Lefton - Not Junk

 I've been told that Lefton China is junk. More often than once. But I don't believe it.  I find Lefton China all over the place, in beautiful patterns of dishwares to trinkets and utility type stuff.

What I don't find, is a thriving market for it on EBAY.  At all.  These must be the people who believe Lefton is junk because at my local Bid Board Auction Lefton pieces sell for a particularly good sum of money.

I guess it is all in location.  In this part of the country, where people prefer to buy at auctions, Lefton is doing well.  It's not doing so well elsewhere it seems!

This is a piece from a set I purchased at an estate sale in Biglerville, PA.  I found the box containing all the pieces, 4 cups and snack plates, a cigarette holder, two ashtrays, and a teapot under a table, completely overlooked.
The snackplates and cups, ashtrays and cigarette holder are all still available on EBAY (March 2016).  The teapot sold some time ago.  This pattern is called Rose Chintz, and it was, at one time, all the rage in polite society.

For Sale Friday! Royal Standard Mayflower Cup and Saucer

I haven't added it to Ebay yet, but keep an eye out this evening!  

Are you collecting Royal Copenhagen yet?

Royal Copenhagen, a name that has been synonomous with quality for a few generations now, has never gone out of style.

The words "brand image" hadn't even really been used in business when this stuff was invented, but somehow, the Royal Copenhagen factory managed to rule the concept.

Often instantly recognizable by it's simple yet beautiful blue patterns and clean, white, ceramics, it is still produced and highly sought after.

Royal Copenhagen marks vary by year of production. As a result of the many varieties of marks they have been copied and forgeries of all pieces and marks are not uncommon.

In many cases, a prospective buyer can discern the forgeries from the real marks by understanding the system used.  That topic would take up a few pages of writing and is better left to experts.

Another way to determine the authenticity is simply by looking the piece in question over and

answering a few basic questions.  Does this piece have the right color?  Is the quality of the painting similar to other pieces I have seen? Is the mark correct?  Is it over or under the glaze?
Does this really feel like other pieces I have?

Just by examining those qualities you can determine, at least, the likelihood of your purchase being a good one.

For resale purposes, buying at the lowest price you can is always best, but beware buying modern pieces.  Use your cell phone to look up marks or even bring a printout with you.
For collectors, the best time to buy Royal Copenhagen is when you find it! It is highly sought after and not likely to sit around long.

The piece pictured here I sold as a lidded sugar bowl and plate.  It was purchased at an estate sale in Biglerville, PA, at a farm that had been in the same family for 200 years and the remaining family had decided to donate it to agricultural research.

What do You Know about Fortune Telling Tea Cups?

What do you know about Fortune Telling Cups? If you are a new collector, you might not have ever seen one. Seasoned collectors will know what a hidden gem they are!

When I came across my first Fortune Telling Cup, I had no idea what I had.  I was very excited to find that they are often worth a considerable amount more than standard tea cups and can be worth several hundred dollars.

The cup pictured here is an Aynsley England Cup of Fortune. They came in a few colors and styles. Any of them would have been sold in a box, with a manual, describing what it meant when the leaves fell on a certain place.
Recent sales of this teacup set range in the $50-100 range.
This set has been sold.

RS Germany Royal Vienna Gravy Boat

I found this pretty RS Germany Royal Vienna Gravy Boat at a local Bid Board Auction.
RS Germany is an offshoot of RS Prussia and very closely resembles their patterns in both shape and color.  RS Germany is slightly less in demand than RS Prussia but still brings a good value.

This piece is still for sale on my EBay store as of 2/27/2016.

Royal Albert Georgina Hand Painted Cup and Saucer - Sold

Royal Albert, offically known as Royal Albert Bone China, is renowned worldwide for it's lovely patterns and sturdy, but delicate, construction. 

The company was established by Thomas Wild in 1896 Longton, England (thank you Royal Albert History page!) and has been a popular choice ever since.  

This set features hand jeweling.  Think of it as applying thick paint to create a raised spot, a "jewel."  It has sold, but I do come across similar pieces often. 

Theodore Haviland Limoges - Sold

Among collectors of limoges, Haviland China is always a favorite!

This beautiful teacup and saucer came from a South Eastern Pennsylvania estate sale.

I love how delicate Haviland designs are.  This particular piece was made of fine bone china, often thinner than it's English counterparts.

This  set has the red Theodore Haviland marks and was probably made in the 1842-1919 timeframe.
I love buying Haviland.  It is timeless and highly collectible!

Beautiful German Mustache Cup - Sold

A while ago, I was fortunate enough to come across some really great Mustache Cups at a local estate sale.

I really liked this one, and as expected it sold very quickly!

This cup was probably made in Germany around the turn of the century.  Mustache Cups were popular as men of the time wore highly groomed 'staches with lots of product in them to keep them looking dapper.  The unique invention of the mustache guard allowed men to still stylishly sip tea (or coffee, or warm brandy) and not ruin their look.

Also, sometimes the product they used was something like bearfat, or lard, or some kind of oil, not the kind of thing you particularly wanted to flavor your tea.  

This is NOT a Test.