Q: I have a ceramic planter decorated with porcelain flowers. It's marked with a crown over the letter "N" and the words "Capodimonte, Made in Italy" on the bottom. I would like to know more about it. Is it old and is it valuable?

A: Capo-di-Monte porcelain was first made in Naples, Italy, from 1743 to 1759. The factory reopened near Madrid, Spain, in 1771 and was in business until 1821. The Doccia factory of Italy then bought the molds and also used the "crown and N" mark. Societa Ceramica Richard (Richard-Ginori), a modern-day company that is often referred to as Ginori or Capo-di-Monte, also uses the "crown and N" mark, but it is not the old company. Today the Capodimonte name and mark are also used on cheaper porcelain made in the style of Capo-di-Monte. Because the flowers on your planter are broken, it has almost no value.