Furniture styles before the 20th century are often named after the rulers or governments of the time. Here in the United States, we have furniture periods like William and Mary, Federal, and Victorian. It follows that furniture styles, like their namesakes, are usually particular to the country or region. However, contemporary styles from different countries often share similarities.

Take the style of the Second French Empire, which lasted from 1852 to 1870, the reign of Napoleon III. It drew inspiration from many past styles from antiquity to the 18th century. Decoration was paramount; furniture was made of rich, dark wood like ebony or mahogany and adorned with inlaid patterns, often in exotic materials like lacquer or mother-of-pearl. Upholstery was lush; wood surfaces were shaped and carved. New tools and industrial processes allowed manufacturers to create these complex designs much faster and cheaper than traditional craftsmanship.

All these characteristics — recreation of historic styles, luxurious materials, ornate decorations, all facilitated by the Industrial Revolution — could easily describe the Victorian furniture made in England and America about the same time. Still, Second Empire, or Napoleon III furniture, is its own visually distinct style. If anything, it is even more extravagant than Victorian furniture, which holds true for the furniture style in reproductions and revivals, too.

This table, which sold for $2,112 at John Moran Auctioneers, was made c. 2000 in the Napoleon III style. Covered in faux malachite (an opaque green stone often used in decorative arts) and heavy, intricate gilding, adorned with leafy garlands and figural paw feet, it is anything but subtle.

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Q: There is an oval plate or tray that has been in my mother’s family for more time than I can remember (I am 75 years old). It is white with a blue border and four blue designs with many arms that look like candelabra or menorahs. The date on the back is “Dec 1563.” One foot is broken, but a restorer could fix it. Can you tell me anything about it and its value?

A: The “Dec 1563” mark is not a date but a decoration number. Many pottery manufacturers in the Netherlands, Germany, and Austria used similar marks, with the word “Dec” plus a number, in the late 19th to mid-20th century.

The use of blue and white suggests Delft, a soft pottery with a thick, opaque tin glaze that has been made in Holland since the 1600s. However, most Delft with a “Dec” mark is usually also marked with the maker’s name. The design on your plate, stylized and based on linear forms, sounds like the style of the Vienna Secession movement, which was active from about 1897 to 1914.

This art movement is comparable to the art nouveau and Arts and Crafts movements that were popular about the same time. Many Secessionist designers created pottery and tiles with blue and white linear or geometric designs, but not all of them are marked. Ceramic trays with similar designs of comparable ages sell for about $150 to $200.

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TIP: Do not wax any furniture that has a gilded, painted, lacquered, or flaking finish.

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Kovels answers readers’ questions sent to the column. Send a letter with one question describing the size, material (glass, pottery) and what you know about the item. Include only two pictures: the object and a close-up of any marks or damage. Be sure your name and return address are included. By sending a question, you give full permission for use in any Kovel product. Names, addresses or email addresses will not be published. We do not guarantee the return of photographs, but if a stamped envelope is included, we will try. Questions that are answered will appear in Kovels Publications. Write to Kovels, King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th Street, 41st Floor, New York, NY 10019, or email us at collectorsgallery@kovels.com..

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CURRENT PRICES

Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions.

Doll, baby, composition, molded blond hair, blue green sleep eyes, open mouth, two teeth, cloth body, hard plastic arms and legs, 1930s, 25 inches, $40.

Toy, waiter, holding plate, black hair, blue eyes, mustache, white hat and coat, cloth apron, blue shoes, yellow wheels, tin, windup, TPS, Japan, 7 inches, $70.

Coverlet, woven, blue and white, three columns, repeating flower urns, leafy wreath, perching birds, architectural borders, double border on two sides, fringe, 88 x 80 inches, $90.

Advertising, display set, Kraft Foods, figural, circus theme, wagon, clown, tiger, horse, elephant, embossed, foil, Wonderflex Corp., c. 1970, one sheet, six pieces, $135.