Porzellanfabrik F. Wessel Urn

Q: I'd like some information about this urn. It's marked with a fancy "F.W." and the words "Made in Germany." Can you tell me who made it and how old it is?

 

A: The fancy mark was used by Porzellanfabrik F. Wessel, a company founded by Friedrich Wilhelm Wessel in Frankenthal, Germany, in 1949. The company made figurines, gift ware, and other porcelain items. Some pieces, like your urn, were decorated in the style of earlier Dresden porcelain. Some Wessel marks include the words "Dresden" or "Dresden Art." The company went out of business before 1964. Your urn would sell in a retail shop for as much as $200 if the urn and all of the flowers are undamaged.