Q: This is a photo of a dragonware cup and saucer that are part of a larger collection. I have a variety of shapes and sizes. Most pieces have a matte gray background and are decorated with dragons in relief. A few have a red-orange background.

Could you find information on dragonware and when it was made?

A: Porcelain dragonware has been made in Japan since the late 1800s. It can be recognized by the mythological fire-breathing dragon in relief that is outlined in white and against a gray background that fades to black, white moriage/dots and blue accents. Some pieces were made with a pink or red-orange background. Examples of dragonware include tea sets, cups, saucers, ashtrays, vases, covered trinket boxes, coffee sets, cream pitchers and sugar bowls. Most pieces were either marked with a paper label or signed in the glaze. There was an increased demand for dragonware in the 1940s and 1950s. The quality of early pieces surpasses that of those made in mid-1900s. A few pieces were made in China.

Most pieces can be seen selling from $15 to $50. Your cup and saucer would probably sell in the range of $15 to $20.

Q: Enclosed is my drawing of the mark that is on our Mission-style oak desk. The mark is a brass tag with a logo on the left side and the words "Grand Rapids, Mi." at the bottom. The desk stands about 29 inches tall, 48 inches wide and 29 inches deep. At each end is a bookshelf. In the front is a single drawer with a metal pull and wicker panels. The finish is original, and the desk is in mint condition. It has been in our family for a long time; we think our great-grandmother purchased it soon after she was married, around the year 1913.

What can you tell us about the maker, vintage and value of our desk?

A: L & J.G. Stickley Furniture Co. made your desk. It was founded in 1902 in New York. You have a fine example of its "Quaint Arts and Crafts" line of furniture that was introduced in 1904. It used several types of marks, including brass tags, paper labels and marks burned on. Early "Quaint" furniture can be recognized by straight lines and handwrought copper hardware. By 1914, there was a swing away from the "Arts and Crafts" line to furniture reflecting earlier periods of design.

Your desk would probably fetch $1,000 to $1,500 in an antiques shop.

Dragonware was made in Japan.

Stickley Brothers introduced the "Quaint" line of furniture in 1902.

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.