By Helaine Fendelman and Joe Rosson
Scripps Howard News Service
Dear Helaine and Joe: I am writing in response to one of your articles, specifically the one on the R.S. Prussia fake. I have a bowl that belonged to my great-grandmother, and it appears to have the same mark as the one shown in the picture that illustrated this article. My grandmother remembers this bowl being in her home from the 1920s. It is 10 inches in diameter, 2-3/4 inches tall, and it is in perfect condition except for a little wear to the gilding. I am curious as to what my bowl might be worth. -- N.B., Rochelle Park, N.J.
Dear N.B.: Fakes are terrible things because they confuse homeowners who own genuine pieces, and they can deceive novice collectors who want to find and purchase the real thing. Our column that came out in mid-October was about a piece that could not possibly have been genuine R.S. Prussia, but there is no doubt that the bowl in today's question is absolutely what it appears to be.
In the previous column we discussed the various porcelain-making factories owned by the brothers Schlegelmilch -- Reinhold and Erdman -- and by a nephew, Oscar. We are not going to rehash all that here, but we are just going to say that this particular piece was almost undoubtedly made in the facility operated by Reinhold Schlegelmilch in Suhl, Thuringia, between 1869 and 1938.
N.B.'s example is a master berry bowl. In all likelihood, it was once part of a set consisting of this master berry bowl plus eight, smaller individual berry bowls. The idea was that the berries were brought to the table in the master berry bowl and then portioned out into the individual dishes to be served to those dining. As for dating, this piece was probably made circa 1900.
Now, how do we know that the bowl belonging to N.B. is a genuine example of R.S. Prussia? That is easy, and goes back to the old aphorism that if a bird has feathers like a duck, quacks like a duck and has webbed feet like a duck, then it probably is a duck. In this case, the bowl has all the characteristics of an R.S. Prussia piece so it is safe to declare it to be the genuine article.
The first piece of supporting evidence is that this bowl is shaped like an R.S. Prussia master berry bowl. Its form is in Schlegelmilch's very distinctive "medallion mold," which was often decorated with a central transfer and smaller prints placed in the circular medallion around the edge. This piece, however, has only the central transfer print, and the various medallions have been left blank, which did happen with some regularity.
Secondly, the central transfer print is one that is associated with the Reinhold Schlegelmilch factory -- and it actually has a name. On first glance, it is possible to imagine that the name would have something to do with the sailboat in the center, but looking to the side there is a dark rock outcropping that is largely composed of a grotesque face (we wonder if N.B. has noticed this feature). This design element gives the print its name, which is "Old Man in the Mountain," or sometimes just "Man in the Mountain," depending on the reference checked.
Thirdly, the mark on this piece is unquestionably genuine, and lastly, the family history is the final verifying fact. This bowl would be more valuable if it had unusual prints in the medallions, but failing that, its insurance replacement value is still in the neighborhood of $750 to $1,000.
(Helaine Fendelman and Joe Rosson are the authors of the Price It Yourself (HarperResource, $19.95). Questions can by mailed to them at P.O. Box 12208, Knoxville, TN 37912-0208.)
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