Q: Enclosed is a photo of an antique porcelain bowl. Marked on the bottom are the words "Limoges — France — W. A. Pickard," and the letters "LOH" are located on the inside of the bowl." The bowl stands 4 inches high and 10 inches in diameter; it is in mint condition.

What can you tell me about its history and value?

A: In 1898, Wilder A. Pickard founded Pickard China Co. in Chicago. In the beginning, they purchased porcelain blanks from factories in Europe, and their artists decorated the blanks in Pickard's Chicago studio. They began making their own porcelain around 1930.

Your bowl is decorated with the Art Nouveau pattern "Poppy." "LOH" is the last name of decorator, John Loh, who was known for his poppy decorated pieces. The company is still in business.

Your bowl was made around 1910 and would probably be worth $350 to $450.

Q: In the 1950s, my parents were given a porcelain set of canisters from a neighbor. The enclosed mark is on the bottom of each piece. The set included oil and vinegar bottles, six small spice containers and six large containers. Each piece is labeled with the name of the item in the canister.

Could you please provide some background and the value of this set?

A: The enclosed mark was used by Rudolstadt Pottery in Rudolstadt, Thuringia, Germany. It was co-owned by Levi Straus and Sons, New York importers; the mark was seen from around 1906 to 1924. Porcelain canister sets were very popular in the 1920s.

The value of your set would probably be $175 to $225.

Q: I have a service of flatware for eight sterling silver sets that include serving pieces. Created by Reed and Barton around 1955, the pattern is called "Pointed Antique."

I don't use it and am tired of taking care of it. Any suggestions?

A: Your pattern is a copy of an original design by Paul Revere. You could pass it along to the next generation in your family or give as a gift at the next wedding you attend.

If that isn't an option, contact a replacement service. Replacements, Ltd. in North Carolina or the Silver Queen in Florida are two well-known places that buy estate silver. An antiques dealer might be interested. When selling to dealers or a replacement service, you can expect they will pay around half of the value.

The replacement or insurance value of your set would probably be $3,000 to $4,000.

Q: I have a 3-D viewer that is over 100 years old but is still in excellent condition. It has a label with the words "H. C. White Co. — Chicago — New York — London — General Office & Works — North Bennington — Vt. — USA — The Perfec-Stereograph — Patent April 14, 1903."

I also have about 200 viewing cards that date from 1897 to 1903. The pictures are spectacular; many of the views no longer exist. For example, scenes of men in top hats, horse-drawn carriages, women in hats, goat herds in Norway and fruit growing in Germany.

I'm the last of my family — it will probably be sold when I'm gone. I would love to know what it might be worth.

A: Hand-held viewing stereoscopes were extremely popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Several manufacturers created them, but H. C. White was one of the more popular companies.

Your Perfec-Stereoscope including all the viewing cards would probably be worth $200 to $300.

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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