Q: I read your column in our local newspaper and thought perhaps you could help me research a set of porcelain dishes I inherited from my mother many years ago. The set goes back several generations in my family, but I have had difficulty learning about its history. It is a service for 12 people that includes serving dishes. The dishes are white and heavily embellished with gold bands that are embossed with roses. Some of the dishes are marked "Selb, Bavaria"; others are marked "Bavaria, Germany"; and some include the word "Favorite." All of them are marked with an image of a lion with the letters "LHS" underneath.

A: Hutschenreuther Porcelain Factory made your dinnerware. Carolus Magnus Hutschenreuther founded his company in Hohenburg, Germany, in 1814. In 1857, his son, Lorenz, established a factory in Selb, which is located in Bavaria, Germany. Porcelain that was marked "Favorite" was exported from Germany to the United States by the Chicago-based firm Burley and Co. Identifying Hutschenreuther china patterns can be challenging. The factory produced a plethora of white porcelain decorated with gold-encrusted bands, embossed flowers and designs. The factory continues to produce high-quality porcelain today.

Your dinnerware set was made around 1920. The insurance value would probably be $1,500 to $2,000.

Q: This mark is on an earthenware pedestal cake stand I've had for years. It was my mother's, and no one knows anything about it. Our birthday cakes were always served on it, so it has sentimental value. It stands about 6 inches tall and is 8 inches in diameter. It is decorated with multicolored flowers against a cream-colored background. The stand is in mint condition.

Anything you can tell me about its maker, vintage and value will be appreciated.

A: Crown Ducal Ware was made by A.G. Richardson and Co., Ltd. They have produced earthenware in Staffordshire, England, from 1915 till today. The mark you provided was used from the late 1920s to the early 1930s. Similar cake stands that were made by the company are sold on the internet for $25 to $35.

Hutschenreuther Porcelain Factory was founded in 1814.

Crown Ducal Ware was made by A.G. Richardson and Co., LTD.

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.