By Helaine Fendelman and Joe Rosson
Scripps Howard News Service
Dear Joe and Helaine: I inherited this seven-piece cocoa set from my grandmother's estate. I am told it originally belonged to my great-great-grandmother sometime around the time of the American Civil War. It is in perfect condition except for the handle on one cup, which has been repaired. The pieces are marked "Made in Bavaria." I would like to know the value for insurance purposes. — L.J.S., Stuart, Fla.
Dear L.J.S.: In our experience as antiques appraisers we have found that family history is often incorrect. In fact, it is one of the least reliable sources of information that we encounter on a day-to-day basis.
In a court of law, oral family history would be hearsay and not admissible as evidence. Collectors should always treat this kind of information with great suspicion and check thoroughly the story being offered.
Now, in the case of this charming seven-piece chocolate set, the first thing that strikes the eye is that it is not in a style that was popular in the middle years of the 19th century around the time of the American Civil War. Without considering the marks or even turning this piece over to see what the marks may be, it is evident from this set's appearance that it could not possibly be any earlier than the late 19th century.
The marks are probably the last thing that should be checked when trying to determine the age and origins of any antique. They are never the beginning point of an investigation but are the piece of information that either confirms or disproves what has been observed and deduced from a careful inspection of the item at hand.
In this case, the mark tells us that these pieces are definitely 20th century and probably post-World War I. Why? Because the "Made in Bavaria" part of the backstamp is there to fulfill the requirements of the McKinley Tariff that was enacted by the U.S. Congress in October 1890 and went into effect in 1891.
This law required that all products exported to the United States had to be marked with the country of origin. At first, countries marked their wares with words such as "England," "France," "Germany" and so forth. Sometime after the turn of the 20th century, the U.S. Treasury Department began requiring countries to be more specific in their markings and phrases like "Made in England," and "Made in France" began to appear.
The phrase "Made in Bavaria" on L.J.S.'s chocolate set strongly suggests it was made in the mid to late first quarter of the 20th century, circa 1917—a half century after the end of the American Civil War. The decoration on this set is transfer printed roses, and with the one broken handle on a cup, the insurance replacement value of this set is between $300 and $400.
(Helaine Fendelman and Joe Rosson are the authors of Price It Yourself. Questions can by mailed to them at PO Box 12208, Knoxville, TN 37912-0208.)
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