What’s In Your Attic?

the treasure 〉〉 An enameled porcelain coffee service from Bavaria with six cups and saucers, six dessert plates, a creamer and sugar dish, and a lidded coffee pot, all decorated with sterling silver onlay.

the story 〉〉 This set belongs to a Clayton homeowner, whose husband inherited it from his grandmother in Balitmore. “The story is that it was brought in from Europe by the family, which was in the china business. My husband’s grandfather and his brothers at one time owned the Maryland China Company, which was a china distributor. I think it came into the family through that, maybe in the ’40s or ’50s.”

what the professionals say 〉〉 “Your coffee service is beautiful, the color is quite vivid cobalt, and the silver overlay is a wonderful detail that further reinforces its Bavarian influence. Our Decorative Art Specialist has determined the following information about the coffee set: It is a Hutschenreuther Silver Overlay Coffee Dessert Set. The Hutschenreuther mark dates it to 1948-1970. The date at the mark, 1814, refers to when the company was founded by Carolus Magnus Hutschenreuther, which also explains the initials ‘CM.’ The second mark (dated 1930-1950 and known as the anniversary mark) is for the overlay. With both these marks, we can firmly date the set from between 1951 and 1970. We found a reference for your family’s Maryland China Co., which started in 1910, and that could suggest how they came to own the service.”

value 〉〉 “The retail market can ask strong prices for comparable sets of the same vintage, so it is hard to pinpoint a price, according to our experts. A set like this might be found at a retailer starting at $1,000, less on online sites.”

This month’s expert: Leslie Hindman Auctioneers is headquartered in Chicago and has 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!