l Q: I have identified this German vase in a book from 1982. Mine is a larger vase. The marks are a handpainted maple leaf, and what I can read is “spond.” The book has an 11-inch vase without a lid priced at $395. Could you tell me the value of this piece?

l A: I checked in the Collector’s Encyclopedia of Nippon Porcelain, 2nd Series by Joan Van Patten and found the covered urn in this shape. Your piece appears to have the Blue Maple Leaf mark. It would date between 1900 and 1920. This style usually has the base joined to the body with a metal bolt. If your piece has no serious wear, chips or cracks, its current retail value could be $2,300 to $2,500 because of its size and the portrait decoration, which is rarer than the floral designs seen most often. Of course, you’d have to find just the right Nippon porcelain collector willing to pay that price for it.

— Kyle Husfloen, price guide editor
Antique Trader Publications

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