roses and green leaves against an off-white background. The edges are scalloped and embossed. Some of the dishes are marked "The Princess"; others do not show the pattern name. I have been told the Princess pattern is listed in one of Arlene Schleiger's books as pattern No. 57-6.
What is the value of my dinnerware, and is there any difference in the value of the two marks?
A: Haviland and Co. was a family business that was founded by David Haviland in Limoges, France, in 1842. Haviland porcelain collector Arlene Schleiger had been searching for the porcelain that matched the dishes she inherited from her mother. She soon realized she was not alone in her search. There was a plethora of Haviland patterns, and it was extremely difficult to identify specific patterns. Schleiger was inspired to compile the first pattern reference book in 1950. Her son was studying architecture at University of Nebraska. She recruited him to create pen-and-ink drawings of the patterns. She assigned a number to each pattern. By 1991, there were six reference books published.
Those dishes that include the pattern name have about the same value as those that don't. Most pieces are priced from $5 to $25 each.
• 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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