the treasure
A handpainted Pickard dessert plate
the story
Several years ago, I purchased this plate for about $20 at the Belleville Antique Fair. I know it’s around 100 years old because I compared the manufacturer’s mark with a guide on the company’s website. I bought it to display in a decorative plate rack on a wall in my home and have always admired the fine brushwork and delicate floral design.
what the professionals say
The plate has a lovely, hand-painted Art Nouveau design and is in fabulous condition. There are very few, if any, losses to the painted details and gilt rim, suggesting it was seldom used, if at all. While it would be most desirable as part of the complete dessert service, it is deservedly a very pretty decorative piece to display on its own.
The Pickard China company was established by W.A. Pickard in 1893 in Edgerton, Wisconsin, and is now a fourth-generation family business. Soon after the turn of the century, the company moved to Chicago, and in 1930, it settled in its present location in Antioch, Illinois. The gold maple leaf mark on the plate’s underside stamped with the company name reading ‘W/PICKARD/A’ dates the piece to its period in Chicago between 1912 and 1918, when it was regularly producing graceful dessert and tea sets. The American company is well known for its exceptional, one-of-a-kind ceramic pieces handpainted by artists from all over Europe. The decorations and lines of the dessert and tea services produced have Art Nouveau and Art Deco flower and gold gilt designs.
value
Examples from the company’s earlier periods are sought after by collectors. As an individual piece, we would anticipate the auction market value to be under $100.
This month’s expert | Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, headquartered in Chicago with appraisal and auction services in Clayton
Have a treasure in your attic you’d like evaluated? Contact tellus@townandstyle.com so we can connect you with an appraiser and feature your item in Town&Style!
