Q: Can you tell me anything about the pictured blue glass vase? Standing approximately 18 inches tall, it has a base with four removable tubes. It is in perfect condition with no chips or cracks. The vase originally belonged to my grandmother who passed to my father, simply because he loved it. Neither is alive today to tell us about its history, and now my mother and I are curious about it.

A: You have a blue opalescent glass epergne. Beginning in the Victorian Era, epergnes served as dramatic centerpieces. Most examples were elaborate art glass, but some were made of silver or silver plate. The center holder is called the central trumpet, while the surrounding ones are known as lilies. As a rule, there were at least two lilies.

Opalescent glass reached a peak in popularity in the Victorian Era and began to fade around the 1930s. Fruit, flowers and nuts sometimes were placed in the bowl portion.

Your early 1900s epergne would probably be worth $425 to $525.

Q: This mark is on the bottom of my pottery vase, which stands 7 inches high. In mint condition, it is decorated with a matte green drip glaze over a matte rose background. The mark is impressed into the clay and includes the Roman numeral "I."

I've had my vase for a long time and would like to know more about its vintage and value.

A: Muncie Pottery, which was located in Muncie, Ind., from 1922 to 1939, made your vase. Beginning in 1927, "Muncie" was die stamped before firing into the clay. Because workers were paid per piece, they also began marking their pieces to keep track of their progress. Molders signed each piece with a Roman numeral and finishers with a letter.

Muncie Pottery produced a wide variety of designs that included vases, flower frogs, juice and water sets, candlesticks and bookends. They used soft-muted colored glazes and did not decorate their ware with images or scenes.

The vintage of your vase is around 1927 and the value would probably be in the range of $150 to $175.

Q: I recently acquired a cast iron stove. It stands 20 inches tall and is 18 inches wide. "No. 8" is marked on the left side of the top and the upper door contains the words "Midget Atlanta Stove Works." It is in excellent condition.

I would like to know what it is worth today.

A: Atlanta Stove Works was located in Atlanta around the beginning of the 20th century. They made several sizes of cast iron stoves as well as cast iron garden chairs and benches.

Similar stoves are currently selling on eBay from $125 to $250.

Q: Can you help me? I have a serving bowl that was my grandmother's, but have not been able to find any information on it. Marked on the bottom are the words "Frank Beardmore & Company — Fenton — England." The center of the bowl is decorated with a parrot sitting on a branch with the phrase: "Of All The Parrots In The Land There Is None Like Our Polly. She Laughs and Shrieks to Beat The Band and Calls It Jolly."

What can you tell me about my bowl?

A: Frank Beardmore and Co. was located in Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, England, from 1901 to 1914. They made souvenir ware for the United States and Canadian markets.

Your bowl would probably be worth $75 to $125.

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. To find out more about Anne McCollam and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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