Q: Any info on two ceramic parrots I inherited from my parents? They came from my grandmother, who displayed them on her mantelpiece. I know they’re old because I remember being told as a child to look but “don’t touch.”
A: Our reader has a great story. Not to get preachy, but memories like that make inherited things priceless, irrespective of market value. Collector or not, any reader who inherits anything that evokes good memories is indeed fortunate.
The reader adds that the pair of identical parrots is 8-inches high and that each is marked “Germany,” with a mold or model number. Seen in images sent, the ceramic birds shown on perches retain their bright colors.
Run a Net search for vintage ceramic parrots and you’ll find an astounding number of examples ranging from salt and pepper sets to figurines of all types. Many vintage parrots from the first quarter of the 20th century are Italian or German. Because so many pottery/porcelain factories operated in and around Germany, most came from there.
German porcelain factories known for their parrot and bird figures include Karl Ens, Sitzendorf, and more. The factories mentioned marked their wares.
But the reader doesn’t mention a mark, just the number and origin. I suggest a good look at the bases because marked wares sell best and highest. Use a loupe or lens; that look just might pay off.
If there’s no mark or even a remnant of one, all is not lost. Buyers fancy fine ceramic bird figures and German wares of the period are desirable. The reader’s birds are a pair (good), in high color (great), and look to be in excellent condition (best of all).
On worthpoint.com we found recent eBay sales of single German parrots from $166.09 to $276 for a large example 18-inches tall. To contrast, a pair of Karl Ens grey parrots in perfect condition brought $128.49. Color matters.
Q: My matching Burmese vases are 12-inches high. Another vase is 14-inches high. The bottoms are unsigned. I sent pictures to Fenton but they said they were not theirs. I want to find value. How can I do so?
A: No image came with this e-query, so I can’t begin to imagine what the reader has. But she does address a general situation faced by many.
To determine current value, you must first know what you have. When it comes to vases, “Burmese” could mean a lot of things. In this case, shape and color will help ID.
To clue readers, original Burmese glass was made starting in 1885 by the Mount Washington Glass Co., of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Later, it was made under license by Thomas Webb and Sons in England.
Characterized by soft yellow body shading to salmon pink at the edges and rims of pieces, Burmese glass achieved its coloration through a heat-sensitive process involving gold. The finished glass has a soft finish due to an acid wash.
Authentic Burmese by both glass companies is sought by collectors. But Burmese glass has been widely copied for decades, and that includes flat-out fakes. In addition, many companies, including Fenton, have made versions of Burmese in many forms.
The height of the reader’s vases is a serious red flag. Old Burmese was smaller scale.
I suggest asking a local dealer or collector who knows old glass to look them over. And/ the reader also needs to check completed sales of Burmese at liveauctioneers.com to see how those tall vases compare.
