Q: I have a bowl with these marks on the bottom. Can you tell me what they mean?
A: The swastika inside a gear is the logo of Deutsche Arbeitsfront (DAF), the German Labor Front. The DAF was founded after Hitler came to power in 1933 and was the only legal trade union under the Third Reich. The words "Modell des Amtes Schnheit der Arbeit" roughly translate as "Approved Model of the Office of Beauty of Work." "Schoenheit der Arbeit" (Office of Beauty of Work) was an organization under the DAF concerned with improving conditions in the workplace and that, according to one source, also gave the seal of approval to good designs.
The Office of Beauty of Work existed from 1933 to c.1939. Bauscher Weiden was established in Weiden, Bavaria, in 1881. The company became part of Hutschenreuther AG in 1927 and is still in business as a subsidiary of BHS tabletop AG. Bauscher Weiden specializes in hotel tableware.
This Bauscher Weiden mark was used from c.1920 to c.1939. Nazi memorabilia was understandably unpopular for many years after the end of World War II, but more items are showing up for sale now and prices are rising. Some pieces were brought home by soldiers who fought in World War II. Nazi memorabilia is collected for its historical and collectible value, and not to make a political statement. Many who offer Nazi memorabilia for sale are careful to point out that they do not agree with the policies of the Nazi party and are not in any way affiliated with it.
REMOVING CRANBERRY SAUCE STAINS AFTER THANKSGIVING DINNER
 Keep an eye out for stains on your vintage linens at Thanksgiving dinner. Here are three suggestions for removing cranberry sauce stains. Immediately scoop up the spilled sauce and wash the linens as soon as possible with detergent and very hot water. (If you're using a modern tablecloth, read the directions about hot water.) Another solution is to scoop, rinse with cold water, pre-treat the stain with a commercial stain removal product, then wash. Here's one more suggestion--a very old one: Scoop, rinse with cold water, then soak the stain in a mixture of a tablespoon of white vinegar, a half-teaspoon of liquid laundry detergent, and a quart of cold water. Rinse. If the fabric is still pink, wipe the stain with rubbing alcohol and rinse again. If all else fails, wash your tablecloth using bleach (if bleach is safe for your tablecloth). |
BEWARE OF CHINESE MADE JEWELRY
Chinese made children’s jewelry is barred from the U.S. again. This time it is because they used cadmium as the metal. It is dangerous, especially for children. Be sure you have not kept any of the last recalled Chinese jewelry that was made with lead paint. All of this will be rare in the future but hopefully never a popular collectible.
WATERFORD CRYSTAL FACTORY SOLD
The Waterford Crystal factory building in Ireland is for sale. The glass making machinery is already gone. The brand and assets now belong to an American equity firm. Waterford started in Ireland in 1783.
TREATING LEATHER ITEMS
There is controversy about using leather dressing to preserve leather. It does look great when first used but collectors and dealers are now worried that eventually it darkens the leather and leaves it stiff or sticky. Get expert advice for treating leather.
BEWARE OF TRAVELING AUCTIONS
Watch out for traveling auctions that set up in a hotel or large (rented) house and advertise pieces owned by celebrities. This week we found a sticker on our daily newspaper that advertised a "due to losses caused by Bernie Madoff auction." That's a new twist to the old line, "including items belonging to." The "due to" doesn't mean fabulous antiques that once belonged to Madoff will be sold. The items up for auction probably belonged to people who lost money when they invested with Madoff. The "including items" line is a similar trick. It often means the auction has just one item that belonged to a celebrity. And that item usually has such a high reserve that it's never sold--it's just used for advertising. Always research out-of-town auctioneers in town for a week.
