Antiques letters: 8 March
Potters’ marks
This plate, with a diameter of 9in, was bought by my late father at a boot sale for 50p in the 1980s. The markings on the back are ‘Y 5 V’. I don’t suppose the plate is worth much, but I’m wondering what the marks mean and when it was made.
LB, Berkshire
FS It’s such a pretty plate. Workers at potteries used to be paid by the piece, and the painters and those applying any transfers would each be allocated a letter or number to show their work. In this case, ‘V’ was in charge of the transfer and ‘Y’ or ‘T’ (depending which way you hold the plate’, applied the gold-plate decoration – a very fiddly, expensive job because of the value of the gold plate. They had to paint over paper and carefully shake out any excess or dropped gold leaf at the end of the day. It was very time-consuming work. The number ‘5’ is for the plate itself, both the size and use. Shops would order by the number, ie, a jug or smaller plate would have different numbers. The names and dates, Ralph, Moses and Enoch, are those of the three Wood sons, and the dates in which they achieved renown. Alpine White is the colour of the plate, not the pattern name – the windmill pattern dates from the late 1940s and is a reproduction of an earlier design. It’s only worth around £10 to £20, but your father made a good buy.
Penny for your thoughts
I have farthing coins from 1930, 1940, 1942 and 1946; an 1888 silver threepence, and a 1929 sixpence. What are they worth and where can I sell them?
JM, London
FS The coin market is very specialised so you will need to sell your coins at a specialist auction house such as Spink: 020-7563 4000, www.spink.com
Pricing coins depends on their condition, which head is used, other markings and the dates. The 1888 threepence could have one of three different heads and the price would also depend on whether the edge is plain or milled (grooved). The farthings are only worth about £3 to £8 each. The sixpence is worth about £10 to £15, but you could get more by selling it to a wedding specialist, which sells sixpences for a premium.
How To Deal In Antiques by Fiona Shoop is published by How To Books, priced £16.99.
Send your antiques questions to Fiona Shoop, Antiques, The Lady, 39-40 Bedford Street, London WC2E 9ER (enclose an SAE for a reply); or email TheLadyAntiques@lady.co.uk Send an image of the item, with backstamp if possible, and no more than two images at once.
There were three main styles: the standard binocular-shape; a variation on the standard shape but with a long handle (lorgnettes), and a foldable version in a hard case. The most desirable came from Paris, made by the likes of Lemaire, and these command higher prices. Expect to pay £50 to £150, although 1920s mother-of-pearl designs by other firms can be bought for just £20. It depends on the quality and condition.
Other opera-related collectables are programmes, especially signed, including my own favourites, Maria Callas or Enrico Caruso. Depending on the star, these sell for between £10 and £200. A personal letter, with details about singing, commands more. My favourite collectable is a dress I bought from the Royal Opera House. Every outfit sold has the name of the singer and the opera in which they performed – unique history.
Next month: Spring rabbits, such as SylvaC, Denby and a warren of other collectable china rabbits. Send photos of yours for a valuation – you could be sitting on a fortune.
This plate, with a diameter of 9in, was bought by my late father at a boot sale for 50p in the 1980s. The markings on the back are ‘Y 5 V’. I don’t suppose the plate is worth much, but I’m wondering what the marks mean and when it was made.
LB, Berkshire
FS It’s such a pretty plate. Workers at potteries used to be paid by the piece, and the painters and those applying any transfers would each be allocated a letter or number to show their work. In this case, ‘V’ was in charge of the transfer and ‘Y’ or ‘T’ (depending which way you hold the plate’, applied the gold-plate decoration – a very fiddly, expensive job because of the value of the gold plate. They had to paint over paper and carefully shake out any excess or dropped gold leaf at the end of the day. It was very time-consuming work. The number ‘5’ is for the plate itself, both the size and use. Shops would order by the number, ie, a jug or smaller plate would have different numbers. The names and dates, Ralph, Moses and Enoch, are those of the three Wood sons, and the dates in which they achieved renown. Alpine White is the colour of the plate, not the pattern name – the windmill pattern dates from the late 1940s and is a reproduction of an earlier design. It’s only worth around £10 to £20, but your father made a good buy.
Penny for your thoughts
I have farthing coins from 1930, 1940, 1942 and 1946; an 1888 silver threepence, and a 1929 sixpence. What are they worth and where can I sell them?
JM, London
FS The coin market is very specialised so you will need to sell your coins at a specialist auction house such as Spink: 020-7563 4000, www.spink.com
Pricing coins depends on their condition, which head is used, other markings and the dates. The 1888 threepence could have one of three different heads and the price would also depend on whether the edge is plain or milled (grooved). The farthings are only worth about £3 to £8 each. The sixpence is worth about £10 to £15, but you could get more by selling it to a wedding specialist, which sells sixpences for a premium.
How To Deal In Antiques by Fiona Shoop is published by How To Books, priced £16.99.
Antiques tip
Selling on eBay – www.ebay.co.uk – is ideal if you cannot visit an auctioneer. I’ve bought and sold on eBay for years, but the other day I opted for a template for selling similar items and my postcode was about to be displayed. This is a security risk, so make sure your settings are safe – never use your name or address as your user name. Some people use their surname or first name and numbers, or their interests, such as ‘pearls’.Send your antiques questions to Fiona Shoop, Antiques, The Lady, 39-40 Bedford Street, London WC2E 9ER (enclose an SAE for a reply); or email TheLadyAntiques@lady.co.uk Send an image of the item, with backstamp if possible, and no more than two images at once.
Did you know? There is treasure at the opera
A night at the opera used to be an event, a chance to see and be seen. One of the main accessories – to show status, as well as enabling a good view of the stage and audience – was a pair of opera glasses. These were stylish, binocular-type devices, often with brass and mother-of-pearl bodies or jewelled details. Vintage opera glasses still work well but, when buying, check that you can see clearly; some have fogged lenses and people forget to check this, focusing instead on their design.There were three main styles: the standard binocular-shape; a variation on the standard shape but with a long handle (lorgnettes), and a foldable version in a hard case. The most desirable came from Paris, made by the likes of Lemaire, and these command higher prices. Expect to pay £50 to £150, although 1920s mother-of-pearl designs by other firms can be bought for just £20. It depends on the quality and condition.
Other opera-related collectables are programmes, especially signed, including my own favourites, Maria Callas or Enrico Caruso. Depending on the star, these sell for between £10 and £200. A personal letter, with details about singing, commands more. My favourite collectable is a dress I bought from the Royal Opera House. Every outfit sold has the name of the singer and the opera in which they performed – unique history.
Next month: Spring rabbits, such as SylvaC, Denby and a warren of other collectable china rabbits. Send photos of yours for a valuation – you could be sitting on a fortune.