Onnaing Pottery Bowl

Q: I inherited one of my grandmother’s ceramic bowls. It’s decorated with white and purple flowers and yellow and green vines. It has yellow vine-shaped handles. It is about 8 inches high and 15 inches wide, including the handles. On the bottom it’s marked “827” and “Frie Onnaing, Made in France.”

A: Onnaing Pottery was founded in Onnaing, France, in 1821 by Charles de Bousies. During the second half of the 19th century, the Mouzin brothers bought the factory and ran it until the factory closed in 1938. It was nearly destroyed by the Germans during World War I, but production restarted in 1921. The factory made mostly majolica pitchers and planters. Onnaing designs included flowers, geometric patterns and famous historical figures, among others. Each design had a number and a corresponding model name. The number 827 on your bowl refers to a planter named “Mogador.” The marks “Frie Onnaing” and “Made in France” indicate that it was made after World War I. Because it is large, it would sell in a retail shop for about $200.