Q: I have enclosed a photo of an ironstone platter. I purchased it an antiques shop for my sister. She recently mentioned she doesn't have a large platter for holiday dinners. It is oval, measures 20 inches by 15 inches and is in mint condition. It is decorated with a brown country winter scene that shows people gathering in winter clothes at the family homestead. A team of oxen pulls a sled piled with logs. Animals are headed for a dark-red barn. Icicles hang from the buildings. And a turkey is featured in the foreground. A border of leaves and acorns surrounds the edge of the platter. On the back is a mark with an eagle and the words "Home For Thanksgiving — Historic America — Johnson Bros. — Pat. 111255 — Made in England."

Any information you can provide that I can pass along to my sister will be appreciated.

A: Johnson Brothers Pottery was founded in Staffordshire, England, in 1883 by four brothers, Frederick and Alfred Johnson. Their other two brothers, Henry and Robert Johnson, later joined the company. Much of their ironstone was designed to appeal to the United States' sense of history, patriotism and love of British china. Johnson Brothers Pottery introduced the "Historic America" series around 1930. The patterns are transfer prints and were available in sepia, pink, green, blue and multicolored. Johnson Brothers Pottery became part of Wedgwood Group in 1968. In 2015, when Friskars took over Wedgwood Group, the production of Johnson Brothers ironstone was discontinued. The turkey in the foreground of your platter helps confirm it was meant to be used at Thanksgiving. The patent number shows the design was registered with the government.

There is a continued interest in the history-inspired dinnerware by collectors. Your platter was made in the mid-1900s. Values are varied, anywhere from $25 to $150.

Q: This mark is on an antique porcelain plate that I have. The plate is decorated with an exotic bird in the center and multicolored flowers on the border. It has been in my family for several generations, and I don't know anything about it.

Anything you can tell me about the origin, age and value of my plate will be greatly appreciated.

A: Epiag is the name of a group of porcelain factories in Pirkenhammer, Bohemia, now Brezova, Czech Republic. The association existed from the early 1900s until it closed in 1945.

Your plate was made around 1930 and would probably $35 to $75.

Johnson Brothers Pottery was founded in 1883 in Staffordshire, England.

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.