Q: I inherited this porcelain plate from my grandmother 30 years ago. It is about 9 inches in diameter, decorated with white irises and embellished with gold. Marked on the back is a crown between crossed lines and the letters "R" and "C." Below the mark are two words that are blurry. I'm in the process of downsizing, and it's time to decide what to keep and what to sell.

I have no information on its history and would like to know its maker, age and value.

A: Your plate was made by Rosenthal and Co. in the early 1900s. Philip Rosenthal founded his factory in Kronach, Bavaria, Germany, in 1879. The illegible words are probably the pattern or the name of the shape and the name of the country of origin. Rosenthal often made white porcelain in shapes that were given a name. The shapes usually had scalloped or ruffled edges and were trimmed in gold. Some of the motifs were seashells, flowers, portraits, landscapes and fruit. They were hand-painted by talented artists and sometimes dated. Take another close look at your plate; it may have been signed. Rosenthal and Co. has used several names over the years and is still in business.

Your plate would probably fetch $25 to $50 in an antiques shop.

Q: I have enclosed the mark that is on a set of dishes that are at least 50 years old. The set is a service for 12 and includes serving pieces. We bought the dishes at an antiques shop in the 1960s to use at our lake house. As would be expected, some of the dishes have been lost or broken. After taking inventory, it looks as though there are enough pieces to make a service for eight.

We are just wondering whether our set is "Antique or Junque"?

A: Your set was made by Homer Laughlin China Co. The firm was founded by Homer Laughlin in East Liverpool, Ohio, in 1877 and is still in business. As the business grew, additional factories were added. Your mark was used on semi-vitreous dinnerware from 1935 to 1955. "Eggshell" is name of the type of china, and "Nautilus" is the basic shape of the dinnerware that was decorated with a series of designs. The letter "A" in the mark shows the set was made in January. "45" represents the year it was made. "N5" indicates it was made in plant No. 5.

Your set is not quit old enough to be categorized as an antique, nor is it junque. It is a nice collectible and might be worth $100 to $150 for the set.

Rosenthal and Co. was founded in 1879.

Plate was made at Homer Laughlin China Co. plant No. 5.

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.