A: You have a Winnie cookie jar that was made by Shawnee Pottery. They produced kitchenware and decorative earthenware in Zanesville, Ohio, from 1937 to 1961. Shawnee Pottery supplied Kresge Co., Woolworth's and Kress Co. with decorative pottery from 1937 to 1942. Since Winnie was introduced in 1945, it is unlikely she was sold through one of the dime stores. Winnie and her male companion Smiley were designed by Rudy Ganz. Both the Winnie and Smiley lines included a plethora of matching kitchenware pieces.
Your cookie jar is a popular collectible and would probably be worth $395 to $425.
Q: This mark is on the bottom of a tall slender cobalt blue porcelain pitcher that belonged to my mother. She received the pitcher from a friend many years ago and it is the one item I kept when my mother died at the age of 97 in 2003. It stands 14 inches tall and is in mint condition. Also included with the mark is the hand painted date ''April 19th, 1908'' and the letters ''MAT.''
My mother always said the pitcher was special and I would like to learn more about is history and value.
A: Based on your description of the size and shape of your pitcher, it is a tankard. Tressemanes and Vogt Porcelain Co. used the mark you provided from 1892 to 1917. They have made porcelain in Limoges, France, since 1883. China painting was a popular hobby for women around the turn of the 20th century. Many Limoges porcelain factories supplied blank pieces that were exported to the U.S. Having said that, the hand-painted date and letters were the work of the amateur artist who decorated the tankard.
The value of your tankard would probably be $325 to $425.
Q: I have a glass tea set that belonged to my grandmother. It consists of a teapot, creamer, sugar bowl, six cups and six saucers. The inside of each cup is a ruby red color and the exterior is decorated with scrolled designs against a gold background. Each piece has a label with the words ''Bohemia Glass - Made in Czechoslovakia.''
I would appreciate any information on its age and value.
Your tea set would probably be worth $300 to $400.
Q: I have a white porcelain covered dish that was given to me many years ago by my mother-in-law. She remembers receiving it as a gift in 1931. The lid is the shape of a duck with orange wings and bill, and black eyes. Marked on the bottom are the words ''Made in Japan.'' In all my years of junking and antiquing, I have never see another one like it.
Any information will be appreciated.
A: Japanese porcelain factories produced large amounts of decorative figural pieces in the early 1900s. Many were decorated with a glossy orange glaze.
Your whimsical covered dish would probably be worth $25 to $50.
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.
