Mercer Covered Vegetable Dish

Q: Can you tell me something about the maker of this covered vegetable dish? It’s from my mother’s set of good china and has a lovely small flower pattern with gold accents. When my family entertained, we always used this set. We stopped pulling it out after our mother died. Now I’m thinking of using some of the serving pieces for holiday dinners. How old is the vegetable dish and is it valuable?

A: The mark on your dish was used by Mercer Pottery, which was in business in Trenton, New Jersey, from 1868 until about 1937. The company made dinnerware, sanitary ware, toilet sets, and druggists’ supplies. It used various marks. The mark on your dish dates from c.1902. Your dish is worth about $35. Don’t wash it in the dishwasher; if you do, the gold will eventually disappear.