Union Porcelain Works – Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Blog – Where was I?

Union Porcelain Works - Thanks to The Brooklyn Museum

Rare can mean different things to different people, but to me it means “I'm not familiar with it and it has great value”. Looking at all the antique publications and reading all the antique papers and magazines that I do, you would think that I would be well versed on most things but you may be surprised.

I was checking an oyster plate and the mark said Union Porcelain Works Greenpoint New York, which meant nothing to me, so I set it back down for $50. Getting home to my books, I just happened to look the company up and bang, had I made a mistake. No it wasn't Limoges, Haviland or KPM, but perhaps it was even better than those. This company seems to have been shuffled to the back of the line when it comes to the history of porcelain. Oyster plates were perhaps their most recognized product but they made many more items such as figurines, vases, plaques, and dinnerware. Here is a museum site where you may view some of their production, The Brooklyn Museum.

Companies such as the Union Porcelain Works may have faded from the history books, but not to the advanced collector who is willing to pay a handsome reward to the person who offers them unusual pieces by this company. Oyster plates for instance may bring well over $1000 if the decoration is different enough. However, I really like the vases they made because they contain several elements that appeal to me, one being applied figures such as goats’ heads and human faces. I believe these could easily fetch $5000 to $10,000 or more and to think if I had come across a pair of them, I would have passed them by.

If you have something unusual that might be little known to our readers and you would like to pass it along, please give me that information and I will credit you with it in a blog about treasures that we may all be passing by.

By the way, yes, I am going back to see if the plate is still available.

 

 

 

 

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