Pheasant Platter

Q: This platter picturing two pheasants belonged to my father’s great-grandmother and was given to my mother in 1960. The front of the platter is signed “Edwin Megargee” and the back is marked “Semi porcelain” with an arrow through the middle of a bow. It has small shatter marks in the top glaze but no chips. Is it worth anything?

 

A: The bow and arrow mark was an early mark used by Harker Pottery Co., in business in East Liverpool, Ohio, from 1890 to 1972. This picture of male and female pheasants was painted by Edwin Megargee (1883-1958), an artist known for his realistic paintings of animals. It was used on gamebird plates and sets made by several different potteries before the late 1920s. Single game plates sell for about $20 to $50; sets with a platter and six plates can get $100 or more.