J.K.W. Decor Bavaria Plate

Q:        I have a plate that has a stamp on the reverse that says “J.K.W. Décor, Carlsbad, Bavaria” in an ornate circle of gold. There is a crown above the initials. The plate is 12 inches wide and has a gold rim circling a wide turquoise band with gold decorations. The picture in the center looks like a mirror image of the Jean-Francois Millet painting, “The Angelus,” showing a farm couple praying over their vegetables. Does this plate have any value?

A :        The mark on your plate was used by the Josef Kuba Werkstatte, a porcelain factory founded in Karlsbad, Bavaria (now Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic), in 1930. The factory was occupied by German soldiers during World War II. After the war ended in 1945, the factory moved to Wiesau, Bavaria, Germany. After Kuba died, his son took over the business. The company closed in 1989. Many of Josef Kuba’s plates feature transfer decorations based on famous paintings. The plates were made as inexpensive decorations and sell today for less than $20 each.