Q: I received a tea set from my mother as she is starting to pass on a great deal of her collections. I found this mark on the bottom. Can you tell me who made this and how old is it?

 

A: Your tea set was made by “Bohemia” Ceramic Works AG. The company was in business in Neurohlau, Bohemia (now Nová Rose, Czech Republic), from 1921 until 1945. In 1940, the SS bought the company and a portion of its production was designated as gifts to SS newlyweds, bomb victims and the needy. The factory began making military items in 1942. Some prisoners from the Dachau concentration camp in Germany worked at the factory. The words “handpainted,” “made in” and the name “Czechoslovakia” tell age. “Made in” was usually used after 1915, “Czechoslovakia” was used from about 1920 until about 1939, and “handpainted” was first used about 1935.

 

Leave a Reply

Featured Articles