One complication to vintage and antique china sets is the fact that makers and decorators weren’t always the same. Many porcelain manufacturers in Europe and the United States made blank dishes that were sent to other factories for decorating. Some sold the blanks as they were for hobbyists to paint at home. This means that you might see two different makers’ marks in the same set of china; sometimes even on the same piece.

If the decorator signed their work, there might be three. If you turned over this pedestal cup and saucer, which sold at Woody Auction for $120, you would see marks for both Limoges, France, and the E.W. Donath Studio of Chicago, Illinois. The cup and saucer were sculpted in Limoges and exported as blanks to the United States, where the colorful painted irises were added at the Donath studio. Porcelain has been made by many factories in Limoges since the mid-19th century. Edward W. Donath worked for the Pickard porcelain decorating company before starting his own decorating studio in Chicago in the early 1900s.

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Q: I would like to know about an antique sleigh with a harness that belongs to my mother-in-law. It has wooden runners. The “box” part of the sleigh looks like just that, a box, without the high back or curved sides you see on some sleighs. It measures 36 inches long by 16 inches wide and is 22 inches tall. There is a carved mark on the front that we cannot identify.

A: Based on the measurements you gave us, it sounds like you have a child’s sleigh. The box would be unusual, though; most sleighs have a high back and shaped sides, like you said. They also usually have a seat or bench. Your sleigh might have been made for transporting small amounts of cargo instead. Most of the antique and vintage sleighs you see today date to the 19th or early- to mid-20th centuries. Several new types of sleigh, like the Albany sleigh and Portland sleigh, were invented in the 1800s, and many states and regions had their own sleigh and sled manufacturing companies at the time. Your sleigh has such a simple design, it is difficult to narrow down a date or origin.

A close look at the details of its construction might be able to determine if it was made by hand or by machine and provide clues to its age. (Publications like Fine Woodworking or Popular Woodworking, both owned by AIM, the parent company of Kovels Antique Trader, may have helpful information.) The mark on the front is probably a monogram or similar custom design that may have been put there by the maker or by a previous owner.

The sleigh might have even been homemade, making it truly unique. Making a sleigh or sled for a child was a good way to use up relatively small scraps of wood. They were often painted and embellished with pinstripes or stenciled designs. Today, they are sought as folk art.

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TIP: Sometimes there are errors in porcelain marks, like a misspelled or upside-down word. While this type of error on a coin or stamp often adds to the rarity and the price, it does not necessarily raise the value of a piece of porcelain.

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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, (Name of this newspaper), 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.

Purse, beaded, white, raised stylized leaves, narrow flap closure, scrolled edge, beaded handle, goldtone hardware, satin lining, interior pocket, Japan, 6 x 9 inches, $35.

Peanuts, toy, Snoopy Skediddler, walker, Snoopy, standing, Flying Ace costume, cloth helmet and scarf, box, Mattel, 1968, $60.

Bank, advertising, Mayflower, refrigerator, cast iron, painted red, top coin slot, embossed back, “Save 25 (cents) Per Day & Buy A Mayflower Electric Refrigerator,” 5 inches, $85.

Clothing, nightgown, silk, smocked yoke, ruffled collar, long sleeves, gathered wrists, Victorian, 55 1/2 inches, $110.